2026 Bruin Nurses Month

Celebrating the Impact of Nursing and Bruins

A photograph of nursing students with the text Bruin Nurses Month

Each May, we come together to celebrate National Nurses Month – a time to recognize, reflect, and thank the nurses who are at the heart of health care.

This year, we honor the extraordinary compassion, excellence, and commitment of nurses locally and globally. From the bench to the bedside, in classrooms, hospitals, laboratories, clinics, and communities, nurses are driving innovation, advocating for patients, and shaping the future of health care. At the UCLA Joe C. Wen School of Nursing, we are proud to educate and support the next generation of Bruin Nurses who will continue a legacy of innovation, leadership, and excellence. 

Thank you, nurses.

What does being a Bruin Nurse mean to you?

Marsellis Irving sits at a restaurant booth with hands resting on the table, wearing a brown jacket over a light-colored shirt.

Marselis Irving, MSN, RN | MSN-MECN ‘21

"Being a Bruin Nurse means I’ve been given the educational foundation to provide the highest level or care to my patients. It means continuing a legacy of excellence."

UCLA Nursing student Julie Bernardo in front of a blue background wearing a black jacket and white shirt.

Julie Bernardo | MSN-MECN Class of 2026

"Bruin Nurses are extraordinarily resilient, dignified, and ambitious leaders in communities all around the world. I am incredibly honored to be a Bruin Nurse, which is a title I will carry with pride as I work to preserve its reputation in all of my future endeavors."

Afaf Meilis is shown in a studio portrait against a gray background, wearing glasses, hoop earrings, a beaded necklace, and a multicolored patterned jacket over a dark top.

Afaf I. Meleis, Ph.D. | MS '64, MA '66, PhD '68 

"As a theorist/researcher and a global nurse scientist, I am grateful that UCLA welcomed me over 60 years ago as a new international student, and provided me with the education and the training that prepared me for leadership."

Nurses Month Events

Ice cream cones with different flavors of ice cream accompanied by the text 'Ice Cream Social'
In-Person

Ice Cream Social

Factor Bldg. 2-648 Lobby
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More dates
Nursing students in a medical center with the graphic text 'We are bruin nurses'

Support Our Bruin Nurses

We need your help to prepare the health care leaders of tomorrow.

Donate Today

Upcoming Recruitment Events

Meet our Admissions team and learn more about our programs

  • May 5th : LA County Nurses Week Fair 
  • May 5th: UCLA Santa Monica Nurses Week Fair | UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center
  • May 7th: UCLA Westwood Nurses Week Fair | Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
  • May 13th - UCLA Career Center "Nursing Jumpstart”
  • May 16th: UCLA Bruin Day for Transfers | UCLA
  • May 22nd - Unity and Kindness Day | Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
  • May 29th - Unity and Kindness Day | UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center