Let’s be honest. Nurses are the backbone of every healthcare facility and institution. We work long hours and we’re on our feet nonstop – plus we work weekends, nights, holidays, and more.
It’s not hard to find quotes from inspirational leaders like Barack Obama about the value of nurses, but we’ve done you the favor of compiling them all below.
Below, you’ll find several inspirational quotes about nurses as well as quotes to motivate you throughout the day.
Inspirational Nurse Quotes
Quotes About Nurses and Nursing
“America’s nurses are the beating heart of our medical system.” — Barack Obama
“Nurses are the hospitality of the hospital.” — Carie Latet
“Our job as nurses is to cushion the sorrow and celebrate the job, every day, while we are ‘just doing our jobs.’” — Christine Belle
“Nurses are the heart of healthcare.” — Donna Wilk Cardillo
“Some people think that doctors and nurses can put scrambled eggs back into the shell.” — Dorothy Canfield Fisher
“Panic plays no part in the training of a nurse.” — Elizabeth Kenny
“The most important practical lesson that can be given to nurses is to teach them what to observe.” — Florence Nightingale
“Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair, but manifestations of strength and resolution.” — Khalil Gibran
“Caring is the essence of nursing.” — Jean Watson
“A nurse is compassion in scrubs.” — Lexie Saige
“As a nurse, we have the opportunity to heal the heart, mind, soul and body of our patients, their families and ourselves. They may not remember your name, but they will never forget the way you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou
“Nurses don’t wait until October to celebrate ‘Make a difference day.’ They make a difference every day.” — Unknown
“Drugs are not always necessary. Belief in recovery always is.” — Norman Cousins
“To do what nobody else will do, in a way that nobody else can do in spite of all we go through, is to be a nurse.” — Rawsi Williams
“Nurses, one of the few blessings of being ill.” — Sara Moss-Wolfe
“Nursing is a work of heart.” — Scrubs Magazine
“Bound by paperwork, short on hands, sleep and energy… nurses are rarely short on caring.” — Sharon Hudacek
“Nurses may not be angels, but they are the next best thing.” — Unknown
“It would not be possible to praise nurses too highly.” — Stephen Ambrose
“A nurse will always give us hope, an angel with a stethoscope.” — Terri Guillemets
“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
“Always thank your nurse. Sometimes they’re the only one between you and a hearse.” — Warren Beatty
“The trained nurse has become one of the great blessings of humanity, taking a place beside the physician and the priest.” — William Osler
Motivational Quotes for Nurses
“Save one life and you are a hero. Save a hundred lives and you are a nurse.” — Unknown
“I’m not telling you it’s going to be easy. I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it.” — Art Williams
“Never give up on anybody. Miracles happen every day.” — H. Jackson Brown. Jr.
“There is always that one special patient that you will remember forever.”
“I may be compelled to face danger, but never fear it, and while our soldiers can stand and fight, I can stand and feed and nurse them.” — Clara Barton
“It is not how much you do but how much love you put in the doing.” — Mother Theresa
“Look to be treated by others as you have treated others.” — Publius Syrus
Final Thoughts: Inspirational Nurse Quotes
Keeping your team motivated and inspired every day can pay off tenfold. We recommend sharing these inspirational quotes on social media and even writing them on whiteboards or banners to have throughout your facility. These quotes can serve as daily reminders for your team to stay motivated and engaged at work, each and every day.