Nurse navigtor Barbie McCartney hugs Amy Ruiz, the mother of Megan Ruiz and the twins’ grandmother. “They took care of my baby,” Ruiz said of the staff at St. David’s North Austin Medical Center.
Nicole Villalpando
Unlike Teacher Appreciation Week, National Nurses Week is celebrated on the same dates year after year. Why? It always spans the week leading up to Florence Nightingale’s birthday, May 12.
Nightingale was an English statistician and is considered the founder of modern nursing. She was known as the “Lady with the Lamp” due to her nightly visits in a military hospital during the Crimean War. She later established the first professional nursing school, St. Thomas’ Hospital in London, in 1860.
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The first National Nurses Week was observed in October 1954, marking the 100th anniversary of Nightingale’s mission to Crimea, according to NursingWorld.com. President Richard Nixon proclaimed a National Nurses Week in February 1974, and the American Nurses Association (ANA) Board of Directors decided the week should be permanently observed May 6 through May 12.
Several companies are offering special deals and discounts to healthcare workers. From tea to shoes, check out these offers.
When is National Nurses Week 2026?
This year, National Nurses Week is Wednesday, May 6 through Tuesday, May 12.
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When is National Nurses Day 2026?
National Nurses Day is Wednesday, May 6, 2026.
Galen College of Nursing students Claudia Ruiz, left, and Angela Villegas practice placing a catheter during a lab at the college’s new campus near St. David’s Surgical Hospital in North Austin. St. David’s created the partnership in 2021 with Galen to grow the workforce.
Sara Diggins/American-Statesman
When is School Nurse Appreciation Day 2026?
School Nurse Day is always the Wednesday of Teacher Appreciation Week, which is May 6 this year.
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National Nurses Week 2026 food deals
Although Chick-fil-A doesn’t have a standardized deal for National Nurses Week, individual locations have offered promotions in the past and are likely to do so again this year.
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Chipotle: E-gift card giveaway
Chipotle is giving away $2 million in e-gift cards to healthcare workers and teachers. Through May 12, customers who verify their employment can sign up to receive an e-gift card valid for a free regular menu item. A total of 100,000 healthcare employees and 100,000 teachers will be selected and must verify their employment to receive the prize.
To celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4 through May 8) and National Nurses Week (May 6 through May 12), up to 100,000 healthcare workers and 100,000 teachers, randomly selected and verified through ID.me, will receive free entrée e-gift cards, totaling as much as $2 million in free Chipotle.
Hand-out/Chipotle Mexican Grill
“At Chipotle, we’re committed to showing up for the communities we serve, and that starts with the people who make a difference every day,” said Stephanie Perdue, Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing at Chipotle. “Recognizing teachers and healthcare workers through this program is one way we can give back meaningfully.”
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Einstein Bros. Bagels: Free Bagel & Smear
On Wednesday, May 6 only, America’s largest retail bagel chain is offering each nurse and educator a free bagel & shmear with the purchase of any item. To receive the free item, customers must visit a participating Einstein Bros. Bagels location and show a valid work ID.
“There are over five million nurses in this country and over five million teachers in K-12 alone who spend their mornings in service to others before most of us hit snooze,” said Einstein Bros. Bagels Chief Marketing Officer Jessica Serrano. “Einstein Bros. has always been rooted in the communities we serve, and this is our way of helping teachers and nurses own the morning, today and throughout the year.”
Insomnia Cookies: BOGO Classic cookies
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Nurses and teachers with valid work IDs or badges get a buy one, get one free deal on classic cookies at Insomnia Cookies. The deal can only be redeemed in-store and excludes Limited Time Only flavors, on Tuesday, May 5 through Tuesday, May 12.
Shake Shack: Free ShackBurger or Veggie Shack
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Shake Shack is giving a free ShackBurger or Veggie Shack to nurses and teachers from May 4 through May 12, with the purchase of any other menu item.
Courtesy/Shake Shack
From Monday, May 4 through Tuesday, May 12, Shake Shack is offering each nurse and teacher a free ShackBurger or Veggie Shack with the purchase of any other menu item. Customers must show a valid school or nurse ID to claim the offer.