GETTY IMAGES
CORBIS
NATHAN CLARKE
ANALYSIS
Improving the health of the world International Nurses’ Day is the perfect opportunity to celebrate our successes and shout about what nursing means to us. Alistair Kleebauer reports The hard work, dedication and professionalism of nurses will be marked worldwide on International Nurses’ Day, with many events highlighting principles and values that go back to the days of Florence Nightingale. Talks, tea parties and parades are just some of the ways nurses in the UK will commemorate the annual event on May 12, which has been celebrated by the International Council of Nurses (ICN) since 1965. Timed to mark the anniversary of her birth in 1820, the importance of Miss Nightingale will be uppermost in the minds of many nurses taking part. Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust senior nurse for professional development Karen Hill has helped to organise a parade of nurses, midwives and caregivers through the streets of Derby on May 17. A plaque made of Derbyshire stone commemorating the life of Miss Nightingale, who had a family home called Lea Hurst in Derbyshire, will be presented to the Bishop of Derby at the city’s cathedral. Ms Hill says: ‘Florence Nightingale’s principles are as important today as they were in 1860. 14 may 7 :: vol 28 no 36 :: 2014
‘This is an opportunity to recognise the contribution that nurses, midwives and caregivers make.’ As part of the service, Canadian Lynn McDonald, who has written about the Victorian nurse, will give the main address. The 5,000 nurses and midwives at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust will celebrate throughout May – they have already marked International Day of the Midwife on May 5. Director of nursing Jenny Leggott and other senior board members will deliver thank-you cakes to the trust’s
90 wards and care success stories will be celebrated using posters and videos throughout the trust’s sites. The People’s Nurse and Midwife of the Year awards, which are voted for by patients, will be held at Nottingham Council House on May 28, and a tea party for retired nurses and midwives is organised by the trust jointly with Nottingham Nurses League. Ms Leggott says: ‘Our team of nurses and midwives is made up of exceptional people who do extraordinary jobs. International Day of the Midwife and
Special events taking place in the UK and abroad Global events to mark International Nurses’ Day include breakfasts, design challenges and film screenings. Closer to home, the annual Florence Nightingale commemoration service will be held at Westminster Abbey in London on May 7 where Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra, patron of the Florence Nightingale Foundation, will watch nurses and nursing students carry a symbolic lamp through the chapel.
On the other side of the world, the Australian College of Nursing is encouraging nurses to hold breakfasts across the country, which can be anything from casual get-togethers to gourmet spreads. In Sydney, the Graduate Nurses Network will hold a rally to raise awareness about graduate nurses who have been unable to get jobs. Nurses in New Zealand will demonstrate that they are a ‘force for change’ by turning recycled
NURSING STANDARD
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ANALYSIS
International Nurses’ Day are the perfect opportunities to celebrate our success stories across the organisation and, most importantly, to say thank you to nurses and midwives for the commitment and dedication they show throughout the year.’ Nursing students at Staffordshire University are planning a bake sale to raise money for the Williams Syndrome Foundation, which provides practical resources about the genetic condition. They will share inspiring stories on a noticeboard recounting episodes that have moved them during their studies. Organiser Laura Grimley, a nursing student and the RCN South Staffordshire student representative, says: ‘It is important we take this opportunity as there are a lot of positive things going on.’ RCN president Andrea Spyropoulos has said her vision is to see International Nurses’ Day become ‘so embedded
products, such as drink cans and fabrics, into works of art and recycled clothing. A number of national nursing associations will hold a congress this month to coincide with International Nurses’ Day, including those in Belgium, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Luxembourg. The RCN has published a downloadable poster and toolkit to help organise celebrations on May 12. Go to tinyurl.com/n8eovux
NURSING STANDARD
GETTY IMAGES
NEIL O’CONNOR
‘IT CANNOT BE LEARNED FROM A TEXTBOOK’
in the public’s conscience that it becomes an annual celebration as big as Valentine’s Day’. The RCN is encouraging nurses and patients to share their stories online – stories that highlight the difference nurses make. It also has suggestions for awareness-raising or celebration events to mark the day.
A vital resource
Ms Spyropoulos says: ‘Nurses’ Day gives us a wonderful opportunity to stand up and shout about what nursing means to us – why we joined the profession and why we continue to work tirelessly for our patients, regardless of the additional pressures put on us.’ The ICN sets a theme for International Nurses’ Day and this year it is: Nurses: a force for change – a vital resource for health. Lesley Bell, the ICN’s consultant on nursing and health policy, says: ‘The theme captures the true value of nurses, who are the heart and soul of health care. ‘It acknowledges the pivotal role played by nurses, whether it is in providing direct patient care, research, management or education. ‘Nurses, with their skill and expertise, can and do transform the health of the world’s population’ NS Visit nursesday.rcn.org.uk to see a list of events taking place in the UK. Share details and photos of how you celebrate the day on Nursing Standard’s Facebook page at tinyurl.com/N-Standard-FB
International Nurses’ Day is an opportunity to remind the public and politicians that nursing is not just a science but an art, according to an RCN activist organising a number of events. South Birmingham branch secretary Stuart Young (pictured below) says the day raises the profile of what the RCN does for nurses. The branch will be welcoming RCN president Andrea Spyropoulos on May 12 to tour Birmingham Women’s Hospital neonatal unit, have lunch with 50 RCN members and give a 45-minute talk to nurses. Mr Young adds: ‘International Nurses’ Day also raises the profile of nurses with the public and celebrates the great job and the amazing things they do that do not get noticed. ‘Some people have forgotten what nursing is – an art and a science. At times, the politicians and general public seem to have forgotten about the art side of it: the ability to hold someone’s hand. It cannot be learned from a textbook. ‘Also, Nurses’ Day recognises the effect we as healthcare professionals have on the public. It is a two-way commitment. We look after them and they are there to support us.’ Mr Young urges nurses across the world to use social media to interact and together create a stronger voice: ‘It is important that nurses across the world think they are a single community. It is easier now, with social media, to feel part of a wider community.’ may 7 :: vol 28 no 36 :: 2014 15
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CORBIS
NATHAN CLARKE
ANALYSIS
Improving the health of the world International Nurses’ Day is the perfect opportunity to celebrate our successes and shout about what nursing means to us. Alistair Kleebauer reports The hard work, dedication and professionalism of nurses will be marked worldwide on International Nurses’ Day, with many events highlighting principles and values that go back to the days of Florence Nightingale. Talks, tea parties and parades are just some of the ways nurses in the UK will commemorate the annual event on May 12, which has been celebrated by the International Council of Nurses (ICN) since 1965. Timed to mark the anniversary of her birth in 1820, the importance of Miss Nightingale will be uppermost in the minds of many nurses taking part. Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust senior nurse for professional development Karen Hill has helped to organise a parade of nurses, midwives and caregivers through the streets of Derby on May 17. A plaque made of Derbyshire stone commemorating the life of Miss Nightingale, who had a family home called Lea Hurst in Derbyshire, will be presented to the Bishop of Derby at the city’s cathedral. Ms Hill says: ‘Florence Nightingale’s principles are as important today as they were in 1860. 14 may 7 :: vol 28 no 36 :: 2014
‘This is an opportunity to recognise the contribution that nurses, midwives and caregivers make.’ As part of the service, Canadian Lynn McDonald, who has written about the Victorian nurse, will give the main address. The 5,000 nurses and midwives at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust will celebrate throughout May – they have already marked International Day of the Midwife on May 5. Director of nursing Jenny Leggott and other senior board members will deliver thank-you cakes to the trust’s
90 wards and care success stories will be celebrated using posters and videos throughout the trust’s sites. The People’s Nurse and Midwife of the Year awards, which are voted for by patients, will be held at Nottingham Council House on May 28, and a tea party for retired nurses and midwives is organised by the trust jointly with Nottingham Nurses League. Ms Leggott says: ‘Our team of nurses and midwives is made up of exceptional people who do extraordinary jobs. International Day of the Midwife and
Special events taking place in the UK and abroad Global events to mark International Nurses’ Day include breakfasts, design challenges and film screenings. Closer to home, the annual Florence Nightingale commemoration service will be held at Westminster Abbey in London on May 7 where Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra, patron of the Florence Nightingale Foundation, will watch nurses and nursing students carry a symbolic lamp through the chapel.
On the other side of the world, the Australian College of Nursing is encouraging nurses to hold breakfasts across the country, which can be anything from casual get-togethers to gourmet spreads. In Sydney, the Graduate Nurses Network will hold a rally to raise awareness about graduate nurses who have been unable to get jobs. Nurses in New Zealand will demonstrate that they are a ‘force for change’ by turning recycled
NURSING STANDARD
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014-015w36.indd 14
15:42
ANALYSIS
International Nurses’ Day are the perfect opportunities to celebrate our success stories across the organisation and, most importantly, to say thank you to nurses and midwives for the commitment and dedication they show throughout the year.’ Nursing students at Staffordshire University are planning a bake sale to raise money for the Williams Syndrome Foundation, which provides practical resources about the genetic condition. They will share inspiring stories on a noticeboard recounting episodes that have moved them during their studies. Organiser Laura Grimley, a nursing student and the RCN South Staffordshire student representative, says: ‘It is important we take this opportunity as there are a lot of positive things going on.’ RCN president Andrea Spyropoulos has said her vision is to see International Nurses’ Day become ‘so embedded
products, such as drink cans and fabrics, into works of art and recycled clothing. A number of national nursing associations will hold a congress this month to coincide with International Nurses’ Day, including those in Belgium, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Luxembourg. The RCN has published a downloadable poster and toolkit to help organise celebrations on May 12. Go to tinyurl.com/n8eovux
NURSING STANDARD
GETTY IMAGES
NEIL O’CONNOR
‘IT CANNOT BE LEARNED FROM A TEXTBOOK’
in the public’s conscience that it becomes an annual celebration as big as Valentine’s Day’. The RCN is encouraging nurses and patients to share their stories online – stories that highlight the difference nurses make. It also has suggestions for awareness-raising or celebration events to mark the day.
A vital resource
Ms Spyropoulos says: ‘Nurses’ Day gives us a wonderful opportunity to stand up and shout about what nursing means to us – why we joined the profession and why we continue to work tirelessly for our patients, regardless of the additional pressures put on us.’ The ICN sets a theme for International Nurses’ Day and this year it is: Nurses: a force for change – a vital resource for health. Lesley Bell, the ICN’s consultant on nursing and health policy, says: ‘The theme captures the true value of nurses, who are the heart and soul of health care. ‘It acknowledges the pivotal role played by nurses, whether it is in providing direct patient care, research, management or education. ‘Nurses, with their skill and expertise, can and do transform the health of the world’s population’ NS Visit nursesday.rcn.org.uk to see a list of events taking place in the UK. Share details and photos of how you celebrate the day on Nursing Standard’s Facebook page at tinyurl.com/N-Standard-FB
International Nurses’ Day is an opportunity to remind the public and politicians that nursing is not just a science but an art, according to an RCN activist organising a number of events. South Birmingham branch secretary Stuart Young (pictured below) says the day raises the profile of what the RCN does for nurses. The branch will be welcoming RCN president Andrea Spyropoulos on May 12 to tour Birmingham Women’s Hospital neonatal unit, have lunch with 50 RCN members and give a 45-minute talk to nurses. Mr Young adds: ‘International Nurses’ Day also raises the profile of nurses with the public and celebrates the great job and the amazing things they do that do not get noticed. ‘Some people have forgotten what nursing is – an art and a science. At times, the politicians and general public seem to have forgotten about the art side of it: the ability to hold someone’s hand. It cannot be learned from a textbook. ‘Also, Nurses’ Day recognises the effect we as healthcare professionals have on the public. It is a two-way commitment. We look after them and they are there to support us.’ Mr Young urges nurses across the world to use social media to interact and together create a stronger voice: ‘It is important that nurses across the world think they are a single community. It is easier now, with social media, to feel part of a wider community.’ may 7 :: vol 28 no 36 :: 2014 15
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