International Nurses Day is observed every year on May 12, and the next one arrives on Wednesday, May 12, 2027. The countdown above shows exactly how much time is left, so you can plan a thank-you card, a staff breakfast or a shout-out before the day sneaks up on you.
Why May 12?
The date is fixed: it never moves, whatever the weekday. May 12 is the birthday of Florence Nightingale, born in 1820 and widely regarded as the founder of modern nursing. Her work organizing care for wounded soldiers during the Crimean War, and her later push for hospital hygiene and nursing education, shaped the profession as we know it.
The International Council of Nurses (ICN), a federation of national nursing associations, has marked the day since 1965. In January 1974 the ICN settled on May 12 as the permanent date. Each year it chooses a theme and publishes a free resource kit that hospitals, schools of nursing and associations use for talks, posters and social media campaigns.
Nurses Week in the United States
In the US the celebration stretches across a whole week. National Nurses Week runs from May 6 to May 12, opening with National Nurses Day on May 6 and closing on Nightingale’s birthday. Many hospitals plan recognition events, catered lunches and awards throughout those seven days, and student nurses often get their own day of recognition within the week.
In the UK, a well-known tradition is the annual service at Westminster Abbey, where a symbolic lamp is carried from the Nurses’ Chapel and passed from nurse to nurse before being placed on the High Altar, a nod to Nightingale’s nickname, “the Lady with the Lamp.”
Ways to say thank you
As a patient or family member
- Write a short note naming a specific moment when a nurse made a difference; specifics mean more than general praise.
- Send a message to the hospital’s patient relations team so the praise reaches the nurse’s manager.
- Drop off snacks for a night shift, which is often forgotten when daytime celebrations are planned.
As a manager or colleague
- Schedule recognition across shifts so weekend and night staff are included.
- Use the ICN theme as a starting point for a short in-service talk or poster board.
- Nominate colleagues for an internal or regional nursing award.
In schools and nursing programs
Students can interview a nurse about a typical shift, research Nightingale’s statistical diagrams (she was a pioneer of data visualization), or make cards for a local care home or clinic.
Planning around the date
With 196 days to go, there is usually time to book a room, order a cake or line up a speaker. Add the date to your calendar from this page, or share the countdown link with your team so everyone knows when the celebration starts. On a ward, full-screen mode turns the countdown into a simple display for the break room.
Related days
Healthcare workers are also honored on World Health Day (April 7), and the International Day of the Midwife falls on May 5, just before Nurses Week begins in the US.