2026 Nurse Awareness Dates

Nurses are our real-life heroes, showing up day after day with skill and compassion. They’re often the first to comfort patients, the last to leave a bedside, and the steady presence families rely on during their most vulnerable moments. As the healthcare field progresses, so does nurses capabilities, knowledge, responsibilities, and workload. Advances in technology, expanding scopes or practice, and ongoing staffing challenges have made the nursing profession more demanding than ever.

Celebrating nurses is more than a gesture of appreciation, it honors their contributions to society, their vital role in public health, and the overall well-being of our communities. All nurses deserve to be celebrated, not just on the national holidays, but everyday. Nurse awareness dates provide meaningful opportunities to highlight their expertise and simply say thank you for the tireless work they perform.

Here is a look at all the important 2026 nurse awareness dates to remember, offering plenty of opportunities throughout the year to celebrate, honor, and uplift nurses across all specialties and work settings.

2026 Nurse Awareness Dates

January

• 1/18 – 1/24: National Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA)
• 1/26 – 1/30: National IV Nurse Week

February

• 2/2 – 2/8: PeriAnesthesia Nurse Awareness Week
• 2/7 – 2/15: Cardiovascular Professionals Week
• 2/9 – 2/13: Ambulatory Care Nurses Week
• 2/18: Critical Care Transport Nurses Day

March

• 3/15 – 3/21: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Week
• 3/15 – 3/26: GI Nurses & Associates Week
• 3/18: Health Workforce Well-Being Day
• 3/19: Certified Nurses Day

April

• 4/5 – 4/11: Occupational Health Nursing Week
• 4/11: Radiological and Imaging Nurses Day
• 4/12 – 4/18: WOC Nurse Week
• 4/19 – 4/25: Transplant Nurses Week

May

• National Nurses Month
• Oncology Nursing Month
• National Critical Care Awareness and Recognition Month
• 5/6: National Nurses Day, National School Nurse Day
• 5/6 – 5/12: National Nurses Week
• 5/8: National Student Nurses Day
• 5/10 – 5/16: National Skilled Nursing Care Week, Neuroscience Nurses Week
• 5/12: Nursing Informatics Day
• 5/12: International Nurses Day

June

• 6/2: National Healthcare Recruiter Recognition Day
• 6/11 – 6/17: Certified Nursing Assistants Week

July

• No awareness dates this month

August

• 8/23 – 8/29: Health Unit Coordinator Recognition Week

September

• 9/1 – 9/7: National Clinical Nurse Specialist Recognition Week
• 9/6 – 9/12: Vascular Nurses Week, Nephrology Nurses Week
• 9/8: National Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses Day
• 9/12 – 9/18: National Neonatal Nurses Week
• 9/13 – 9/19: Nursing Professional Development Week
• 9/15: National Neonatal Nurses Day

October

• 10/4 – 10/10: National Midwifery Week
• 10/5 – 10/9: Pediatric Nurses Week
• 10/9 – 10/15: Perinatal Nurses Week
• 10/11 – 10/17: National Case Management Week, Emergency Nurses Week, Sterile Processing Week
• 10/14: Emergency Nurses Day
• 10/18 – 10/24: International Infection Prevention Week, Healthcare Quality Week
• 10/25 – 10/31: National Respiratory Care Week
• 10/26 – 10/30: National Orthopaedic Nurses Week
• 10/30: International Orthopaedic Nurses Day

November

• National Hospice and Palliative Care Month
• National Care at Home Month
• 11/1 – 11/7: Med-Surg Nurses Week, Hospice and Palliative Care Week, Urology Nurses and Associates Week, National Medical Staff Services Awareness Week
• 11/2 – 11/8: Forensic Nurses Week
• 11/8 – 11/14: National Nurse Practitioner Week, Home Care Week, Perioperative Nurses Week
• 11/22 – 11/28: Home Health Week

December

• No awareness dates this month

Final Thoughts

These 2026 nurse awareness dates are meaningful reminders of the compassion, dedication, and resilience nurses bring to their work each and every day. A simple thank you message can go a long way, and taking the time to recognize nurses can make a deeply meaningful impact. Mark these dates in your calendar and be sure to thank a nurse every time you see one.