Investing in nursing and respecting nurses’ rights: key themes for International Nurses Day 2022

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has announced the new theme for International Nurses Day (IND) 2022: Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Invest in nursing and respect rights to secure global health, focusing on the need to protect, support and invest in the nursing profession to strengthen health systems around the world.

Each year, ICN leads the celebrations on International Nurses Day, held on 12 May, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth.

ICN has also launched a compilation of case studies submitted by nurses across the world to showcase the incredible range of innovative work nurses do every day. These stories, which were highlighted on the ICN website and IND website throughout the year reflect the work of nurses to care for those with COVID-19 throughout the pandemic, as well as the wide variety of nursing that continued throughout the pandemic to care for those suffering from other conditions. From birth to death, non-communicable diseases to infection disease, mental health to chronic conditions, in hospitals, communities and homes, nurses provide accessible, affordable, person-centred, holistic care for all.

The COVID-19 has exposed weaknesses caused by underinvestment in health systems around the world. The theme for IND 2022 demonstrates the need to invest in nursing, to build a resilient, highly qualified nursing workforce and to protect nurses’ rights in order to transform health systems to meet the needs of individuals and communities now and into the future.

ICN President Dr Pamela Cipriano said:

“Nurses have suffered tremendously throughout the pandemic. They have been unnecessarily exposed to the virus, faced attacks from the public, suffered from extreme workloads, and continue to be underpaid and undervalued. If governments continue to put off investing in the health workforce, it will be to the detriment of health systems everywhere. There is no health without a health workforce!

‘The International Nurses Day case studies that we have been collecting portray the incredible work of nurses, and our IND theme for 2022 will continue to promote nursing work and fight for nurses’ rights to a safe working environment, decent wages and full participation in decision-making.”

The new IND 2022 logo can be downloaded here in English, French and Spanish

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