New York State Department of Health Honors State's 350,000 Nurses in Observance of National Nurses Week, May 6-12

New York State Initiatives and Investments Aimed at Significantly Growing the Nursing Workforce

2022 National Nurses Week Theme is "Nurses Make a Difference"

ALBANY, N.Y. (May 6, 2022) - The New York State Department of Health today announced the observance of National Nurses Week, May 6-12, 2022. Additionally, Governor Kathy Hochul has issued a proclamation honoring New York's nurses for their dedication to patient care. The Empire State has more than 350,000 nurses working as registered professional nurses, licensed practical nurses, clinical nurse specialists, and nurse practitioners across all healthcare settings statewide to ensure the best health outcomes for patients. The American Nurses Association (ANA) chose "Nurses Make a Difference" as this year's national Nurses Week theme to honor the varying roles of nurses and their positive impact on our lives.

"We are grateful to our nurses who serve unwaveringly as frontline caregivers every day and throughout the most challenging of public health events," said New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett. "Along with their vast clinical expertise, nurses are there to comfort, to advise, and to advocate; helping patients navigate health options and decisions that impact their lives."

New York State is proud to offer new opportunities to both honor our current nurses and attract new professionals to join this exciting field. To that end, Governor Hochul included an historic $20 billion, multi-year healthcare investment in the FY 2023 State Budget with $1.2 billion dedicated to frontline healthcare worker retention bonuses. The investments are intended to help rebuild our healthcare system by raising healthcare worker's pay, improving their workplace infrastructure, and providing incentives that will attract more people to the workforce.

Looking ahead to growing the nursing workforce, Governor Hochul announced in December that applications are open for the "Nurses For Our Future" Scholarship. The scholarship will cover tuition for 1,000 new or current healthcare workers to earn an Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) at a two-year or four-year New York State public college or university. For more information or to apply, see here.

The American Nurses Association's celebration of National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6 and ends on May 12, Florence Nightingale's birthday. Nightingale was the founder of modern nursing and is credited with expanding roles for women in the workforce.

For more information about National Nurses Week please see here.