Celebrating The Power of Nurses during National Nurses Week

At Wilson Medical Center, we’re proud to join the American Nurses Association (ANA) in honoring and recognizing our nurses during National Nurses Week, Wednesday, May 6 – Tuesday, May 12. Established in 1954, the annual recognition first honored the 100th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s service and leadership during the Crimean War. The weeklong celebration ends on Nightingale’s birthday, May 12.  

This year the ANA has chosen "The Power of Nurses" as its 2026 national theme. And if you’ve ever sat at a bedside at 2 a.m., you already understand the power of a nurse. 

It’s in the quiet moments most people never see. It’s the nurse who walks into a room and senses something isn’t quite right. The one who continues to explain things because a patient or family member is overwhelmed and deserves the time. The one who stays a few minutes longer, simply because it matters. 

Nursing is part of life’s softest moments, like welcoming a healthy, new baby. But it’s also there during the hardest ones. And in a community like Wilson, all moments matter because they’re happening to our neighbors, our friends, and our own families. 

At Wilson Medical Center, I’ve the privilege of seeing our nurses in those moments. They lead with both skill and heart. They advocate for their patients. They take care of each other. And they bring a level of compassion to their work that can’t be taught, only lived. 

We’re also committed to what comes next. Through our partnerships with Barton College and Wilson Community College, we’re helping grow the next generation of nurses who will care for this community for years to come. Keeping that talent close to home matters—for our hospital and for Wilson. We are excited to welcome some of these graduates to our teams in the very near future. 

In an era when nurses are most central to care delivery, it has never been more critical to celebrate the nursing profession and its important role in patients’ lives. Nurses are a vital part of our healthcare system. With more than 3.1 million registered nurses practicing nationwide, they comprise the largest segment of the healthcare workforce and represent one of the fastest growing professions in the country. They are providers of hospital, in-office, home-based and long-term care – and often work long hours to care for their patients.   

During National Nurses Week, we take time to recognize the profession. But more importantly, we recognize the people behind it. 

To our nurses, thank you. Not just this week, but every day. Your work makes a difference in ways both seen and unseen, and it doesn’t go unnoticed.  

And to our community, if you see a nurse this week, take a moment to say thank you. It means more than you think. 

Dr. Heather Corte-Real, DNP RN MSN CNS-BC CMSRN, is the Chief Nursing Officer at Wilson Medical Center