Happy International Nurses Day

Today is International Nurses Day; nurses are the backbone of the healthcare system and are involved in every aspect of healthcare delivery, promoting health and well-being. At Moonrise this is no different, our nurses offer support in every area of our services and are vital in developing and implementing care plans to ensure the needs of those who require support are met.

Despite the vital role that nurses play, they face many challenges, often working long hours in challenging conditions. International Nurses Day is an opportunity to recognise this contribution and to celebrate the achievements of nurses from around the world as well as advocating for better working conditions and resources.

Nurses in the UK working in the NHS have recently had to go on strike in their right to fairer pay for the work they do. Many of these nurses have not taken the decision to strike easily given the effect that it may have on their patients and shows how much they have patients at heart.

Modern nursing, with its caring heart and tireless work, is rooted in history with its founder Florence Nightingale.

Born in Florence, Italy, Nightingale was educated in England and despite objections from her family she pursued a career in nursing. She is most remembered as the ‘Lady with the Lamp’ for her work in military hospitals during the Crimean War. Nightingale and her team found appalling conditions in these hospitals with them being over-crowded, poorly ventilated and unsanitary which caused many of the wounded soldiers to die from preventable infections. Through their tireless work, Nightingale and her team worked on improving the conditions in the hospital, implementing strict hygiene practices and improving ventilation and sanitation.

The work made such a difference that the mortality rate among wounded soldiers dropped from 42% to 2%. This transformed the field of nursing and established Nightingale as a pioneer in public health. Nightingales’ legacy lives on through and she is celebrated as a hero and a role model for nurses from around the world.

Inspired by her emphasis on compassion, dedication and innovation, nurses today continue to work in the same way to continue Nightingale’s lasting impact on the field of healthcare.

With the work that they do it is only right that we celebrate our nurses for their contribution to healthcare.

See more about International Nurses Day here: https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/international-nurses-day/

To all our nurses we give our thanks and wish you all a Happy International Nurses Day!