Return
International Nurses Day 2023
Focusing on a "brighter" future of nursing and how the profession can help improve global health for all will be at the center of this year’s International Nurses Day.
International Nurses Day is celebrated annually around the world on 12 May – the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale – and is led by the International Council of Nurses (ICN).
Every year there is a different theme and for 2023 it is: “Our Nurses. Our Future.”
The ICN, which represents millions of nurses worldwide, said that this theme sets out what the federation wants for nursing in years to come to address global health challenges.
ICN president, Dr. Pamela Cipriano, said the profession “needs to learn from the lessons of the coronavirus pandemic” and translate these into actions for the future “that ensure nurses are protected, respected and valued”.
She described how through the release of several important publications, such as the State of the World’s Nursing Report, the ICN and other organizations have “shown the evidence for change” and called for investment in nursing.
Dr. Cipriano said: “It is now time to look to the future and demonstrate what these investments will mean for nursing and healthcare.
“The ‘Our Nurses. Our Future.’ campaign will shine the light on nurses and on a brighter future, moving nurses from invisible to invaluable in the eyes of policy makers, the public, and all those who make decisions affecting the delivery and financing of health care.”
As well as learning lessons to support nurses, this year’s campaign will also look at how global health systems must be strengthened to address growing health demands, Dr Cipriano added.
She noted the 2023 theme will “capture key actions” that ICN believes are essential to address both the profession and health systems and which are “mutually beneficial and reinforcing”.
Dr Cipriano added: “Together our future depends on every nurse, every voice, to not only be on the front lines of care, but also be on the front lines of change.”