International Nurses Day

International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world every May 12, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth.

About the day

International Nurses Day commemorates the birth of Florence Nightingale, the architect of modern nursing. The first observance of the event was started in 1974 by the International Council of Nurses (ICN) to highlight the important role nurses fulfill in health care.

About Florence Nightingale

Born in 1820, the British reformer was educated by her father who exerted a profound influence on her intellectual and moral development. Her polymathic gifts meant she could access data and works of reformers from a range of European sources. She was also blessed by her family’s support of women’s education, which enabled her to network with the intellectual and political elite, using them as an audience for her reforms.

Her service to the wounded British soldiers of the Crimean war bought her work to the limelight during the 1850's. Florence Nightingale was the founder of modern nursing, a statistician and an able public administrator who defined concepts of public health. She collected vast statistics from her service in field hospitals during the war and was an activist for reform in public health systems and patient care. Her work transformed the social recognition of nursing into a profession based on beliefs in human dignity and scientific knowledge. She laid the groundwork for people-centred care.

Theme for 2024

The theme for International Nurses Day 2024 is: “Our Nurses. Our Future. The economic power of care”. This theme and our IND report present an in-depth analysis of how elevating the nursing profession can catalyse transformative improvements in health care delivery, economic development, peace and societal well-being.

Despite being the backbone of health care, nursing often faces financial constraints and societal undervaluation. IND 2024 aims to reshape perceptions, demonstrating how strategic investment in nursing can bring considerable economic and societal benefits.

International Nurses Day 2024 report of ICN demonstrates the impact that investing in the nursing workforce has, not only on the well-being of populations, but also on boosting economic growth by enhancing workforce productivity; strengthening health care systems, which is critical for ensuring preparedness and effective response during public health emergencies; alleviating poverty and improving gender equality; and contributing to social cohesion, peace and prosperity.

Sources :

• World Health Organisation
• International Council of Nurses