Celebrated since May 12, 1974, Nurses' Day has a historical meaning. Because May 12 is the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.

Designated as International Nurses Day, this date sees various events organized each year with a different theme, much like on March 14, which is celebrated as World Health Day. For example, the theme chosen by the International Council of Nurses for the year 2015 was "Nurses: A Force for Change - Care Effective, Cost Effective." With this theme, attention was drawn to issues such as nursing shortages, workforce inadequacies, and the increasing costs of healthcare services, highlighting their impact on both patients and nurses.

Nurses Day serves as a platform to address the challenges faced in this field and to underscore the importance of the nursing profession. Nursing embraces the principle of health care for everyone, regardless of language, religion, or race. Nurses play the most effective role in providing healthcare services to individuals, families, or communities alike.

During Nurses Week, emphasis is placed on the increasing importance of quality in healthcare, the rising competition nationally and internationally, the necessity of employee and patient satisfaction, the changes occurring in the healthcare sector, and the provision of nursing education at the undergraduate level to ensure a qualified workforce.