SALUTE TO NURSES | HONORING NURSES
2020: The Year of the Nurse I n honor of the 200th birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, the World Health Organization declares 2020 as the year of the nurse.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the health care field will add 3,059,800 new registered nursing jobs between 2018 and 2028; that’s a growth rate of 12%. In support of nurses, WHO suggests the “Triple Impact” to give these professionals the tools they need to excel in patient care: better health, stronger
economies and greater gender equality. With these tools, nursing experts are given the opportunity to receive a formal education, enroll in training programs and enter a career that stimulates the economy and health care field.
WHO WAS FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE? Florence Nightingale is widely known as the founder of modern nursing. During the Crimean War, she oversaw providing care for the British and allied soldiers in Turkey. Sometimes called, “The Lady with the Lamp,” Nightingale would go on to found the first scientifically based nursing school in London, in 1860. She was also responsible for instituting training
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for midwives and nurses who practiced in workhouse infirmaries. Her work continues to inspire medical professionals today and led to her birthday, May 12, being designated to commemorate International Nursing Day each year.
REPORTS AND CAMPAIGNS As part of the 2020 celebration for nurses, WHO will release its first State of the World’s Nursing Report. The document will describe how the nursing workforce can help deliver Universal Health Coverage and Sustainable Development Goals. It will also highlight new areas for policy growth over the next three to five years.
