- International Nurses Day
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Contents
International Nurses week (IND) is celebrated around the world[citation needed] every 6–12 May, to mark the contributions nurses make to society.
Background
The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has celebrated this day since 1965. In 1953 Dorothy Sutherland, an official with the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, had proposed that President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaim a "Nurses Day," but he did not approve it.[1]
In January 1974, the decision was made to celebrate the day on 12 May as it is the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, who is widely considered 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.
In 1999 the British public sector union UNISON voted to ask the ICN to transfer this day to another date, saying Nightingale did not represent modern nursing.[2]
As of 1998, 8 May was designated as annual National Student Nurses Day. As of 2003, the Wednesday within National Nurses Week, between 6 and 12 May, is National School Nurse Day.[3]
UK celebrations
Each year on 12 May 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.[4]
Themes
ICN themes for International Nurses Day:[5]
- 1988 - Safe Motherhood
- 1989 - School Health
- 1990 - Nurses and Environment
- 1991 - Mental Health - Nurses in Action
- 1992 - Healthy Aging
- 1993 - Quality, costs and Nursing
- 1994 - Healthy Families for Healthy Nation
- 1995 - Women's Health: Nurses Pave the Way
- 1996 - Better Health through Nursing Research
- 1997 - Healthy Young People = A Brighter Future
- 1998 - Partnership for Community Health
- 1999 - Celebrating Nursing's Past, claiming the future
- 2000 - Nurses - Always there for you
- 2001 - Nurses, Always There for You: United Against Violence
- 2002 - Nurses Always There for You: Caring for Families
- 2003 - Nurses: Fighting AIDS stigma, working for all
- 2004 - Nurses: Working with the Poor; Against Poverty
- 2005 - Nurses for Patients Safety: Targeting counterfeit medicines and substandard medication
- 2006 - Safe staffing saves lives
- 2007 - Positive practice environments: Quality workplaces = quality patient care
- 2008 - Delivering Quality, Serving Communities: Nurses Leading Primary Health Care
- 2009 - Delivering Quality, Serving Communities: Nurses Leading Care Innovations
- 2010 - Delivering Quality, Serving Communities: Nurses Leading Chronic Care.
- 2011 - Closing The Gap: Increasing Access and Equity.
Nursing week
The U.S. and Canada celebrate their National Nursing Week each year from 9 to 15 May each year. It was established in the U.S. by President Richard Nixon in 1974. The Canadian Minister of Health instituted National Nursing Week in Canada in 1985.
See also
References
- ^ "National Nurses Day 2006". Hallmark Press Room. Archived from the original on 2006-10-30. http://web.archive.org/web/20061030183341/http://pressroom.hallmark.com/nurses_day.html. Retrieved 2006-12-02.
- ^ Roxanne Nelson Washington Post, April 29, 2003 Good Night, Florence Accessed 2006-12-13
- ^ "National Nurses Week History". The American Nurses Association, Inc.. http://www.nursingworld.org/FunctionalMenuCategories/AboutANA/WhereWeComeFrom/NNWHistory.aspx. Retrieved 2010-05-06.
- ^ "Commemoration Service". Florence Nightingale Foundation. Archived from the original on 2006-10-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20061016013119/http://www.florence-nightingale-foundation.org.uk/commemoration.htm. Retrieved 2006-12-03.
- ^ "International Nurses Day". International Council of Nurses. http://www.icn.ch/indkit_themes.htm. Retrieved 2006-12-02.
External links
- International Nurses Day Kit - by the International Council of Nurses; in English, French and Spanish
- Congratulation to Medical Workers on Int'l Nurses Day - by the Chinese Xinhua News Agency, 2003
- Celebrate the noble profession of nursing - a report from South Africa, 2005
Categories:- Nursing
- Recurring events established in 1965
- May observances
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