In honor of National Nurses Month in May and National Nurses Week (May 6-12), hospitals and health systems are recognizing the difference nurses make in their organizations.
This year, the American Nurses Association’s theme of National Nurses Week, “The Power of Nurses,” highlights the invaluable contributions of nurses worldwide and the real-life challenges they face every day.
Here are some stats to know about nurses in 2025:
1. Nurse practitioners are the fastest-growing healthcare role, and the third-fastest growing role in the U.S., at a projected growth of 46% by 2033.
2. In a survey conducted by Boca Raton-based Florida Atlantic University’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and Cross Country Healthcare, 65% of nurses said their top challenge is stress and burnout, 59% cited staff shortages and high patient ratios, 52% pointed to inadequate pay and benefits and 51% said feeling undervalued by management.
3. For the 23rd consecutive year, nurses were recognized as the most trusted professionals in America.
Becker’s collected messages of appreciation from hospital and health system leaders across the U.S.
Note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Quanna Batiste, DNP, RN. Chief Nursing Officer of Touro Infirmary (New Orleans): During this year’s National Nurses Week, I want to express my deepest gratitude to every nurse across our Touro-LCMC Health. No matter your role or specialty, each of you plays a vital part in delivering safe, high-quality and compassionate care to our patients. I am continually inspired by your courage, your clinical excellence and your unwavering commitment to patient safety. Your work is a reflection of the highest standards of our profession — and your impact extends far beyond the bedside. You lead with heart, advocate fiercely for your patients and bring humanity to healthcare in the moments it matters most.
To be a nurse isn’t just a profession — it’s a calling. And your dedication to that calling never goes unnoticed. It is an honor to celebrate each of you for the knowledge, empathy and strength you bring to our patients, our organization and to one another. This week, and every week, we recognize and celebrate the powerful difference you make.
Monica Bologna, BSN, RN. Chief Nursing Officer at West Jefferson Medical Center (Marrero, La.): As someone who started as a bedside nurse right here at West Jefferson Medical Center nearly 30 years ago, I want you to know how deeply I understand and appreciate the work you do every day. Your dedication, compassion and strength are the heart of this hospital. You make a difference in ways big and small, bringing comfort, healing and hope to every patient and family you touch. Please know how proud I am to work alongside you. You inspire me, and I am honored to support you, not just as your CNO, but as someone who has walked in your shoes and continues to stand firmly by your side. Thank you for all that you do!
Lindsey Casey, MSN, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Manning Family Children’s (New Orleans): As we celebrate Nurses Week, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to you for the extraordinary care you provide and for your dedication to this amazing and noble profession. The impact you make on the lives of the children and families we serve is immeasurable, and I hope it brings you joy and fulfillment. While this week is dedicated to recognizing you, please know how grateful I am for you every day. I see you show up and give your best to every patient every single day. You pour your heart and soul into our patients and team providing care, comfort, hope and healing, and for that I am incredibly grateful. I am honored to serve as your chief nursing officer and proud to be a part of our incredible and resilient team.
Alesia Coe, DNP, RN. Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Care Services at UChicago Medicine: Thank you for the amazing power you bring as nurses — your empathy, technical competency and dedication make a lasting impact on patients, families and communities every day.
Phyllis Doulaveris, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive for Kaiser Permanente (Oakland, Calif.): Kaiser Permanente nurses have been transforming how we care for patients for the past 80 years. Many of our early nurses shine as pioneering examples of our organization’s focus on keeping people healthy and preventing illness. They have made significant contributions to the organization’s early development.
Our nurses continue to make bold improvements in nursing care to this day. Our legacy lives and thrives in Kaiser Permanente’s 76,000-strong nursing workforce. Our achievements and commitment to quality, safety and care experience have nurtured a culture of excellence that paved the way for 12 Magnet designated facilities across our California markets, including one that earned Magnet designation with distinction.
Organizations like ours show the world that nurses can be leaders in transforming healthcare. We nurture transformational nurse leaders with vision, influence, clinical knowledge and expertise. We support nurses who seek out innovative, atypical solutions.
Most of all, I am proud of the compassionate care that our nurses provide. They demonstrate care and compassion in word and deed every day. They ensure that dignity and compassion are afforded to all who need it in their most vulnerable moments. They show us true humanity and caring. I am grateful for their efforts, care, dedication, commitment and all that they do.
Terry McDonnell, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive at Duke Health (Durham, N.C.): During National Nurses Week and every week, I am deeply grateful to our nurses at Duke Health for being unwavering stewards of safe, high-quality care. You lead with integrity, skill and a fierce commitment to excellence — building trust with every interaction, advocating for patients and supporting one another. Your dedication is felt not only by those you serve, but by every member of our community who depends on your expertise and presence.
You are not only caregivers, you are innovators. Your ideas drive meaningful changes, spark breakthroughs in care delivery and shape the future of healthcare. As we continue to face new challenges and opportunities, it’s your creativity, courage and clinical excellence that lead the way. Thank you for all that you do. I am incredibly proud to walk this path with you.
Candace Mori, PhD, RN. Interim Chief Patient Care and Nursing Officer at MetroHealth (Cleveland): As we celebrate National Nurses Week, I want you to know how much I appreciate each of you — not just for what you do, but for who you are. Every day, you bring your skill, your heart, and your commitment to this team. You are the steady hands in chaos, the calming voices in crisis, and the fierce advocates for every patient who walks through our doors.
What makes your power truly special is that it’s not about titles or accolades — it’s about showing up, standing strong, and leading with purpose. It’s about being real, leading with honesty and authenticity, staying relevant to what matters most, and remaining relentless as we push the boundaries and lift each other higher every step of the way. You make me proud to be a nurse. You make me proud to be a nurse a MetroHealth. Thank you for everything you bring to MetroHealth and to the communities we serve. Let’s keep showing the world what the power of nurses really looks like!
Sammie Mosier, DHA, BSN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive for HCA Healthcare (Nashville, Tenn.): This Nurses Week, we celebrate “The Power of Nurses” to influence positive changes for the practice of nursing, which ultimately improves patient care. At HCA Healthcare, we recognize the important role you as nurses play at the heart of healthcare, advocating for your patients and care teams to drive nursing forward inside our walls and beyond. We work hard to prioritize the “voice of the nurse” at every level of healthcare delivery, as we know how passionate you are about patient care and that you have an invaluable perspective.
Our 2025 Nurses Week theme at HCA Healthcare celebrates nurses for consistently “Stepping Forward” every day in the ways you innovate, improve and elevate nursing practice. You show all of us what it means to deliver patient-centered, compassionate care. I see your dedication, desire and drive to make a difference for everyone we serve, and thank you for how you always step forward to meet challenges and inspire all of us to show up for our patients, our communities and each other. Happy Nurses Week!
Tiffany Murdock, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Ochsner Health (New Orleans): No matter their role, all nurses deliver on a common purpose: taking care of people. We are driven by humanity, kindness and compassion as the foundation of everything we do. This Nurses Week and always, I am so grateful for the more than 10,000 nurses at Ochsner Health who work each day to ensure our patients, families and communities feel support and comfort while in our care. I am in awe of the passion our nurses bring to evolve and grow our profession. It is magical to see the big impacts our nurses are making to drive change, rethink processes, implement best practices and protect our patients. Thank you for everything you do and for being the most incredible team of nurses!
Amber Price, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Sentara Health (Norfolk, Va.): As we celebrate Nurses Week, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge all Sentara Nurses across the enterprise for their exceptional work in our hospitals, ambulatory centers, home health and hospice services, and health plans. You are the heart of Sentara, and your impact on the lives of our patients and families is nothing short of extraordinary.
This year’s American Nurses Association theme, “The Power of Nurses,” truly captures who you are and what you bring to Sentara every day. Your dedication, skill and compassion are the driving force behind our progress and success as a team. Whether you’re delivering exceptional care, advancing medical treatment, or leading innovative change through new technologies, your work makes a real difference. I deeply believe that nurses are the source of our best ideas! Your willingness to ask questions and push for better experiences and outcomes is one of your greatest strengths. Your leadership and insight matter, and I see it in action every day.
At Sentara, we’re proud to be at the forefront of nursing excellence. Our best practices and shared governance model are recognized across the industry. We’re pushing boundaries with initiatives like our virtual registered nursing program and leveraging nursing informatics and artificial intelligence to support the way we work and provide care. Based on early feedback from nurses, we’re already learning how virtual nursing can best support your workflows and patient care. We’re already making real-time adjustments to better meet your needs and the needs of your patients. Every innovation we bring to life, every change we make, begins with you: your insights, your experience, your knowledge and your passion for providing the best care.
Kathleen Sanford, DBA, RN. Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer of CommonSpirit Health (Chicago): During this year’s National Nurses Week, I want to express my sincere gratitude to every nurse at CommonSpirit Health and across the nation. Thank you for choosing nursing and dedicating your lives to this incredible profession. Nursing is both a science and a calling — a calling to heal, comfort, advocate and care. You bridge science and humanity with compassion and expertise. Thank you for your tireless dedication and your resilience. The world is a better place because of you. Thank you.
Jennifer Schmidt, MSN, RN. Chief Nursing Officer at Lakeview Hospital LCMC Health (Covington, La.): Happy Nurses Week! You all are the heartbeat of our healthcare family. Your dedication, compassion and hard work don’t go unnoticed. Thank you for everything you do to make our patients feel cared for and valued. We’re lucky to have such a fantastic team. Enjoy your week — you’ve earned it!
Bryan Sisk, DNP, RN. Chief Nursing Executive of Memorial Hermann Health System (Houston): To our more than 14,000 nurses across Memorial Hermann, each day, you show us what it means to lead with both heart and expertise. Whether you’re advocating for patients, mentoring the next generation or advancing best practices, your impact is far reaching and deeply personal.
This Nurses Week, I want to recognize not only your clinical excellence but also the humanity you bring to every shift, every patient, every family. You are often the steady hand and calming voice in someone’s hardest moment and that matters more than words can express. Thank you for the strength, compassion and innovation you bring to your roles. Memorial Hermann is stronger because of you.
Sylvain Trepanier, DNP, RN. Chief Nursing Officer for Providence (Renton, Wash.): Every day, I reflect on the amazing accomplishments of nurses and the profound impact they have on the lives of our patients and communities. Nursing is not just administering medication or monitoring vitals; it is also an emotional support system for those who are going through some of the worst days of their lives. In many cases, it’s celebrating with our patients and families for overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Nursing care is physical, emotional and spiritual, and it takes a very special person to be the guiding light in a patient’s journey to healing. Thank you to Providence nurses, and to nurses all over the world, for being the healing presence that truly makes a difference. Happy Nurses Week to all who have sacrificed so much, cried with our patients, celebrated with our patients and moreover, have been the anchor of hope for so many.
Barbara Vazquez, DNP, RN. Chief Nursing Officer at Christus Children’s Hospital (San Antonio): I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation for the incredible nursing profession and workforce at Christus Children’s and to all the great nurses across the nation. Your unwavering dedication, compassion and expertise are the backbone of our healthcare system, and the impact you have on the lives of our patients and their families is immeasurable. Together, we embody the spirit of collaboration, resilience and commitment to excellence that defines our mission. Each member of our team plays a vital role in delivering outstanding care and making a lasting difference in the lives of those we serve.
I am immensely proud to work alongside such talented and compassionate professionals. Your hard work and contributions are essential to our success as a healthcare institution. As we celebrate this special week, let us reflect on the remarkable journey of nursing and healthcare, honoring the dedication and sacrifices made daily to provide exemplary care. Thank you for your commitment to the families who trust Christus Children’s with their care. Your efforts create a nurturing and supportive environment that is vital to their healing journey, and each of you plays a unique part in fostering the compassionate culture that sets our hospital apart.
Maureen White, RN. Chief Nurse Executive at Northwell Health (New Hyde Park, N.Y.): Every day, our 19,000 nurses change lives by providing direct patient care, leading teams or driving home the importance of community health. They do this with great compassion and strength. They are patient advocates, innovators and pillars of trust, all while handling complex care scenarios with an unwavering focus on our patients. Northwell’s more than 1,000 facilities could not operate without our nurses. Whether it’s Nurses Week or any week, we are eternally grateful for the work ethic, passion and altruism of our nurses.
