CNO is proud to celebrate Nursing Week on Monday, May 12 to Sunday, May 18, 2025.
This annual event recognizes and celebrates the invaluable contributions of all nurses.
“Nurses, we thank you for being true leaders who demonstrate unwavering commitment, champion positive change and dedicate your lives to serving patients,” said Silvie Crawford, RN, CNO’s Registrar/Executive Director and CEO. "The work you do matters. You enrich lives by bringing your unique worldview and experience to the care you provide. Your care and compassion transform patients’ lives.”
This year, CNO’s Nursing Week campaign celebrates the vibrant diversity within the nursing profession under the central theme, "This is Nursing." Through a series of videos, CNO honours the lived experiences, various roles and meaningful journeys that enrich the nursing profession and support safe patient care.
Throughout Nursing Week, CNO will share authentic stories and heartfelt messages from nurses, as well as their patients and employers. Our campaign highlights the diverse knowledge, experiences and skills nurses bring to their roles, the diverse practice settings they work in and the different patients they care for.
Whether in acute care, the community, classrooms, palliative care or so many other settings, nurses’ contributions are invaluable in shaping health care, driving innovation and advocating for patient-centred care. From rural communities to urban centres and northern regions, nurses are the heart of health care, bringing diversity and expertise to every aspect of their practice.
"Nurses bring rich experiences and unique strengths to our profession," said Nitha Reno, Manager, Interprofessional Practice and Innovation Long-Term Care & Services for Seniors Division at the Regional Municipality of Durham. "We navigate complex challenges every day, and yet, it is nurses’ unwavering commitment that brings comfort, dignity and hope to those we serve," said Reno.
“Diversity in nursing is about the many ways we care: through our identities, our values, our practices,” said Leonor De Biasio, RN, Clinical Facilitator at Humber College and the Learning and Development Specialist at VHA Home HealthCare in Toronto. “Care extends far beyond hospital walls. Nurses are in homes and families’ lives in such meaningful ways."
By sharing personal stories of nursing, CNO highlights the transformative impact of nurses on individuals and the communities they serve.
“The best part of my job is having a positive impact in the lives of my clients and advocating for them to ensure that they've received the best care possible,” said Samantha McAran, RPN, at The Care Company Home Care Services in Toronto.
Nurses inspire through their dedication, lead with compassion and enrich health care with their unique worldviews and experiences.
“Nurses have the opportunity to make a difficult situation easier by providing comfort to clients. One way we can do this is by incorporating a client's culture and beliefs into their care when possible” McAran said.
We invite everyone to recognize the incredible work of nurses during Nursing Week 2025. Together, let’s honour the profound impact nurses have in shaping health care and enriching lives through their compassion and dedication.
Celebrate with us!
Visit www.cno.org/NursingWeek and follow CNO on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram to hear incredible stories from nurses, their patients and employers.