The World Health Organisation has named 2020, the International Year of the Nurse, marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale.
The title honours now only one of the world’s foremost nursing names but aims to raise the profile and status of nurses worldwide and has been prompted by the Nursing Now movement, organised by the International Council of Nurses.
Another part of the celebrations is the Nightingale Challenge, which asks every health employer around the world to provide leadership and development training for a group of young nurses next year.
The Ministry of Health's chief nursing officer Margareth Broodkoorn said it’s important to use the celebrations as a chance to profile the value of nurses and promote the profession. Global indications show a decline in the health workforce to 18 million by 2030, meaning 2,000 more nurses will be needed every day across the world over the next 12 years, Broodkoorn said.
“It’s been a huge couple of years for nursing in New Zealand, with the signing of the Nursing Accord, immediate relief funding for nursing FTE, more resources in this year’s Budget for new graduate nurses, rolling out registered nurse prescribing to more areas and amending legislation to enable nurse practitioners to perform certain functions previously only doctors could,” she said.
