Nurses are some of the most important health care workers and dedicate their lives to not only helping to protect the health of their patients but also to keeping them comfortable. Nurses also help patients meet their health care needs, so it’s important that we show them the love they deserve. And one of the ways that we can do that is by thanking a nurse on National Certified Nurses Day—a holiday that falls on March 19th every year and commemorates the importance of nurses to the community.

The History Of National Certified Nurses Day

National Certified Nurses Day was established in 2006 in remembrance of Margretta Madden Styles—a woman with a distinguished career that helped inspire nurses all over the United States. This day was established on March 19th because that was her birthday, and it’s a day that’s meant to honor her contributions to the field of nursing.

Who Is Margretta Madden Styles?

Margretta Madden Styles was born on March 19th, 1930, in Pennsylvania. She earned both an undergraduate degree in biology and a chemistry degree at Juniata College. She would then go to Yale University to earn a master’s degree in nursing before going to the University of Florida to earn her education doctorate.

In 1967, she became an associate professor at Duke University and then would go on to become dean of nursing at several different universities, including the University Of Texas Health Science Center, Wayne State University, and the University of California at San Francisco. All during this time, she advocated for stricter certification requirements for nurses.

She would then go on to create the American Nurses Credentialing Center—also known as the ANCC. Through her efforts, she would go on to refine the nursing profession in the United States. She was such an influence on the field of nursing that several different grants and awards are named in her honor.

Interesting Facts About Nurses

Below are some interesting facts that we found out about nurses and the nursing profession.

• The average nurse walks over 3 miles on a regular shift.
• The first nursing school was Bellevue Hospital School of Nursing in New York.
• The first African-American registered nurse was Mary Eliza Mahoney.

Observing National Certified Nurses Day

There are a lot of different ways to observe this holiday, but probably the simplest way is to thank a nurse you know for all they do. You can also use this day to encourage someone who has begun their studies as a nurse. It’s also a good day to work towards becoming a nurse if that’s been your dream.

Of course, the above ways aren’t the only ways that this holiday can be observed. People can also buy National Certified Nurses Day stickers, thank you cards, and commemorative posters for the special nurses in their lives. People can also use the hashtag #NationalCertifiedNursesDay on social media to give a shout-out to all nurses out there.