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Celebrate Kentucky’s Nurses during Nurses Month in May

Posted about 1 year ago by Kailyn Beal

The Kentucky Nurses Association (KNA) is proud to celebrate Nurses Month this May in honor of the 90,000 nurses who live and work in Kentucky. What originally began in 1993 as a one-week celebration from May 6 to May 12, has expanded to a month-long celebration in Kentucky commemorating all the good nurses do and their importance to the many people and organizations they serve.

All nurses and all Kentuckians are encouraged to participate in and promote Nurses Month to amplify the theme: “Inspiring Action, Transforming Care: Nurses Lead the Way”.

The KNA's Apricot Ribbon Campaign calls for Kentuckians to tie apricot-colored ribbons and bows around trees, lamp posts, and any other landmarks as a visible sign of how much nurses are valued and appreciated. Apricot serves as the color of nursing and displays optimism and warmth.

“Nurses Month provides a great opportunity to celebrate the nurses who care for us, our friends and families, and our communities. Now is the perfect time to say thank you to nurses who provide expert care, support patient safety, and advance the nursing profession,” said Delanor Manson, CEO of the Kentucky Nurses Association.

Ways to Participate in Nurses Month

  • Share a photo of your favorite nurse (or nurses) on social media with the hashtag #ThankANurse.
  • Make apricot ribbons or bows to hang or wear.
  • Ask Your County Clerk for the Kentucky Nurses Special License Plate when Renewing your tags. $10 of each plate supports nursing student scholarships and nurse research grants.
  • Donate in honor of, or in memory of your favorite nurse via the Honor a Nurse/Remember a Nurse Program. The perfect gift for nursing graduates, Nurses Month, or Mothers Day. 
  • Follow KNA on Social Media Platforms including Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube.

About the Kentucky Nurses Association
Established in 1906, the Kentucky Nurses Association (KNA) is the only full-service professional organization representing the needs of 90,000 nurses in the Commonwealth. In addition to promoting the essential role of nurses in the healthcare delivery system, the KNA advocates for quality patient care in all settings. From the halls of Frankfort and state agencies to boardrooms, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities, the KNA is the voice for the nursing profession throughout the Commonwealth.

Nurses Facts:

  • There are over 90,000 nurses in Kentucky and more than 5 million nurses in the U.S.
  • Nurses are the largest profession in Kentucky and comprise 53.3% of the healthcare workforce.
  • Nurses lead the nation in ratings for honesty and ethics for the 22nd consecutive year in the latest annual Gallup rating of various professions.
  • Kentucky nurses provide services in over 80 different practice areas, not just in hospitals or clinics.
  • Like other professions, the need for nurses is great. In Kentucky, we are projected to be at least 20,000 nurses short by 2025.
  • Without nurses there would be no healthcare

Special events during May:

  • May 17, KNA Legislative Nursing Conference - Highlights the importance of nursing leadership and involvement in the legislative arena. Held virtual and in-person at the Galen College of Nursing in Louisville, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.  Offers 6.5 CE credits to participants. Register at kentucky-nurses.org.
  • May 23, KNA Social Justice Movie Night -“Violence Prevention Against Nurses” - Includes a panel discussion with community experts discussing violence among the nursing profession which follows a documentary viewing. Offers 1.5 CE credits to attendees.  Register at kentucky-nurses.org.
  • Now through May 31 – Seventh Annual Chapter Membership Challenge with KNA’s eleven chapters across the state participating in a friendly competition to recruit new members. Read more.
  • Now through May 31 – Apricot Ribbon Campaign to honor nurses. Read more here.

Educational opportunities/webinars:

  • May 8, Retain Kentucky Return to Work and Stay at Work Model: Strategies for Helping Workers with Disabilities Maintain Quality Employment”.  This event offers 1.0 CE credits to attendees. Register here.
  • May 9, Workplace Violence Prevention in Kentucky. This educational offering will cover the essentials of workplace violence, definition, prevalence, prevention.  Attendees have the opportunity to earn 1.2 CE credits.  Register here.
  • May 20, Organ Donation with KODA. This 30-minute webinar provides an overview of organ donation with KODA, and an overview of a nurses’ role in the process of organ donation. This event offers 0.6 CE credits to attendees. Registration here.
  • The American Nurses Foundation Stress and Burnout Prevention Program seeks to help nurses reduce burnout, manage stress, and increase their confidence. The program includes a confidential self-assessment for nurses to measure their stress levels and free customizable tools to help manage stress. Learn more at https://www.nursingworld.org/foundation/programs/stress-first-aid-for-nurses