National Student Nurse Day is celebrated on May 8 as part of National Nurses Week. It’s a day to appreciate the courage of student nurses as they take on the highly challenging and competitive field of medicine. The nursing education that student nurses undergo is different from that of other students. Aside from theoretical learning in classes, student nurses apply their knowledge through practical experiences such as administering medications, charting, nursing care, and patient assignments. Student nurses can specialize in various nursing fields, including clinical nursing, burn care nursing, education, mental health nursing, nurse practitioner, and midwifery. Upon completion of their studies, student nurses have to take certification exams before becoming registered nurses.
Considering Becoming A Student Nurse?
There are many nursing scholarships for certified and uncertified student nurses available around the world which you can learn more about by visiting Scholaroo. If you are considering nursing as a career, you can learn more about the cost of nursing of nursing school and how to pay for it as well as student loan forgiveness for nurses.
History of National Student Nurse Day
Nursing education has changed over the years, moving from a more practical approach to learning how to integrate diverse medical-related fields and research that has allowed nursing schools to produce nurses who are not inferior to physicians but can work as equal members of a medical team.
Before the advent of traditional nursing education, student nurses trained as apprentices at religious institutes such as convents. Then, in 1860, Florence Nightingale founded the first general training school for nurses at St Thomas’ Hospital. The school’s curriculum was designed around nursing practice and the need for hygiene and task competence. Nightingale’s model went on to dominate nursing education for the entirety of the 20th century before it was replaced by the philosophy, “service first, education second.”
The outbreak of the civil war in the United States made the country realize the importance of nursing and the need for nursing education. The role that individuals like Dorothea Dix and other women nurse volunteers played in the war led to the establishment of various nursing schools in 1873. That includes Bellevue Hospital School of Nursing, New Haven Hospital’s Connecticut Training School, and Massachusetts General Hospital’s Boston Training School. In 1888, Darius Mills founded a male-exclusive nursing school in Bellevue Hospital, New York. That helped diminish the notion that nursing was a female-only field.
The 1900s brought about innovations in nursing education. That includes remote learning, a standard nursing curriculum, a personalized feedback system for various nursing programs, and the pilot of nursing-associate degrees in different schools of higher education.
The onset of the Covid pandemic in 2020 further transformed medicine, which had a ripple effect on the nursing profession. It led to the advancement of telehealth and technology in the medical field.
National Student Nurse Day timeline
Florence Nightingale establishes the first nursing school at St. Thomas’ hospital named The Nightingale Home and Training School for Nurses.
Several nursing schools are founded across the United States.
Chicago’s Provident Hospital is founded to train African American nurses and provide healthcare services to black patients.
The American Nurses Association launches National Student Nurse Day to recognize student nurses.
National Student Nurse Day FAQs
What does a student nurse do?
Student nurses work under the guidance of registered nurses to administer medications, chart, and provide nursing care to patients.
Can a student nurse work?
You can work while studying to be a student nurse, although you would have to figure out how to juggle a student nurse’s busy and tight learning schedule. As a student nurse, you can work as a dietary aide, summer camp nurse assistant, orderly, personal care aide, and psychiatric aide.
Do you get paid as a student nurse?
As a student nurse intern, you can earn up to $38,469 a year. That is an average of $18.49 an hour.
How to Observe National Student Nurse Day
Encourage a student nurse
Student nurses undergo three to four years of rigorous learning and training before becoming graduates and then pursuing their registered nurse certification. If you were a student nurse or remember what it’s like to be a student, use National Student Nurse Day to support student nurses. You can share your experience to encourage them or show that you believe in them. A friendly shout-out on social media would be great too.
Have a get-together with friends
If you’re a student nurse, you can use National Student Nurse Day as an opportunity to celebrate your journey so far with friends or fellow student nurses. You can have a small gathering at your home, lunch, dinner, or a hangout at your favorite fun spot. Share the highlights and challenges of your student journey, have a laugh at the embarrassing moments, and discuss plans for the future.
Start a fundraiser
Another way to celebrate student nurses on National Student Nurse Day is to fundraise for one or more student nurses going through financial challenges. If you have a large following on social media, you can open a GoFundMe and get your followers to contribute to the account. If you have the resources, you can also do an ad on Facebook or Instagram to get the word to as many people as possible. Remember to make the funding transparent.
5 Important Facts About Nursing
The most ethical profession in the U.S.
Between 1999 and 2020, nursing ranked top as the most ethical profession in the United States, according to Gallup’s annual honesty/ethics poll.
Nurses walk more than other Americans
According to a study published in “MEDSURG Nursing,” nurses walk an average of four to five miles during a 12-hour shift.
Student nurses represent half of healthcare students
About 50% of students studying healthcare-related courses are nursing majors.
Nurses work everywhere
Nurses don’t only work in hospitals; they can also work in other organizations, including government agencies, educational services, health practices, military bases, and research labs.
There are over three million U.S. nurses
There are more than three million nurses in the U.S., which is roughly equal to the population of Los Angeles and Jamaica.
Why National Student Nurse Day is Important
Student nurses promote the nursing profession
Like every other field, students are crucial to the development of nursing. The number of students in a profession determines its growth rate, value, and popularity. The same also applies to the nursing profession.
Student nurses bring in a fresh perspective to the profession
Student nurses are a new set of eyes and can see what experienced nurses or medical professionals haven’t noticed. This enables them to bring new ideas and innovation to the field.
Student nurses are patients’ advocates
Most of the student nurses’ practical work revolves around administering care to patients. That enables them to understand patients’ needs, concerns, behaviors, and health habits. They can empathize with their patients and their families and ensure they get the required care.
National Student Nurse Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | May 8 | Wednesday |
| 2025 | May 8 | Thursday |
| 2026 | May 8 | Friday |
| 2027 | May 8 | Saturday |
| 2028 | May 8 | Monday |
Log In With Google 