International Nurses Day (IND) is celebrated around the world on 12 May each year in memory of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing education. In 1912, in order to commemorate Nightingale’s contribution to nursing, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) designated her birthday May 12 as the International Nurses Day. Its basic purpose is to advocate, inherit and carry forward Nightingale’s humanitarian spirit of fearlessness, dedication, healing the wounded and rescuing the dying. The international Nurses Day aims to encourage nurses to inherit and carry forward the glorious tradition of nursing, treat every patient with “love, patience, carefulness and responsibility”.

The International Council of Nurses has released the theme for International Nurses Day 2022, that is “Nurses: A Voice to Lead——Invest in Nursing and Respect Rights to Secure Global Health”.

Dr Pamela Cipriano, President of ICN, noted that “Nurses have the right to work in a safe environment, free from abuse and violence. They have the right to have access to vaccines and personal protective equipment, the right to adequate pay and mental health support. ICN supports nurses’ rights and calls on governments to fulfil their obligations to respect and protect human rights, and to adopt and uphold legislation to ensure equal access to healthcare, vaccines and protection, not only within their own countries, but worldwide.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the shortcomings of under-investment in health systems on a global scale. The theme of International Nursing Day 2022 aims to increase investment in nursing, build a resilient, high-quality nursing workforce, protect nurses’ rights and promote health system transformation to meet the health needs of individuals and communities now and in the future.