International Nurses' Day 2021

Published:12 May 2021

Join us today in celebrating our nurses.

International Nurses’ Day, which falls on the the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth (12 May), celebrates the contribution that nurses make to societies around the world.

Rhiannon Beaumont-Wood, Executive Director Quality, Nursing and Allied Health Professionals, said:

“As a pioneer and leader in public health, it’s fitting that Nightingale’s legacy is being used to shine a light on nurses and midwives worldwide.

“Within Public Health Wales, the contribution of our nursing colleagues touches all areas of the organisation. Our skilled nurses work in frontline clinical roles as well as in advisory, operational and management positions. In ‘normal times’ they play a vital role, shaping policy and providing leadership to protect and improve the health of our population.

“Of course, over the last year we have needed to ask much more of our own nurses. From those who were redeployed at the start of the pandemic, to those who continued to run our screening services in the most challenging of times.

“I have never been prouder of the work of our nursing staff, or more grateful for all that they have done and continue to do.”

We asked some of our nurses what being a nurse means to them:

Deborah Harries

“Being a nurse is fundamentally caring about others and doing your best to support them to maximize their well-being. To me, being a nurse is a way of life, not just a job.”

David O'Brien

“Positive nurse leadership is critical to the health of an organisation and creates a trusting environment and culture, which leads to a safe place for staff to respond to challenges through innovation. Good leaders care about all aspects of an organisation, not just the bits they are directly responsible for.”

Lisa Fabb

“I have been thinking a lot about what it is to be a nurse over the past 18 months. I have noticed how capable and innovative nurses are in whatever role they have been working in. Demonstrating leadership in everything, they do.”

Linda Bailey

“For me being a nurse means that I am someone with the education, training, skills and knowledge to prevent illness; to help people who are unwell to achieve their best possible outcome; or to support them at the end of their lives to be pain-free and at peace.”

Links

More information and resources are available on the International Council for Nurses website: https://www.icn.ch/what-we-do/campaigns/international-nurses-day