The nurses at UP Health System - Marquette are on the front lines of care every day, with compassion, medical expertise, and servant leadership. They are true heroes, and we are proud to honor them during #NationalNursesWeek and all year-round. Pictured are nurses from the areas of Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Medical Specialists, Family Birthing Center, and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. (Photo courtesy of UPHS-M)

MARQUETTE — UP Health System – Marquette has announced it is joining the American Nurses Association in celebrating May as National Nurses Month “in an expanded recognition of the positive impact” that its nurses have on the health and well-being of the community, UPHS officials said in a press release.

National Nurses Week, which is observed annually May 6-12, “honors the men and women around the country who have dedicated their lives to caring for those who are at their most vulnerable and in need,” the press release states.

This year, as the “invaluable contributions of nurses have gained increased awareness amid the fight against COVID-19,” the celebration is being extended into a National Nurses Month, officials said.

“Our heroic nurses are always on the front lines of caring for the sick and injured,” Gar Atchison, CEO for UPHS – Marquette, said in the press release. “Their compassion, clinical expertise and servant leadership are fundamental to our ability to provide the high-quality care our patients have come to rely on. I am so proud to celebrate and honor their hard work — and not just during Nurses Month, but year-round. Their impact is an essential part of our mission of making communities healthier.”

The roots of National Nurses Week can be traced back to 1953, when U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare employee Dorothy Sutherland suggested a national day of recognition for nurses.

After a series of proclamations and resolutions through the decades, the American Nurses Association affirmed a joint resolution of the U.S. Congress by establishing May 6 as National Nurses Day in 1982.

The ANA expanded the celebration to a week in 1991 and, in 1993, designated May 6-12 as the permanent annual dates to mark National Nurses Week.

In addition to this year’s expanded, month-long observance, the World Health Organization WHO has also declared 2020 as the Year of the Nurse, which “is another well-deserved recognition for a group of professionals that could not have come at a more appropriate time,” UPHS officials said in the press release.

“By their very nature, nurses are special people who are committed to selflessly serving and caring for others no matter the circumstance,” Atchison said in the release. “During our fight against COVID-19, our nurses have truly stepped up and are making countless sacrifices daily to ensure the safety of patients and each other, and to help protect our community. They are heroes in every sense of the word.

UPHS – Marquette said it will be marking this special occasion and area residents are encouraged to leave their own special note of thanks atwww.thankahealthcarehero.com.