Around the globe, international nurses day is celebrated on the 12th of May. This day is not only the world’s tribute to Florence Nightingale but to appreciate the true heroes of the healthcare sector around the world!
Nurses are at the front lines of the healthcare industry, and they are the ones who are often appreciated the least for it. Caring and supporting people are in their nature, and their jobs are based on it. A patient spends the most amount of time with their nurse than any other member of their healthcare team. But not just that, nurses are the first responders to emergencies in hospitals, and they potentially put themselves in danger by doing that. So, this day is to appreciate the efforts, dedication, support and care our nurses deliver every day.
Some might wonder, why the 12th of May? That is because Florence Nightingale was born on the 12th of May 1820. Florence Nightingale is the reason nursing was elevated to an honourable profession. She is actually considered to be the founder of modern nursing, and her efforts are what reshaped the healthcare sector to provide quality healthcare to patients. Her social reforms and revolutionary work in nursing completely changed the nursing profession in the eyes of the world. Florence Nightingale volunteered to tend to many wounded soldiers during the Crimean War and saved countless lives. This is why this day, the 12th of May, is dedicated to nurses and to paying tribute to The Lady With The Lamp.
Florence Nightingale is amongst the many other heroes in the healthcare sector who have completely dedicated their lives to nursing. Those heroes still walk among us, and they deserve to be appreciated for their dedication.
International nurses day has a different theme each year; this year’s theme is: ‘Our Nurses. Our Future.’ The president of the International Council of Nurses (ICN) stated that this theme bears significance to the fact that we should strive to learn from the lessons the pandemic taught us and reform our strategies to protect nurses. In his words, he stated that these lessons should translate into actions that ensure the protection, respect, and value of nurses in the future.
Nursing is a highly respectable and rewarding career; you not only get to be on the front lines of saving lives but also on the front lines of change. Every nurse deserves value and respect from their employer, doctors, and patients. Nurses are the entity of our healthcare sector that is holding the entire industry together; without nurses, the healthcare system would not function. So, it is our duty to appreciate the nurses of our world and make them feel valued!
