May 11, 2026 (Ottawa, Ontario) —The Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) proudly celebrates National Nursing Week, taking place May 11–17, 2026, with the theme The Power of Nurses to Transform Health. This theme highlights the incredible impact nurses have in shaping health care, driving innovation, and advocating for patient-centred care, while underscoring the vital necessity for nurses to lead at policy tables, ensuring their expertise dictates the future of a sustainable and equitable healthcare system.
Across the country, half a million nurses are transforming health systems and improving outcomes for individuals, families, and communities.
The week begins with Indigenous Nurses Day on May 11, followed by International Nurses Day on May 12 and Student Nurses Day on May 13.
Throughout National Nursing Week, CNA has organized a series of events aligned with these key moments:
- Monday, May 11 – The Leadership of Indigenous Nurses: Uplifting the Next 7 Generations
- Tuesday, May 12 – The Power of Nursing Leadership in Politics: Fireside Chat with Ministers of Health
- Wednesday, May 13 – Students and Early Career Nurses: National & Global Leadership to Transform Health
- Thursday, May 14 – The Power and Impact of Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy & Continence Care
- Friday, May 15 – The Knowledge Process Model: Bridging Practical and Registered Nursing
Nurses continue to lead health transformation efforts across the continuum of care and beyond, advancing innovative models of care, strengthening health systems, and advocating for equitable, accessible services for all people in Canada.
“In every community and every sector, nurses are making measurable impacts on the health and well-being of people in Canada,” said Dr. Kimberly LeBlanc, CNA president. “This week, we celebrate the dedication and leadership of nurses and their collective power to transform health now and into the future.”
CNA continues to call on the federal government to work in partnership with the nursing profession and take concrete action to strengthen Canada’s health systems. From workforce optimization and proven retention strategies to expanding access to care and implementing nurse-led models of care, nurses bring the evidence, expertise, and solutions needed to improve outcomes and bend the cost curve across the country, as evidenced by CNA’sPolicy Roadmap.
“As the largest group of regulated health professionals in Canada, nurses are uniquely positioned to lead system transformation and support governments in meeting the evolving needs of the people we serve,” said Dr. Valerie Grdisa, CNA CEO. “I encourage everyone to join the celebration and shine a spotlight on the central role nurses play in patient care and health system sustainability.”
To learn more about National Nursing Week, register for our virtual events, and download the National Nursing Week toolkit, please visit:https://www.cna-aiic.ca/en/news-events/national-nursing-week. Follow CNA on social media and use the official hashtags to share your participation: #CNA2026 #NursingWeek2026 #NationalNursingWeek #IND2026 #Nurses2026 #ThePowerofNurses
CNA is hosting the 2026 CNA Conference on September 21-23, 2026, at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg. Find out more about how you can connect with colleagues from across Canada and around the world, deepen your learning, and be inspired by the expertise and leadership shaping the future of nursing and health systems:https://www.cna-aiic.ca/en/news-events/upcoming-events/conference-2026
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About the Canadian Nurses AssociationCNA is the national and global professional voice of Canadian nursing. Our mission is to advance the nursing profession to improve health outcomes in Canada’s publicly funded, not-for-profit health system. CNA is the only national association that speaks for all nurses in all sectors and practice settings across all 13 provinces and territories. We represent unionized and non-unionized nurses, retired nurses, nursing students, and all categories of nurses (licensed and registered practical nurses, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and registered psychiatric nurses).
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