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.<\/p>\n
With this year being 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, the planned celebrations were going to be the biggest yet.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
There has never been a time in living memory when the country has been more grateful for the sacrifices being made by our nurses.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
And they returned in the knowledge that in doing so they were putting their own lives at risk.<\/p>\n
Anita Rolfe, the Executive Nurse for NHS Stockport CCG, said \u201cThe theme for Nurses\u2019 Day this year is \u2018nursing the world to health\u2019 and how true that statement is.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so proud of the amazing dedication, compassion and self-sacrifice being shown by nurses in Stockport and across the country but I\u2019m certainly not surprised by it.<\/p>\n
\u201cNurses have been showing this sort of commitment for as long as I\u2019ve been in the profession, and I\u2019m sure for decades before that, but sometimes it takes a crisis for people to fully appreciate the true value of what others do.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s wonderful to see the nation showing their support on Thursday evenings \u2013 and I know nurses feel incredibly emotional about this – but let\u2019s hope that appreciation continues once this crisis is over.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Tuesday 12th<\/sup> May, you are able to support International Nurses Day by participating with\u00a0 \u201cShine a light\u201d at 8.30pm in recognition of all the nurses who work across all the different sectors of nursing.<\/p>\n