Florence Nightingale’s birthday is celebrated as ‘International Nurses Day’ every year across the world on 12 May. The theme of 2020 Nurses Day is ‘Nursing for World Health’.

The National Florence Nightingale Award is given every year on 12 May. It was started in 1973 by the Ministry of Family and Welfare, Government of India. The award recognizes the meritorious service of nurses. A total of around 250 nurses have been awarded this award so far. The award is given every year by the President of the country. The Florence Nightingale Award carries a cash prize of Rs 50,000, a citation and a medal.

History of International Nurses Day

The proposal to celebrate ‘Nurses Day’ was first proposed by the US Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Dorothy Sutherl and Later US President D.D. Eisenhower confessed to celebrating it. This day was first celebrated in 1953. The International Nurses Council celebrated this day for the first time in 1965. It was decided in the year 1974 to celebrate the birth anniversary of the famous ‘Florence Nightingale’, a nursing professional, on 12 May as International Nurses Day.

Importance of International Nurses Day

Nursing is considered as the largest health profession in the entire world. The nurse should be well trained, educated, and experienced to take care of the patient through aspects not only physically but also mentally and socially. Nurses have access and availability to take care of patients around the clock when professional physicians are busy seeing other patients. Nurses are expected to be friendly, supportive, and affectionate in boosting patients’ morale and controlling their illness.

Role of nurses in Covid-19

In this corona epidemic, the role of nurses has come out to be the most important. They are staying away from family day and night and came out as victors in this battle against corona. It is only nurses who take care of the patients after the doctors. The doctor takes one round and leave but there are nurses who make sure that the patient is getting the right treatment or not. They are one who gives medicines, feeding, counseling, catheter, ventilator, etc. They are the front line warriors who stay with the patient for hours.