International Nurses Day (IND) is an international day observed around the world on 12 May (the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth) each year, to mark the contributions that nurses make to society.
Background The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has celebrated this day since 1965. In 1953 Dorothy Sutherland, an official with the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, proposed that President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaim a "Nurses' Day"; but he did not approve it.
In January 1974, 12 May was chosen to celebrate the day as it is the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. Each year, ICN prepares and distributes the International Nurses' Day Kit. The kit contains educational and public information materials, for use by nurses everywhere. As of 1998, 8 May was designated as annual National Student Nurses' Day in the US.
Themes The themes for International Nurses Day have been: + Year Theme Ref. 1988 Safe Motherhood 1989 School Health 1990 Nurses and Environment 1991 Mental Health – Nurses in Action 1992 Healthy Aging 1993 Quality, costs and Nursing 1994 Healthy Families for Healthy Nation 1995 Women's Health: Nurses Pave the Way 1996 Better Health through Nursing Research 1997 Healthy Young People = A Brighter Future 1998 Partnership for Community Health 1999 Celebrating Nursing's Past, claiming the future 2000 Nurses – Always there for you 2001 Nurses, Always There for You: United Against Violence 2002 Nurses Always There for You: Caring for Families 2003 Nurses: Fighting AIDS stigma, working for all 2004 Nurses: Working with the Poor; Against Poverty 2005 Nurses for Patients' Safety: Targeting counterfeit medicines and substandard medication 2006 Safe staffing saves lives 2007 Positive practice environments: Quality workplaces = quality patient care 2008 Delivering Quality, Serving Communities: Nurses Leading Primary Health Care and social care 2009 Delivering Quality, Serving Communities: Nurses Leading Care Innovations 2010 Delivering Quality, Serving Communities: Nurses Leading Chronic Care 2011 Closing The Gap: Increasing Access and Equity 2012 Closing The Gap: From Evidence to Action 2013 Closing The Gap: Millennium Development Goals 2014 Nurses: A Force for Change – A vital resource for health 2015 Nurses: A Force for Change: Care Effective, Cost Effective 2016 Nurses: A Force for Change: Improving Health Systems' Resilience 2017 Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 2018 Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Health is a Human right 2019 Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Health for All 2020 Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Nursing the World to Health 2021 Nurses: A Voice to Lead - A Vision for Future Healthcare 2022 Nurses: Make a Difference 2023 Our Nurses. Our Future. 2024 Our Nurses, Our Future: The Economic Power of Care. 2025 Our Nurses, Our Future: Caring for nurses strengthens economies. 2026Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives.
National activities
Australia The Australian Nurse of the Year is announced at a ceremony at one of the state capital cities. Additionally, in each of the Australian states and territories, various nursing award ceremonies are conducted during the week.
China In 2007, 5000 nurses gathered in Yichun, East China's Jiangxi Province.
Ireland Since 2012, Nurse Jobs Ireland (an Irish nurse recruitment agency) launch a week long pro-bono campaign to celebrate nurses on the 6–12 May every year. This week long celebration uses digital platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to promote the great work nurses do using the hashtag #CelebrateNurses. The public leave their positive comments and thanks on the Celebrate Nurses website where they are collated into an ebook which is shared in medical facilities throughout Ireland.
Singapore Singapore celebrates Nurses Day on 1 August. Back in the 1800s, a thriving Singapore found itself in need of providing better healthcare and medical services to a growing population. While there were several hospitals, there was a lack of nurses to support the doctors. French nuns from the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus were trained to become nurses to fulfil this need, as they were seen as the only educated European women in Singapore who could undertake this challenge. 1 August 1885 marks the beginning of the development of nursing in Singapore when these nuns began their nursing duties in the General Hospital at the Sepoy Lines in the Outram area.
Taiwan In 2003, after the outbreak of highly contagious SARS, President Chen Shui-bian visited a hospital on International Nurses Day to express admiration for 3 nurses who died of SARS, among other medical personnel fighting on the frontline. He conveyed wishes to nurses for their devotion to duty of caring and reminded hospital staff that they should adopt strict precautionary measures to protect themselves before contacting with patients.
Thailand Starting in 1990, Thailand observes 21 October as National Nurses' Day (Wan Phayaban Haeng Chat). The date commemorates the birth of Srinagarindra the Princess Mother and was adopted 4 April 1990.
United Kingdom Each year a service is held in Westminster Abbey in London. During the service, a symbolic lamp is taken from The Nurses' Chapel in the Abbey and handed from one nurse to another, thence to the Dean, who places it on the High Altar.
United States and Canada (National Nursing Week)
The U.S. celebrates National Nursing Week each year from 6 May to 12 May (the birthday of Florence Nightingale). Canada celebrates National Nursing Week each year during the week that includes 12 May. The Canadian Minister of Health instituted National Nursing Week in Canada in 1985.
Vietnam Since 1990s, Nurses have recognized the international nurse day. Officially, Viet Duc University Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam, The Board of Director approved anniversary of international nurse day on May 12, 2015. Since 2018 Department of Health issues, the first announcement encourages all health care hospital and facility host event or meeting for the international nurse day all over of Vietnam.
Iran After the Iranian revolution, the birthday of Zaynab bint Ali was designated as Nurses' Day. See also Florence Nightingale Florence Nightingale Medal National Student Nurses Day The New York Times
References
External links International Nurses Day IND International Council of Nurses at ICN