Every year, we take time to acknowledge and celebrate the incredible contributions of nurses around the world.

On International Nurses Day (12 May), we recognise the dedication, skill, and compassion of these essential professionals who provide care when it is needed most.

As we mark this important day, we extend our gratitude to all nurses for their unwavering commitment to their patients, their communities, and the profession. Their expertise and dedication are the foundation of quality healthcare, and their impact is felt in every corner of society.

For International Nurses Day (IND) 2025, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) is highlighting the critical importance of a healthy nursing workforce in strengthening economies, improving health systems, and ensuring better outcomes for communities globally.

This year’s IND theme Our Nurses. Our Future. Caring for nurses strengthens economies, emphasises the need to support the health and wellbeing of nurses.

“Nurses face numerous challenges: physical, mental, emotional and ethical, and it is imperative we address these challenges in a way that promotes their overall health,” Dr Pamela Cipriano, ICN President, highlighted.

An IND report, to be released on 12 May, will outline evidence-based solutions improve nurses’ health. The report will focus on key challenges such as mental health, workplace safety, and physical wellbeing. It will advocate for more supportive work environments, which in turn can improve the quality of patient care to boost workforce retention.

In Australia, the Nurse Midwife Health Program Australia (NMHPA), a free and confidential counselling support service launched in 2024, is working to improve the health and wellbeing of nurses, midwives and students across the nation. Modelled on the successful Nursing and Midwifery Health Program Victoria (NMHPV), the NMHPA provides support via dedicated hubs Australia- wide offering telephone, telehealth and face-to-face peer support.

The NMHPA tackles a range of health issues including burnout, mental illness, addiction, bullying, and family or occupational violence.

Outgoing ANMF Federal Assistant Secretary Lori-Anne Sharp, who joined the NMHPA as Deputy CEO in March, says it’s critical nurses and midwives are supported to work to their full potential.

“As the largest profession in the health workforce, nurses and midwives are the anchor of the health system, and it’s important that they have access to peer-led services to support them and address any sensitive health issues,” Ms Sharp says.

“Whilst it is very meaningful work, it can be very stressful and emotional and physically taxing. The shift work can be demanding. We know that nurses and midwives aren’t immune to mental health and substance abuse issues. It’s reflected in society, and that’s reflected in our workforce.

“It’s important that nurses, midwives and students have a service that they can trust and rely upon. This is peer-to-peer, so, they’ve got an opportunity to be counselled from people who understand what it’s like to work as a nurse or midwife in the health sector.”

As awareness of the service grows nationally, Ms Sharp hopes more nurses and midwives will seek help.

“There’s still a long way to go to reduce the stigma around accessing help,” she says.

“Nurses and midwives are often the last ones to get help because they’re busy caring for others all the time and tend to put themselves last. We must normalise the importance of seeking help when needed.”

Concerned about the health and wellbeing of nurses and midwives, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) lobbied the Albanese Government to expand the successful NMHPV program nationally. The efforts resulted in a $25.2 million grant over five years to establish the NMHPA.

Ms Sharp, who played a key role in advocating for the program, considers it a privilege to now help ensure its long-term sustainability beyond 2027.

“The health and wellbeing of nurses is crucial for workforce retention and recruitment,” she says.

“With a peer-led service, nurses and midwives can be confident that they’re being supported by those who understand their challenges and the pressures they face in their personal and professional lives.

“Our goal is for nurses and midwives to have access to a service they can rely on that supports them with sensitive health issues they’re experiencing.