Nurses Day 2022: Why the 12th of May Is Celebrated As Nurses Day

Nurses Day is a special day to honour and celebrate the contributions of nurses all over the world. Why the 12th of May? The date was chosen by the International Council of Nurses as it was Florence Nightingale's birthday and has been officially held since 1974!

Florence Nightingale dedicated her life to the improvement of the health sector. This year, the theme for Nurses Day is “Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Invest in Nursing and respect rights to secure global health.”

We wish nurses and everyone in the care and health industries a very happy Nurses Day 2022 and with that, we would like to leave you with this poem.

What does it take to be a nurse?

A licence on a wall?

Perhaps technically yes,

But if you think that is all

You would surely be mistake

Because without any doubt

There is so much more than that to what nursing is about

Yes, the knowledge they’ve acquired

Is a key to what they do

And they never stop learning

Or keeping up with what is new

But it’s in all the other aspects

Of their professional routine

That the true meaning of nurse

Can most readily be seen

Showing genuine compassion

Listening to a patient's fear

Finding time though it seems there none

To wipe away a child's tears

When facing tragedy and grief

The strength and skill it takes to make

Firm and sound decisions

While your hearts about to break

Nurses are tireless, patient

Respectful and devoted

And even though their efforts

May not constantly be noted

They didn’t choose this life path

For glory or acclaim

And the good they do each day

Is far more meaningful than fame.

by Anonymous