What is International Nurses Day and why is it on May 12
May 12 is International Nurses Day – but what exactly are we celebrating? Here’s everything you need to know
- Nurses are celebrated on May 12 for International Nurses Day
- It’s a day to thank healthcare workers for their hard work
Referred to as ‘the most undervalued’ workforce in the world, they work long hours and work hard shifts to care for everyone from the sick to the elderly and mentally unwell.
But today, May 12, is International Nurses Day, a day when people reflect on their efforts.
International Nurses Day is held on Florence Nightingale’s birthday, in recognition of her lasting impact on the profession.
Each year has a different theme, this year the event is officially dedicated to the nurses of the future.
Nurses and their loved ones are leading the way this year with social media tributes, thanking their family members and colleagues for their services.
Nicole, from San Francisco, reflected on her time as a nurse by posting a now-viral video to TikTok, saying that while the job is tough, she wouldn’t want to do anything else.
On Friday, May 12, thousands of healthcare workers around the world celebrate International Nurses Day
“Being a nurse is so incredibly hard physically and emotionally, it’s all engrossed. It’s complex in ways I’ll never be able to describe and you’ll never understand unless you’re a nurse,” she said.
“From my earliest memory I never wanted to be anything but a nurse.
“The nursing staff took something from me that I will never get back. And some days are so exhausting that I wonder why I became a nurse in the first place.
“It’s on those days that I remind myself how much I used to want to be in the confident, capable nursing shoes I’m in today.”
“I’d be so proud of how fiercely I care for my patients and I’ve surpassed many expectations I once set for myself as a nurse — and I’m so grateful for that.”
The date was also chosen because it is the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, born in 1820.
“I’d be so proud of how fiercely I care for my patients and I’ve surpassed many expectations I once set for myself as a nurse — and I’m so grateful for that.”
The date was also chosen because it is the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, born in 1820.
Actress Emilia Clarke paid a famous tribute to nurses around the world in 2021.