The University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, Iowa’s only comprehensive medical center and the No. 7 employer in the health-care industry as rated by Forbes Magazine, is showing appreciation for providers this week in order to celebrate the two forms of national recognition.

UIHC is celebrating both National Hospital Week and National Nurses Week by offering a variety of events to honor health-care professionals and their contributions to the University of Iowa community.

“It’s important to pause and recognize the contributions of our faculty and staff and all they do for our patients,” UIHC spokesperson Tom Moore said.

Throughout this week, UIHC is offering an online CultureVision scavenger hunt for providers and the general public. There will be four questions to answer daily revolving around global health care, definitions, and other important issues, with the chance for two individuals to win Java House gift cards. To honor individuals in the hospital, small appreciation gifts, including thank-you cards and chapsticks, will also be delivered to each inpatient throughout the UIHC network.

“We hope that members of the public and our providers will see how much we value and appreciate all of their passion and skill,” Moore said.

Today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., providers will be honored in an appreciation event. Individuals will receive games and prizes from Hills Bank, take pictures in a photo booth, and have the opportunity to win gift baskets from local businesses.

UIHC is celebrating National Nurses Week as well, featuring messages of gratitude for nurses, enrichment lunches, and award ceremonies. On Friday, there will be a birthday party to honor famed nurse Florence Nightingale, with cake distributed to departments and clinics.

Touting a staff of more than 2,800 nurses, UIHC is the first and only hospital in the state to have a Gold Beacon unit designated by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

“Nurses are the biggest health professional workforce, and so this week is an opportunity to take a moment and celebrate the things they do and recognize the contributions they make in health care,” College of Nursing Dean Julie Zerwic said. “This allows individuals an opportunity to think about nursing as a career and think about the nurses they know and acknowledge them.”

Zerwic said that the College of Nursing offers internal celebrations as well throughout the week along with collaborative events with UIHC.

“Celebrating nurses is important because it’s a very demanding and difficult career that has a high turnover rate and can often go under-appreciated in the health-care setting,” UI senior and nursing student Megan Clements said. “It’s awesome that UIHC is honoring National Nurses Week because it shows everyone how important nurses are and how much they make a difference in everyone’s lives.”