International Nurses Day


International Nurses Day is an international day observed around the world on 12 May of each year, to mark the contributions that nurses make to society.

Background

The International Council of Nurses 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"; 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.

Themes

ICN themes for International Nurses Day:

Australia

The Australian Nurse of the Year is announced at a ceremony at one of the state's 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 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, spread from but hidden by China, President Chen Shui-bian visited a hospital on International Nurses Day to express admiration for 3 nurses, infected with SARS and sacrificed, 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.
, with the Minister of Health and Welfare, attends International Nurses Day celebration
At 2017 International Nurses Day celebration, the first female President Tsai Ing-wen conducted a "passing of the torch" ceremony with leaders of the Taiwan Union of Nurses Association and the Taiwan Nurses Association. She honored nurses recognized for outstanding professionalism and service as well as over 2,200 nurses at the event who have been working for over 25 years. President Tsai expressed deepest respect and gratitude for their contributions to the health of people in Taiwan, and stressed the government has responsibility to increase benefits available to nurses and achieve more reasonable nurse-to-patient ratios and ensure friendlier workplaces. She also praised Taiwan's long tradition of providing international medical aid with the participation of nurses and emphasized the need to interact with other countries to share experience in nursing care. She emphasized the nursing profession's concern for global health is a shared value for all nations.

Thailand

Starting in 1990, Thailand observes 21 October as National Nurses' Day วันพยาบาลแห่งชาติ. 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. This signifies the passing of knowledge from one nurse to another. At St Margaret's Church at East Wellow in Hampshire, where Florence Nightingale is buried, a service is also held on the Sunday after her birthday.

United States and Canada (National Nursing Week)

The U.S. celebrates National Nursing Week each year from 6 May to 12 May. 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.
In the U.S., National Nurses Week was first observed from 11–16 October 1954 in honor of the 100th anniversary of Florence Nightingale's mission to Crimea. President Nixon later proclaimed a "National Nurse Week" in 1974. In 1982, President Reagan signed a proposal officially designating 6 May as "National Recognition Day for Nurses," now known as National Nurses Day or National RN Recognition Day. In 1990, the American Nurses Association expanded the holiday into the current National Nurses Week celebrated from 6 May to 12 May.
In 1997, at the request of the National Student Nurses' Association, the ANA designated 8 May as National Student Nurses Day. In 2003, the ANA designated the Wednesday within National Nurses Week as National School Nurse Day. The National Association of School Nurses, however, claims that National School Nurse Day has been recognized since 1972.