Feel the power of nursing through these inspirational quotes about being a nurse. Proud to be a nurse because becoming a nurse is one of the most selfless acts a person can undertake.
In a society of so many different races, cultures, customs, and beliefs, nurses are a universal gift to all, and the dedicated work that they do and kindness they deliver on a daily basis should serve as a reminder of the fundamental humanity inside us all. They make a difference and we should show our appreciation.
Nursing, as Florence Nightingale would tell you, is a noble profession. It’s all about caring, self-sacrifice, and a whole lot of patience.
Whether you’re celebrating a nurse’s dedication, encouraging a nursing student, or marking a graduation, these quotes can offer support, humor, and inspiration. Here’s a selection of quotes tailored for different aspects of nursing and nursing education.
Quotes About Nursing
“Nurses are the heart of healthcare.” – Donna Wilk Cardillo
“To do what nobody else will do, in a way that nobody else can do, in spite of all we go through; that is to be a nurse.” – Rawsi Williams
“Nurses dispense comfort, compassion, and caring without even a prescription.” – Val Saintsbury
“The character of the nurse is as important as the knowledge she possesses.” – Carolyn Jarvis
“Caring is the essence of nursing.” – Jean Watson
“America’s nurses are the beating heart of our medical system.” – Barack Obama
“Being a nurse means to hold all your own tears and start drawing smiles on people’s faces.” – Dana Basem
“Nurses are angels in comfortable shoes.” – Unknown
“The trained nurse has become one of the great blessings of humanity, taking a place beside the physician and the priest.” – William Osler
“Nurses are the hospitality of the hospital.” – Carrie Latet
“Nurses—one of the few blessings of being ill.” – Sara Moss-Wolfe
“Care for one, that’s love. Care for hundreds, that’s nursing.” – Unknown
“Bound by paperwork, short on hands, sleep, and energy… nurses are rarely short on caring.” – Sharon Hudacek
“A nurse will always give us hope, an angel with a stethoscope.” – Carrie Latet
“Nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation, as any painter’s or sculptor’s work.” – Florence Nightingale
“Nurses are a unique kind. They have this insatiable need to care for others, which is both their greatest strength and fatal flaw.” – Jean Watson
“A nurse is compassion in scrubs.” – Lexie Saige
Nursing School Quotes
“Nursing school: where every answer is correct but somehow you’re still wrong.” – Unknown
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
“Nursing school is tough, but you’re tougher.” – Unknown
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
“Push yourself because no one else is going to do it for you.” – Unknown
“Save one life, you’re a hero. Save a hundred lives, you’re a nurse.” – Unknown
“Study hard, for the nursing you learn today is the care you give tomorrow.” – Unknown
“The road to becoming a nurse is long, but the journey is worth it.” – Unknown
“Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” – C.S. Lewis
“Nursing school: May your coffee be strong and your textbooks interesting.” – Unknown
“Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.” – Confucius
“Your profession is not what brings home your paycheck. Your profession is what you were put on Earth to do.” – Virginia Satir
“Be patient with yourself. Nursing school is hard, but you’re harder.” – Unknown
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs
“The best way to predict your future is to create it.” – Abraham Lincoln
Inspirational Nursing Quotes
“Nurses are the heartbeat of healthcare.” – Unknown
“Every nurse was drawn to nursing because of a desire to care, to serve, or to help.” – Christina Feist-Heilmeier, RN
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi
“Let us never consider ourselves finished nurses… we must be learning all of our lives.” – Florence Nightingale
“To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived; that is to have succeeded.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Treat a person, and you can win. Treat a patient, and you can lose.” – Patch Adams
“I attribute my success to this; I never gave nor took any excuse.” – Florence Nightingale
“A nurse is not what you do. It is what you are… I am a nurse. It’s not what I do, it’s what I am.” – Unknown
“Only a life lived in the service to others is worth living.” – Albert Einstein
“Nursing is not for everyone. It takes a very strong, intelligent, and compassionate person to take on the ills of the world with passion and purpose and work to maintain the health and well-being of the planet.” – Donna Wilk Cardillo
“The trained nurse has become one of the great blessings of humanity, taking a place beside the physician and the priest.” – William Osler
“Nurses are the glue that holds a patient’s health journey together.” – Gail Ingram, RN
Funny Nursing Quotes
“Be nice to the nurses. We keep the doctor from accidentally killing you.” – Unknown
“Nursing would be a dream job if there were no doctors, patients, or other nurses.” – Unknown
“Why did the nurse always insist on using the red pen at work? In case she needed to draw blood.” – Unknown
“Yes, I am a nurse. No, I don’t want to look at it.” – Unknown
“You know you’re a nurse when… your stomach turns into a steel trap at the mention of the word ‘stool’.” – Unknown
“I’m a nurse because ‘miracle worker’ is not an official job title.” – Unknown
“Nurses: one of the few blessings of being ill.” – Sara Moss-Wolfe
“You might be a nurse if… you believe every patient needs TLC: Thorazine, Lorazepam, and Compazine.” – Unknown
“How many nurses does it take to screw in a light bulb? None! They just have a nursing student do it.” – Unknown
“If you think my hands are full, you should see my heart.” (funny and sweet) – Unknown
“Nurse’s station: where you hesitate to press the call button because you know they’re already running a marathon.” – Unknown
“Being a nurse is weird. I can keep a poker face through trauma but have a mental breakdown over losing my favorite pen.” – Unknown
Nursing Graduation Quotes
“As you graduate a nurse, remember to touch each patient with compassion and care. They will remember how you made them feel forever.” – Unknown
“Today, you become a guardian angel for those in their weakest moments. Congrats on your graduation.” – Unknown
“The uniform you now wear symbolizes blood, sweat, tears, and humanity. Wear it with pride.” – Unknown
“Nursing is a journey, not a destination. Congratulations on graduating, but remember, learning never stops.” – Unknown
“You’ve been taught to save lives, to love, to cry, to laugh and to console. As you step forward, take pride in what you do and who you are. Congratulations.” – Unknown
“May your scrubs be comfy, your coffee be strong, and your Monday be short. Congratulations on your graduation.” – Unknown
“From learning about anatomy to learning about humanity, you’ve come so far. Congratulations on your nursing graduation!” – Unknown
“Graduating nursing school is only a brief interruption of a lifelong of service to others. Congratulations!” – Unknown
“Welcome to the world of scrubs, shifts, and saving lives. Congratulations on your graduation!” – Unknown
“As you graduate, take with you the lessons of the heart and continue to apply them daily.” – Unknown
“The tassel’s worth the hassle! Congratulations on your major achievement, nurse grad!” – Unknown
“Today, you turn your dreams into reality. Tomorrow, you begin to dream anew. Congratulations on your nursing graduation!” – Unknown
These quotes can be used in cards, speeches, social media posts, and personal messages to celebrate milestones, encourage during challenging times, or just bring a smile to a nurse or nursing student’s face.
Some Facts About Nurses:
Who was the first nurse?
Ellen Dougherty, New Zealand’s and the world’s first registered nurse.
Why are nurses so important?
Because when you are a patient they spend more time with you than doctors. They a moderate your healing progress. They also provide emotional support and keeping their dialogue open.
How many nurses are in the world?
There are 19.3 million nurses according to the World Health Organizastion’s World Health Statistics Report, 2011.
What is the nursing motto?
Nurses can do anything, not nurses should do everything! Our opportunities are boundless. Nurses can handle a lot.
Deniz Yalım is the founder and visionary behind BayArt, a platform renowned for its deeply resonant and inspirational content focusing on love, relationship, happiness, success and motivation.
With a background rich in literature, psychology, and communication, Deniz has dedicated their career to the art of using words to inspire and empower. Passionate about the transformative power of language, Deniz has skillfully curated BayArt to be a platform for those seeking wisdom and guidance in the realms of love and life.
Their writings not only reflect a deep understanding of human emotions and relationships but also aim to ignite change and encourage positive thinking. Through BayArt, Deniz Yalım continues to touch lives, offering solace, motivation, and a sense of connectedness to a global community.
