Preparing to Celebrate National Hospital Week and National Nurses Week: A Thank You to the Caregivers Who Make Our Lives Better

In just a few days, we’ll kick off important recognitions for National Hospital Week, May 12-18, and National Nurses Week, May 6-12.

Nurses, physicians, technicians, pharmacists, therapists, IT and environmental services professionals along with many others work each and every day to provide life-saving care and essential services to their communities. They also are at the forefront of innovation and leading the charge to advance health for patients and communities.

Throughout the recognition weeks, the AHA will be amping up our efforts to highlight the vital role hospitals, nurses and caregivers play in our society. We’ll be running print and digital advertisements, spotlighting inspiring and moving stories on social media, and bolstering hospitals and health systems’ efforts to tell their own stories. 

To do that, we’ve created new resources to provide access to creative and customizable content to help amplify the amazing work being done by hospitals and health systems across the country.

• Digital and Social Media Resources: You can download our National Hospital Week digital toolkit and social media graphics that you can use leading up to National Hospital Week and during the week. AHA members can add their own branding to the content.
• Radio Public Service Announcements: AHA has created a 15-second and 30-second radio public service announcement (PSA) celebrating National Hospital Week and thanking our communities for trusting us with their care. Additionally, AHA members can download a PSA audio template and add a customized quote, creating a PSA for you to distribute locally.
• #WeAreHealthCare: AHA’s ongoing social media campaign spotlights workers from different areas within hospitals and health systems such as nursing, food services, human resources and environmental services, and shares their own powerful stories about why they went into health care and the role they play in caring for patients.

At the same time, the Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare  — of which the AHA is a founding member — will boost these efforts through its broader media campaign reflecting the positive role hospitals and health systems play in ensuring patient access to 24/7 care.

As we get ready to celebrate National Hospital Week and National Nurses Week, please take a few minutes to watch this video that beautifully captures the level of care that happens every minute of every hour of every day at every hospital in every community in America.

In it, you will hear from Diana — who suffered from substance use disorders while pregnant — and who shared her gratitude for the model of care that led her to being “built up instead of being torn down … making her a better mom.”

And Olivia’s parents — whose care team treating their young child with leukemia assured them that “you’ve gained an entire family here” … and whose dad was so moved by the “level of care that people give to absolute strangers.”

Let that sink in. Because that’s what hospitals and their care teams do every single day.

The AHA thanks you —  and our nation thanks you — for all you do to advance health in America.