There are more than 20 million nurses across the world and each one of them has a story. They know about hope and courage, joy and despair, pain and suffering, and life and death. As an ever-present force for good, nurses hear the first cries of newborn babies and witness the last breaths of the dying.
They are present at some of life’s most precious moments, and at some of its most tragic. Nurses serve humanity and, by their actions, they protect the health and wellbeing of individuals, communities and nations.
Around the world, people routinely recognise nursing as the most honest and ethical of the professions: people instinctively trust and respect nurses and the work that they do. But public understanding of nursing varies widely and is often distorted. Images of nurses as angels of mercy are common, but they go hand in hand with perverse sexual stereotypes.
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And the old-fashioned idea that nurses are somehow subordinate to doctors is pervasive. The fact is that very few people understand the breadth of roles and responsibilities of modern nurses, and that means they do not truly appreciate the outstanding value of nursing to every person on the planet.
The International Council of Nurses (ICN) believes that it is vitally important to show the world who nurses are and what they do—especially this year: The International Year of the Nurse and Midwife. ICN wants the voice of nursing to be heard around the globe, to spread the word about our great profession and how it contributes to the wellbeing of the world.
As carers, healers, educators, leaders and advocates, nurses are fundamental in the provision of safe, accessible and affordable care. Through this International Nurses Day report, we use the authentic voices of the world’s nurses to give the world a glimpse into this wonderful, innovative and vital profession. Read Full PDF Here
