Nurse’s Week 2026 runs from May 6 – May 12

Nurse’s Week is right around the corner, and some healthcare organizations are still deciding how they want to recognize their teams.

Burnout and fatigue continue to be the biggest challenges we hear about.  Nurses do not just need motivation right now.  They need to feel seen, appreciated, and re-energized.

What we are offering to healthcare planners and CNO’s this year is a mix of practical and emotional support.  Speakers who can address burnout and provide real tools are resonating.  At the same time, there has been a noticeable increase in demand for humor and de-stress content.  Laughter goes a long way in helping teams reset and is often much appreciated during Nurse’s Week.

If you’ve been considering a Nurse’s Week Speaker, the good news is there is still time to put something together.  We are still receiving in-person requests for nursing speakers this year. Health system with multiple locations might look leverage a virtual or hybrid session to maximize value.

Each Q1 we see an uptick in traffic to our healthcare-focused platform, speakersfornurses.com, especially around burnout, resilience, and energy management topics. Most event planners know us for our main CCSB website. We encourage our health care speaker buyers to browse our health care site for more niche offerings.

If you are wondering if it’s too late to pull off a speaker for Nurse’s Week, there are still great speaker options available.

Lou Holtz 1937-2026. Orion Samuelson 1934-2026.

This month, we lost 2 Legends in the Speaking World.  We’d like to take a moment and reflect on two speakers who left a lasting impact on audiences across the country, Lou Holtz and Orion Samuelson.

Orion Samuelson was a legendary voice in agriculture.  Beyond his work on stage and in broadcasting, I would run into him at University of Illinois football game tailgates.  He was always willing to spend time with people, share stories, and connect.  It did not matter if you were a long-time colleague or someone he had just met.  His passion for agriculture, his deep baritone voice, and his ability to connect with others will always be remembered.

Lou Holtz was someone I remember from a completely different point in life.  My uncle took me and my cousins to a Notre Dame game in 1996 against Purdue.  We sat right by the tunnel where the players came into the stadium.  Coach Holtz led his team to a big win that day as the Irish thumped the Boilermakers.

Fast forward thirty years and I am booking keynote speakers for a living.  We had the opportunity to book Lou Holtz for an event in Orlando a few years ago.  He joined his own planning call and was genuinely appreciative to be invited.  The feedback from that event was excellent.  After such a long and successful career, he was still delivering meaningful leadership lessons.

What I will always remember about Coach Holtz is his masterful blend of leadership advice and humor.  He had a way of teaching and entertaining at the same time, which is not easy to do.

As I think about both Legends in their respective Fields, it is a reminder that the best speakers do more than deliver a keynote.  They connect with people, share lessons that stick, and leave a lasting impression.

That is what both of them did.