JACKSONVILLE, FL– National Nurses Week is here—a time to honor the many nurses who work so hard to care for others—and this year, it’s more important than ever. After three years of COVID and nursing shortages nationwide, a Florida healthcare company is going above and beyond to appreciate nurses.

Employees from Tampa-based Gale Healthcare will hit the road in an RV—setting out on a journey to personally say thanks to nurses in Florida and across the nation. It’s called the #ThankaNurse Tour, recognizing the countless sacrifices nurses have made throughout three years of the COVID-19 pandemic and it kicked off Tuesday, May 9 at Jacksonville Drew Park.

Gale employees have loaded up an RV and are inviting local nurses to come out for a free catered meal, and special giveaways and raffles with gift cards to area stores and self-care products—all to say thanks for the care nurses give to others.

“We want to send a heartfelt, warm thank you to nurses who have given so much during this unprecedented time in our history,” said Tony Braswell, Gale Healthcare Founder and President. “Nurses really are heroes. With three years of COVID, they’ve been under more pressure than anyone should have to manage. But through it all, they were there for others. It’s time to pause and show nurses we appreciate them.”

The #ThankaNurse Tour comes at a critical time, with nursing shortages nationwide.

  • Florida is facing a projected statewide shortage of 59,100 nurses by 2033.
  • A Gale Healthcare survey in October 2022 showed 59% of nursing staff are asked to work extra shifts on a weekly basis.
  • In a report released this year from the American Nurses Foundation:
  • 57 percent of nurses surveyed felt “exhausted” over the past two weeks
  • 43 percent said they felt “burned out”
  • Just 20 percent said they felt valued

“With all they do, no one deserves appreciation more than nurses. That’s why our team at Gale is doing this. We want to get the word out and encourage people to find ways to thank nurses in their community, especially as we celebrate National Nurses Week and Month,” Braswell added. 

Inspiration Behind #ThankaNurse Tour & a Call to Action

Tampa-based Gale Healthcare is a national leader in nurse staffing. Using a digital platform, Gale connects healthcare providers to nurses who accept open shifts. Nurses use an app to choose when and where they work and get paid the same day. Gale now operates in 40 states with more than 60,000 nursing professionals nationwide.

After seeing firsthand the additional stresses placed on nurses and how their dedication never faded over what’s been a difficult three years, Gale’s team wanted to find a unique way to show appreciation. After launching in Jacksonville, the #ThankaNurse Tour will make other stops in Florida before heading up the coast of the Southeastern U.S. Everyone is invited to join this effort by thanking a nurse or sharing a positive story about a nurse they know on social media using the hashtag #ThankaNurse.

In addition, students interested in starting a career as a nurse or nurse’s assistant can apply for scholarships from the Gale Healthcare Foundation, which the company started in 2022 with a commitment of more than half a million dollars to help nursing students. The foundation has a goal of raising a total of $1 million for nursing education in two years.

Both Gale’s name and National Nurses Week were inspired by Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. The week runs from May 6 through May 12—Florence Nightingale’s birthday.

About Gale

Gale Healthcare Solutions is a leading technology-enabled platform that provides per diem, contract, and permanent staff in post-acute and acute healthcare settings. Designed to address the national nursing shortage, the mobile and web-based Gale app connects nursing professionals directly to healthcare providers in need of clinical staff, and provides caregivers with daily pay. Gale workforce management solutions include recruiting, credentialing, scheduling, time and attendance, communications, and pay. Based in Tampa, Gale offers a national clinical workforce of more than 60,000 clinicians and serves clients in 40 states. Gale also offers software licensing to other companies that serve the healthcare industry. For more information, please visit galehealthcare.com and follow the company on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Media Contact:

Karen Pinkston
Karen@CatalystCommunicationsGroup.com