FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Laurie Laker
(c) 612-741-0662
laurie.laker@mnnurses.org
(St. Paul) – May 6, 2025 – Minnesota nurses are kicking off National Nurses Week 2025 this evening by lighting the state red and calling on the public to support their fight for safe hospital staffing through their ongoing contract campaign
Landmarks across the state will be lit red to recognize nurses starting on Tuesday, May 6 with Capella Tower in Minneapolis and Sperry Tower in Eagan. On May 9, both the I-35W Bridge and Lowry Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis will be lit red as well. These displays mark the beginning of National Nurses Week, observed annually from May 6 through May 12, the birthdate of Florence Nightingale.
“This Nurses Week, we are calling on Minnesotans to stand with nurses and demand that hospital executives put patient care before corporate profits and commit to staffing safely across our facilities” said Chris Rubesch, RN, President of the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA). “We are committed to protecting our patients, our profession, and our communities.”
As contract negotiations continue, 15,000 nurses in the Twin Cities and Twin Ports are fighting for new agreements that prioritize safe staffing ratios — proven to improve patient outcomes, retain skilled nurses, create safer hospital environments, and drive down healthcare costs. Nurses at the table are demanding that employers meet them with real, enforceable solutions to the ongoing staffing crisis that continues to threaten care quality at the bedside.
Throughout the week, nurses are encouraged to wear red and engage with patients and community members to raise awareness about the ongoing staffing crisis in Minnesota hospitals.
Since its establishment in the early 1990s, National Nurses Week has served as a time to recognize the vital role nurses play across every corner of the healthcare system. In 2025, Minnesota nurses will not only provide expert care at the bedside — they’re leading a growing movement to transform a system too often shaped by profit margins, demanding one that truly serves patients, families, and communities first.
LANDMARKS LIT RED FOR NURSES WEEK
WHEN: Tuesday May 6, 2025 — Saturday, May 10, 2025
WHERE: I-35W Bridge, Lowry Avenue Bridge, Capella Tower (Minneapolis); Sperry Tower (Eagan)
WHAT: Local landmarks lit red
WHY: To honor Minnesota nurses and launch National Nurses Week with a call to support their fight for safe hospital staffing through their ongoing contract campaign