Celebrating the Heart of Home Care: Honoring Nurses During National Nurses Week

National Nurses Week (May 6–12) is a powerful reminder that nurses are not just caregivers—they’re advocates, educators, and everyday heroes. For those working in home care, especially within Medicaid-based settings, nurses go above and beyond to care for vulnerable populations in the comfort of their homes.

This week is a chance to do more than say “thank you.” It’s a time to listen, uplift, and support nurses in ways that have a lasting impact. Here's how your agency can celebrate:

1. Listen and Learn from Their Experiences

Nurses hold deep knowledge about what patients and families need. Giving them a voice not only strengthens your agency—it improves care.

How to put this into action:

• 📝 Anonymous feedback surveys to ask what’s working (and what isn’t).
• 🎤 "Nurse Voice" listening sessions with leadership to openly discuss ideas or frustrations.
• 🧠 Use nurse input to guide decisions about workflows, tools, or care models.

2. Show Appreciation in Meaningful and Memorable Ways

Appreciation goes beyond cupcakes in the breakroom. The best gestures are heartfelt, thoughtful, and relevant to what nurses truly value.

Ideas to celebrate:

• 🎁 Customized gifts like embroidered scrubs, badge reels, or wellness kits.
• 🥞 Host a breakfast or snack bar with “thank you” notes at each table.
• 📸 Social media nurse spotlights—share their stories, fun facts, or “why I became a nurse” moments.
• 🏆 Create an internal awards ceremony like “Pediatric Care Champion” or “Most Trusted Nurse.”
• 💌 Ask patients or families to write thank-you notes, then compile them in a book or bulletin board.

3. Advocate for Their Wellbeing

Nurses spend so much time caring for others—National Nurses Week is the perfect time to care for them.

Support their physical and emotional health by:

• 🧘 Bringing in a yoga instructor or massage therapist for a short wellness break.
• 🧃 Creating a “Recharge Room” with relaxing music, snacks, drinks, and aromatherapy.
• ⏱️ Reevaluating shift structures to avoid burnout and promote work-life balance.
• 🗓️ Offering mental health days or access to counseling resources.

4. Encourage Growth and Leadership

Recognition is powerful, but so is investing in their future. Help your nurses see a long, fulfilling career path in home care.

Ways to support professional development:

• 🎓 Offer access to CEU courses or pay for certification renewals.
• 🎤 Invite a nurse leader or motivational speaker to talk about growth in the field.
• 🌱 Create a mentorship program pairing new nurses with experienced team members.
• 📈 Provide a clear leadership ladder or career advancement pathway.

When nurses know their agency is invested in their growth, they’re more likely to stay and lead.

5. Ask: “What Do You Need to Succeed?”

One of the simplest but most transformative questions you can ask is: What do you need to do your job better? Nurses know exactly what tools or support they’re missing.

How to act on their answers:

• 💬 Schedule one-on-one check-ins with team leads.
• 🧩 Review tech and workflow tools to identify bottlenecks.
• 📦 Provide field nurses with updated kits or faster access to supplies.
• 💻 Ensure mobile documentation tools are easy, intuitive, and fully integrated.

A Final Word of Gratitude

Nurses are the backbone of home care. They walk into homes filled with uncertainty and leave behind confidence, comfort, and care. This week, let’s do more than say thank you—let’s build systems, celebrate traditions, and create work environments that honor them every day of the year.

To every nurse: your care shapes lives. We see you, we value you, and we’re here to support you—this week and always.