Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust will celebrate the vital contribution of nurses as it marks International Nurses Day.
The Trust, which offers mental health services across more than 400 sites, will use the global event on the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, to thank staff for the essential role they play in the health of patients across Lancashire and South Cumbria.
The event, on Tuesday, May 12, will also offer an opportunity to recognise the efforts of those dealing with the COVID-19 crisis, and those working with people affected, either physically or mentally, by the current situation.
International Nurses Day is celebrated every year around the world on the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale. Organised by the International College of Nursing (ICN), the theme for 2020 is ‘nursing the world to health’ at a time when nursing is more important than ever.
The trust will celebrate its own nurses and say thank you for the role they play in the lives of patients on a daily basis, not just during a pandemic.
And, to help the organisation show its gratitude, it has appealed for people to share their stories of exemplary nursing practice or send their own messages of thanks on social media, tagging the Trust.
Maria Nelligan, Director of Nursing and Quality, said it was important that nurses were acknowledged for their efforts. The Trust employs 7,000 staff in total, 2200 of them nurses.
She said: “We have always recognised just how important each and every one of our nursing staff is, but their hard work has been thrust into the spotlight by the unprecedented situation we have found ourselves in.
“Our nurses carry out a variety of roles in inpatient care facilities and communities across the region, providing expert knowledge combined with a caring outlook to patients of all ages. They are hardworking and demonstrate resilience and determination whatever the situation they are faced with.
“On International Nurses Day, the Trust wishes to thank all of our nurses, and the nurses worldwide, who go that extra mile every day, without whom we would struggle to provide the services we offer. We look forward to hearing of the impact our nursing staff have had on people’s lives across Lancashire and South Cumbria.”
There are more than 20 million nurses around the world, who are there at life’s most precious moments, as well as its most tragic. This year the ICN says it is keen to dispel the old-fashioned idea that nurses are subordinate to doctors by helping people understand the breadth of responsibilities of modern nurses.
Anyone who wishes to share their own experiences and say thanks to a nurse can do so on social media, tagging/using the hashtag #InternationalNursesDay.
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