International Nurses Day 2024: Our Nurses, Our Future - Harnessing the economic power of care
Celebrated on May 12th each year, International Nurses Day honors the birth of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. The International Council of Nurses (ICN), a federation representing over 28 million nurses globally, announces a theme each year to highlight significant aspects of nursing. The theme for 2024, "Our Nurses. Our Future. The economic power of care," underscores the invaluable contribution of nurses not only to healthcare but to the economic well-being and resilience of societies worldwide.
ICN President, Dr. Pamela Cipriano, articulates the essence of this theme, addressing the perennial financial and societal challenges nursing faces. - “Despite being the backbone of health care, nursing often faces financial constraints and societal undervaluation. Continuing our overarching theme Our Nurses. Our Future. and the policy actions of the ICN Charter for Change, ICN has chosen to focus IND 2024 on the economic power of care with the aim to reshape perceptions and demonstrate how strategic investment in nursing can bring considerable economic and societal benefits.
We believe now is the time for a shift in perspective. We have seen time and again how financial crises often lead to budgetary restrictions in health care, typically at the expense of nursing services. This reductionist approach overlooks the substantial and often underemphasized economic value that nursing contributes to health care and society as a whole.
Policymakers, health care administrators, and even the general public are often unaware or misinformed about the return on investment that adequate funding in nursing can provide, especially in financially turbulent times such as these. Drawing from the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and recognizing the increasing threat to the health of populations around the world due to conflicts, the climate crisis and financial instability, we believe the time is right to advocate for a shift in perspective and policy.”
Nurturing the backbone of healthcare: Society's role in education, practice, and policy
- Investing in nursing education and workforce: Increasing funding to expand nursing education will help bridge the global shortfall of nurses and prepare a workforce ready to meet future healthcare needs.
- Recognizing the economic impact of nurses: Acknowledging the economic value of nursing care in improving healthcare outcomes and contributing to economic stability by promoting health and preventing disease.
- Strengthening data and policy support: Enhancing the capability to collect and analyze data on the health workforce to inform policy decisions that reflect the economic importance of nursing care.
- Advancing nursing practice: Educating nurses in the skills necessary to drive progress in healthcare, including technological and sociological competencies, to enhance primary healthcare delivery.
- Improving working conditions: Ensuring fair salaries, safe staffing levels, and occupational health and safety to recognize the economic contributions of nurses and prevent burnout and turnover.
The call is clear: it's time to reassess and recognize the return on investment that nursing brings, particularly in an era marked by financial instability, health crises, and global challenges such as conflicts and climate change.
To amplify this message, 3B Scientific stands with the ICN in advocating for a paradigm shift. We are committed to supporting the nursing profession through our high-quality, affordable nursing skills and patient care simulators. These tools are designed to prepare nurses with the practical skills necessary for effective care, reflecting our belief in the economic and societal value of nursing.
We believe that investing in nursing is not just about improving healthcare outcomes—it's about recognizing and harnessing the economic power of care. Our nurses are our future, and by supporting their education, practice, and well-being, we contribute to a healthier, more stable economy.
This International Nurses Day, we call on nurses, governments, international organizations, influencers, and the public to join us in promoting the power of nursing. Together let's leverage social media to collectively share our gratitude to the nurses by wishing nurses all over the world a happy International Nurses Day and use the hashtags #IND2024 and #OurNursesOurFuture.
From everyone at 3B Scientific: Happy International Nurses Day 2024!
Sources:
https://www.icn.ch/news/international-nurses-day-2024-theme-announced-our-nurses-our-future-economic-power-care