Nurses Week Guide 2025: Celebrate Your Nursing Heroes the Right Way

Nurses are the heart of healthcare — and when Nurses Week rolls around each May, it's your chance to honor the incredible impact they make. In this guide, we'll walk you through why celebrating nurses is so crucial, seven easy (and meaningful) ways to celebrate, how to find the right words of gratitude, and why Knowwn is the #1 partner for healthcare employee recognition.

Why Celebrating Nurses Is So Important

Nurses dedicate their days (and nights) to caring for others — often under high-stress, emotionally demanding conditions. When they don't feel seen, supported, or appreciated, the consequences are serious: burnout, turnover, and talent loss.

• According to a 2023 study published in the Journal of Nursing Management, over 62% of nurses reported experiencing burnout symptoms.
• The American Nurses Foundation 2023 Mental Health and Wellness Survey found that 56% of nurses reported feeling "emotionally exhausted" in their work.
• Burnout is the #1 driver of nurses leaving the profession, worsening the already critical healthcare staffing shortage.

Recognition isn't optional — it's essential.
When nurses feel valued, they're more likely to stay, thrive, and continue delivering the life-changing care your patients rely on.

7 Easy Ways to Celebrate Nurses During Nurses Week

Looking for simple but powerful ideas? Here are seven ways to make your nursing team feel truly appreciated:

1. Patient Thank You Cards:
   Set up a small station in your office or hospital unit where patients can write handwritten notes to the nurses who've made a difference. It’s an incredibly personal way to show gratitude.
2. "One Word" Celebration Cards:
   Place a card out for each nurse and invite colleagues to write one or two positive words that describe them. Collectively, these words create a meaningful portrait of how they're seen by their peers.
3. Knowwn Recipient Choice Gifts:
   Skip the generic swag. With Knowwn’s Recipient Choice gifts, nurses can pick something personal — whether it's a wellness item, gourmet treat, or experience. Personal choice = personal impact.
4. Raffle Off Days Off:
   Give your nurses the most coveted gift of all: time. Hold a fun raffle where winners get an extra day off, a shift covered, or a flexible schedule perk.
5. Healthy Catered Lunch (or Lunch Gift Cards):
   Treat the team to a healthy, delicious catered lunch — or make it even more flexible by sending Knowwn lunch gift cards so they can enjoy a meal of their choice.
6. Public Shoutouts for Those Who Want Them:
   If some nurses are comfortable with public recognition, highlight them on LinkedIn with a personalized post celebrating what makes them exceptional. (Bonus: it also helps show your organization's culture to future hires.)
7. Impact Stats Celebration:
   Show your team the difference they've made. Collect and display numbers like "Patients cared for this year" or "Hours of patient interaction delivered." Nurses find deep meaning in seeing the real-world impact of their care.

Finding the Right Words: Crafting Messages That Matter

Words of gratitude hit even harder when they're authentic — and aligned with your organization’s values. Not sure what to say?
Tip: Ask ChatGPT to help you write a short appreciation message based on your core values.

Here are a few examples:

• Patient Advocacy:
  "Thank you for being a fierce advocate for every patient you care for. Your dedication reminds us all what compassionate healthcare truly looks like."
• Kindness:
  "Your kindness has touched countless lives — in moments both big and small. You show us every day that healing starts with heart."
• Teamwork:
  "Your commitment to collaboration lifts the entire team higher. Thank you for being the kind of teammate who makes everything — and everyone — better."

Customizing your message to fit your organization’s values helps nurses feel recognized not just for their tasks, but for how they embody your mission.

Why Knowwn Is the Best Solution for Nurses Week Recognition

At Knowwn, we don’t just offer healthcare recognition solutions — we specialize in them.
We’re the only platform built specifically for healthcare workers, from frontline nurses to patient support teams.

Here’s why customers trust Knowwn for Nurses Week and beyond:

• Personalized Care Profiles ensure every nurse gets a gift experience that matches their preferences — not just a "one-size-fits-all" option.
• Healthcare-specific collections that prioritize wellness, relaxation, and meaningful experiences.
• Moments of Care automation to make celebrating easy for administrators while making it personal for recipients.
• 5-star recipient ratings across thousands of healthcare organizations.

This Nurses Week, don't settle for generic. Give your nurses the recognition they deserve — personalized, heartfelt, and lasting.
Partner with Knowwn today.

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Bonus: See how GoodRx partners with Knowwn for Nurses Week each year