11th May 2020
As we celebrate International Nurses Day, the spotlight is very firmly shinning on the unique contribution that nurses make to healthcare provision across the globe.
With this year being 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, the planned celebrations were going to be the biggest yet.
But 2020 is a now a very different occasion, as nursing staff across the world stand united in responding to the global Covid-19 pandemic.
This year, we should use Nurses’ Day to say thank you to nursing staff everywhere so they can see how their extraordinary work, dedication and professionalism is truly appreciated.
There has never been a time in living memory when the country has been more grateful for the sacrifices being made by our nurses.
Thousands of them, who had either retired or moved on to other roles, heeded the cry for help and returned to work for the NHS to deal with this unprecedented crisis.
And they returned in the knowledge that in doing so they were putting their own lives at risk.
Anita Rolfe, the Executive Nurse for NHS Stockport CCG, said “The theme for Nurses’ Day this year is ‘nursing the world to health’ and how true that statement is.
“I’m so proud of the amazing dedication, compassion and self-sacrifice being shown by nurses in Stockport and across the country but I’m certainly not surprised by it.
“Nurses have been showing this sort of commitment for as long as I’ve been in the profession, and I’m sure for decades before that, but sometimes it takes a crisis for people to fully appreciate the true value of what others do.
“It’s wonderful to see the nation showing their support on Thursday evenings – and I know nurses feel incredibly emotional about this – but let’s hope that appreciation continues once this crisis is over.”
On Tuesday 12th May, you are able to support International Nurses Day by participating with “Shine a light” at 8.30pm in recognition of all the nurses who work across all the different sectors of nursing.