10 Fun Facts About Nurses

Test your knowledge with these fun facts about nurses that might leave you shocked and surprised.

Many of us have received care from a nurse at some point in our lives. They check in on us when we are ill, make sure we take our medicine, educate us and our caregivers, and provide life-saving care as needed. But, how much do people really know about nurses? Take the time to check out these 10 fun facts about nurses and discover what there is to know about the profession.

1. Nurses are Celebrated on National Nurses Week

Although nurses should be celebrated all the time, there is an entire week dedicated to their work. From May 6th – May 12th, you can celebrate a nurse and express gratitude towards all that they give. You can learn more about the history of National Nurses Week here.

2. There is a Certification for Every Interest

Nurses can further their education by earning a certification in a specialized area. Are you a nurse who is interested in working with victims of violence? Perhaps become a forensic nurse. Or, maybe you’re inclined to learn more about asthma or want to take a holistic approach with your patients. Whatever your interest is, there is a certification available to you. Check out a list of certifications here.

3. Nurses Are Inventors, Too

This fun fact might surprise you the most. Nurses have created various equipment and tools to help patient care throughout the years.

Sisters Teri Barton-Salinas and Gail Barton-Hay invented color-coded IV lines in 2003. These colored IV lines make it easier for nurses to identify which line they need to use with their patients.

In the 1940s, Bessie Blount-Griffin worked with Veterans from WWII. She observed how paralyzed Veterans relied on others to be fed and used her creativity and problem-solving skills to create a tube the Veterans could bite down on in order to receive food directly into their mouth.

Nurse Anita Dorr created the crash cart in 1968. Her reason was simple – it took way too long to gather all the equipment needed to save someone’s life during an emergency. Anita spent time designing a cart that was efficient in its layout and could be moved around as needed, therefore giving nurses more time to provide quick care to patients.

Teri Baron-Salinas, Gail Barton-Hay, Bessie Blount-Griffin, and Anita Dorr are just a few of the many nurses who have made contributions to the healthcare field through their inventions. As healthcare continues to change and new problems arise, nurses will continue to solve problems and lead the way.

4. There is More Than a Million

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were at least 3.1 million registered nurses in 2018. 60% of those nurses worked in hospitals with ambulatory healthcare settings being the second most common workplace with 18%.

5. An Organization for Every State

Did you know that every state has a nursing organization? You can find a list of the organizations here. Connecting with your state’s nursing organization is a great way to become aware of local events, news, and changes in practice.

6. Nurses are Popular on the Gram

There are more nurses than ever before sharing information about their work lives with the public on social media platforms like Instagram. There are also countless number of social media accounts dedicated to providing information about nursing as well. Here are some of the most popular nurse related hashtags to follow on Instagram

1. #nurse
2. #nursesofinstagram
3. #nurselife
4. #nursingschool
5. #nurseselfie

7. Nurses Aren’t Going Anywhere

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will continue to be a need for registered nurses and nurse practitioners. Employment for registered nurses will grow at least 12% which is “much faster than the average.” For nurse practitioners, there is an expected 26% job growth in the market.

8. Nurses Can Work Almost Anywhere

One of the great benefits of being a nurse is the ability to work in many different settings. Nurses are employed in schools, inpatient and outpatient facilities, nursing homes, community healthcare centers, and more. With this much flexibility, a career in nursing will always be interesting!

9. Nurses Can Work in Non-Clinical Care, Too

Here is a fun fact – nurses have a diverse set of skills that allow them to work in different settings. Some nurses find that after years of clinical work a change in the workplace is needed. These are just a few options that nurses have available to them:

1. Becoming a Legal Nurse Consultant. The American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants describes this role as someone who analyzes and evaluates “…facts and testimony and the rendering of informed opinions related to the delivery of nursing and other healthcare services and outcomes, and the nature and cause of injuries.”
   
2. Working as a Clinical Research Professional. Nurses who have research experience, both from school and on-the-job, may be eligible to take an exam to become certified clinical research professional. Learn more about this opportunity here.
   
3. A career in education. Use your years of experience to help educate the nurses of tomorrow! There are nursing schools all throughout the United States looking for experienced nurses to educate.

10. Nurses Have the Best Stories

Finally, the last fun fact is that nurses have the best stories. They have the best stories because they experience funny, sad, heart-warming, and bizarre moments every day. Without revealing patient information, nurses have shared their stories with the world. If you want to experience what a day in a life is like for a nurse, check out these links:

• Read about what it is like for nurses who are on the front lines of COVID-19 here.
• Check out this book that gives the readers a “behind the scenes” look at what it is like to work in a healthcare facility.
• Explore the lives of 5 nurses through this dramatic and transparent documentary American Nurse.

Let us know which fun facts about nurses surprised you the most in the comments!

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