Nurses thanked for safety-critical care and dedication on International Nurses Day
Nurses across all settings are being celebrated for their safety-critical care, compassion, skills, value and dedication this International Nurses Day (IND).
Celebrated annual on 12 May – Florence Nightingale’s birthday – this year’s IND is focusing on empowering the nursing workforce to help ‘maximise their full-saving impact’.
The strapline for this year, set by the International Council of Nurses (ICN), is: ‘Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives.’ It is hoped the message will empower nurses with ‘safe, fair work environments and full nursing practice, influence and leadership’.
Nursing in Practice has asked general practice nurses to spotlight ‘how they count’ ahead of IND, with nurses sharing reasons from holistic patient care, managing complex conditions and reducing pressure on GPs.
Others have also highlighted the roles of nurses for IND, praising them for their work.
NMC pays tribute to nurses’ dedication, compassion and skill
Chief executive and registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Paul Rees said he wanted to thank nurses for their ‘dedication, compassion, and skill’.
‘All of us will rely on the care of a nursing professional at some stage in our lives – on any given day, they could be our lifeline,’ he said.
‘Across hospitals and in the community, in care homes and people’s homes, in schools and universities – over 800,000 nurses and nursing associates underpin the nation’s health and wellbeing.
‘That’s why, on this International Nurses Day, I want to celebrate the nursing professionals on the register who strive to deliver safe and equitable care for people and communities across the UK.
‘We owe it to them to be the strong and independent regulator that everyone wants to see – working with the profession to inspire public confidence.
‘But today is simply about saying thank you to nurses and nursing associates across the UK – your dedication, compassion and skill make a vital difference.’
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‘Incredibly proud’
Chief nursing officer for England Duncan Burton has said he is ‘incredibly proud’ of nursing and midwifery, thanking the profession for delivering ‘expert care’.
‘Today, our nursing and midwifery professions are woven into the fabric of our communities, making up around 2% of the working-age population,’ he said.
‘You support people at every stage of life and in every sector and setting: from conflict zones around the world, hospitals and workplaces to people’s homes, care homes, schools and neighbourhoods.
‘Whether it is delivering expert care, advocating for patients and families, providing clinical leadership, or driving research, innovation, prevention and education, you are at the heart of health and care delivery.
‘Our upcoming professional strategy will set out a vision for the future for all nurses, midwives and nursing associates in England.
‘It will support us to lead and deliver improvements across health and care, better support colleagues throughout their careers, and ensure our professions remain modern careers of choice for more people.
‘I am incredibly proud of our professions. To me, nursing and midwifery are about making a real difference to people’s lives and being there at their most vulnerable moments – you do that every single day. So, to every nurse, midwife, nursing associate, and nursing and midwifery student, thank you for everything you do, today and every day.’
The safety-critical and remarkable contribution of nurses
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) added that it wants the day to be the ‘biggest one yet’, highlighting the ‘safety-critical care and remarkable contribution’ nursing makes around the world.
It has called for RCN members to share the college’s IND film and to recognise their colleagues by sharing posts, pictures and stories on social media channels.
The RCN also pointed nurses to the ICN’s latest report which outlines how nursing staff are challenging and changing health practice globally.
The findings show that when nursing staff are enabled to work to their full potential, they save lives, improve health outcomes, expand access to care, and strengthen health systems and economies.
However, according to the report, it also shows there is a worldwide shortage of more than 5 million nurses.
Speaking about the report, RCN’s general secretary and chief executive Professor Nicola Ranger said: ‘This report demonstrates, in compelling detail, the value of nursing and why it’s so important to invest in the profession.
‘Nursing is an incredible career with the potential not only to improve health, but also to transform lives, strengthen communities and drive economic growth. Nursing touches so many lives, yet it lacks the investment it deserves.
‘This should be seen as an important reminder of the social and economic case for investing in nursing.
‘Governments must listen and provide the funding to build and protect the workforce needed to deliver the care and services patients deserve, and harness the transformative potential nursing offers.’
The Department of Health and Social Care added: ‘NHS nurses deserve the rewards, recognition and support they’ve earned.
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‘From fair pay from day one to 2,000 new apprenticeships, this government is backing those who care for us, and building a stronger future for the nursing profession.’
Chief executive of the Queen’s Institute of Community Nurses (QICN) Steph Lawrence said IND is an opportunity to celebrate the ‘extraordinary contribution nurses make every single day in communities across the country’.
The institute marked the day with a visit to the QICN’s National Garden Scheme which has helped raise money for nursing and health charities championing community nursing and improving health and wellbeing across the UK.
‘We are delighted to be marking the occasion in partnership with the National Garden Scheme, whose generous support helps us continue to champion community nursing and support the development of nurses working in and with communities,’ she said.
‘These visits also offer a chance for Queen’s Nurses to come together, reflect, connect and celebrate the impact of community nursing in inspiring surroundings.’
MS Trust, a UK charity supporting people with multiple sclerosis, has also thanked dedicated MS nurses for their care and commitment.
It said: ‘Nurses play an important role in helping people feel heard and understood. Through their day-to-day work, they build relationships, provide reassurance and advocate for improvements in care.
‘These connections can make a real difference, particularly for those newly diagnosed or facing changes in their condition. This International Nurses Day, we want to say thank you.
‘Thank you to MS nurses for the care, understanding and commitment you bring every day. The impact you have is felt not just in clinics and services, but in the everyday lives of people living with MS.’
Queen Camilla has also paid tribute today to Roald Dahl Nurses, who are clinical nurse specialists (CNS) funded by Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity. They care for children and young people with serious and complex conditions.
She said: ‘For 35 years, you have supported and cared for seriously ill children across our country, making all the difference in the world to them and to their families.
‘I have had the pleasure of meeting many of you an never fail to be struck by your compassion, professionalism, cheerfulness and remarkable ability to “make things happen”.
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‘You are all, quite simply, marvellous.’
Authors of London Underground’s ‘All On the Board’ poetry Ian Redpath and Jeremy Chopra said nurses ‘deserve appreciation’.
They wrote: ‘Without fuss they take good care of us, they comfort with professionalism, kind words and listening ears; showing the best of humanity and helping to ease anxiety, warming every heart with kindness and hiding their own worries and fears.
‘They fully deserve our appreciation, always there in sickness and health, for better or worse, working so hard day and night to make things alright, proving love and caring is the essence of life, it takes a special person to be a nurse.’
The World Health Organization (WHO) added: ‘Let’s celebrate nurses everywhere – for their compassion, professionalism, courage, and unwavering commitment to people, families, and communities.’
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