Sunday, May 6th marks the beginning of this year’s National Nurses Week. During National Nurses Week, we honor and appreciate the nurses in our community, for their hard work and dedication to our physical and mental well-being. This 2018, the theme of  National Nurses Week is to “Inspire, Innovate and Influence”.

This is the week to celebrate what you do, why you do it, and how. Here are a few ideas for how to celebrate this year’s “National Nurses Week.”

Serve as a mentor to graduating nurses just stepping in:

Remember how you felt when you started your career? After this May, there’s going to be a flood of new nurses on your floor with a limited amount of knowledge or experience of what it’s really like in the field. If you know a graduating nursing student or see someone new who is struggling and confused, extend a helping hand and some advice to encourage them. Not only will it go a long way, but you can also play a key role in how they shape their career and achieve their future goals.

Devise your OWN innovations:

When you are on the floor and you see that something needs to be improved, offer your own idea and see how you can innovate it. Developing your own techniques is not only a way to make your job a lot easier, it can also put you in a role of leadership. Not only will it help you and your career, your innovations will help your patients. Think about what you can do to make them feel and be comfortable, and how your innovations can help improve the care that you provide them.

Network wherever you can and make your presence known

Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn are nice, but you have to use them properly. These social media sites are a great opportunity to network with your coworkers, management, and other nurses outside of your hospital or facility. When you network, you aren’t just making connections. You are also influencing other nurses in your own individual way. If you find an interesting article that discusses a form of treatment or a different method of care, share it to your coworkers. If you have an important message you want to bring to the table, write it, post it, and share it. By sharing these ideas and interests with colleagues and peers, you are opening the door to a wide range of opportunities.

And, finally, don’t forget to celebrate

Nurses, this is your week. And, now is the best time to reflect on your accomplishments. As a nurse, try to think back on the patients’ lives you have touched, and who has made their own difference in your life. Take a few minutes, remember the smiles, the laughs, and the tears. And, never forget your struggles and the challenges you have had to overcome to get to where you are today. To inspire, innovate, and influence, we must remember who we were before and what we have achieved so far. Don’t forget: You can make a great difference on someone’s life. So, think about what you can do to achieve your goals.