National Hospital Week

Hospital Week, National

Week including May 12

Although Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), the famous nurse and public health activist, spent most of her life in England, it is in the United States that the anniversary of her birth has been celebrated since 1921 as National Hospital Day.
Originally a day set aside in honor of the woman who made nursing a respectable profession and who revolutionized the way hospitals were run, the May 12 observance was expanded to a week-long event in 1953 so that hospitals could use it to plan and implement more extensive public information programs.
Currently sponsored by the American Hospital Association, National Hospital Week provides an opportunity to recognize employee achievements, to educate the community about the services hospitals offer, and to keep the public up to date on technological advances in the health care field.
In 19th-century England, it was customary for each community to designate a Hospital Saturday and a Hospital Sunday —a time to collect money for local hospitals both on the streets and in the churches. Hospital Saturday later became Alexandra Rose Day.

CONTACTS:
American Hospital Association
1 N. Franklin
Chicago, IL 60606
312-422-3000; fax: 645-722-4796
www.aha.org

SOURCES:
AmerBkDays-2000, p. 360
AnnivHol-2000, p. 81
DictDays-1988, p. 58