The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) is wishing all of their nursing colleagues around Australia a happy International Nurses Day.

On this day, the union is asking us all to recognise the extraordinary, 24/7 contribution nurses make in caring for people right across the community.

The theme of this year’s IND is Our Nurses. Our Future which the ANMF believes is timely recognition and provides, as the Health Minister advised in the Health Budget this week, a timely opportunity for a ‘bigger role for nurses’ to lead urgent reforms of Australia’s health and aged care systems.

 “It’s a special day for the ANMF and our members, a day where we can acknowledge and celebrate the amazing work of our nurses, who deliver quality care to people at all stages of life, whether in primary health care, an ED, a mental health unit or an aged care facility,” ANMF Federal Secretary Annie Butler said.

“This is a day which makes us realise that we, as a society, can never undervalue the amazing work of our nurses and the care they provide to people, around-the-clock. It’s a day where we should stop and ask, where would we be without nurses?

“And at a time of growing demand for health and aged care and ongoing workforce shortages across the country, the ANMF believes it’s a time for nurses to have their skills genuinely recognised and their roles extended to play a pivotal part in the development of multi-disciplinary models of care, which will ensure that all Australians will receive quality care, when and where they need it.

“Advanced practice nurse-led and nurse-practitioner-led clinics in the ACT and WA are just some examples of how nurses are successful in delivering ‘everyday’ care for the community – and show why nurses are the future for a healthy Australia.”