Nurses are often present at people’s most vulnerable moments. Every day across Niagara Health, nurses support patients and families through illness, recovery and loss, while also caring deeply for one another.
This National Nursing Week, Niagara Health is celebrating our team of more than 2,800 nurses and recognizing the positive and powerful mark they make on patients and their loved ones.
“Nurses at Niagara Health go above and beyond every day – for their patients, families and for each other,” says Simon Akinsulie, Executive Vice-President, Practice, Clinical Support & Chief Nursing Executive. “That commitment shows up in the way they work together and in the care our patients receive. We rely on their judgment, leadership and compassion and we know the system works best when nurses are supported and valued.”
“Nurses at Niagara Health go above and beyond every day – for their patients, families and for each other."
A variety of activities will be held throughout the week across each of our five sites. One of the highlights of the week is our annual Nursing Excellence Awards, which will be announced on Tuesday, May 12. The annual, peer-nominated awards are a highlight each year that recognize the inspiring leadership and excellence of our nursing professionals.
Throughout the week, our leadership team will conduct walkabouts to thank nurses in person. A ticketed dinner is being held for nurses on Thursday, May 14. Our Spiritual and Religious Care team will lead a prayer for nurses and small tokens of appreciation will be handed out. Team members will also visit academic partners to discuss our commitment to nursing excellence and career opportunities at Niagara Health.
The opportunities for nurses at Niagara Health are expansive. Registered practical nurses, registered nurses and advanced practice nurses (i.e., nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and nurse educators) work in a variety of roles, from frontline to executive, across various units and programs across our hospital sites.
“The work nurses do is essential to our hospitals and our community,” says Lynn Guerriero, President and CEO. “Their professionalism and compassion make a difference every day. I am continually inspired by their ability to be calm in a storm, the emotional weight involved in caring for others and the depth of clinical expertise they bring to their work. I am grateful for their commitment to care.”
Community members are invited to join the celebration by sharing posts on social media tagging us (@NiagaraHealth) with the hashtag #NHNursingWeek2026 sharing the impact a nurse has had on you or a loved one.
Niagara Falls will be illuminated blue from 10 to 10:15 p.m. on Monday, May 11 in celebration of nurses across the region and across the world. On behalf of the Niagara Falls Illumination Board, the illumination can be viewed virtually. In addition, on May 11, the City of Welland’s Bridge 13 will be illuminated blue.
This year’s Nursing Week theme, developed by the Canadian Nurses Association, is The Power of Nurses to Transform Health.
Nursing careers at Niagara Health
Niagara Health is hiring a variety of nursing roles. Work in a world-class hospital system while living in a world-class destination. Explore current opportunities online and learn more about what nursing looks like at Niagara Health.
About National Nursing Week
National Nursing Week draws attention to nurses, increasing the awareness of the public, policy-makers and governments of the many contributions of nursing to the well-being of Canadians. The week is celebrated annually during the second week of May, which falls over the birthday of nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale on May 12.
