University launches International Nurses Day campaign to protect nurses of the future
Nursing staff at Glasgow Caledonian University have launched a social media campaign to protect future nurses in support of International Nurses Day 2023 today (May 12).
This year’s the theme is Our Nurses: Our Future and lecturers in the Department of Nursing and Community Health are getting behind it by posting supportive quotes such as "nurses protected us during Covid-19. Now it’s time for us to protect nursing", as well as a fun nursing quiz.
Senior Lecturer and Department International Lead and Exchange Coordinator Tom McAlear, Senior Lecturer and Learning and Teaching Advisor Helena Kelly and lecturer Irene Bossman are behind the campaign.
This year’s International Nurses Day is based on four themes - protect, invest, respect and value. It’s a global campaign that outlines what we want for nursing in the future to address global health challenges and enhance healthcare worldwide.
Tom said: “As educators of future nurses, we want to make sure the environment they are going into is respectful, they are protected and their jobs are valued in this great profession. Nurses protected us during Covid-19. Now it’s time for us to protect nursing.
“We also want to make sure there is a good level of investment into the nursing at home and internationally, as well as raise awareness of what is required by governments and healthcare providers for nurses and nursing to protect and enhance health for individuals and communities across the world.
“It seems that the protection, investment, respect and value that nurses bring to the lives of others is not reciprocated by healthcare systems globally. Nurses across the world feel undervalued and taken for granted and this is why getting behind this year's International Nurses Day campaign is so important.”
Helena is encouraging everyone to take part in a short International Nurses Day quiz about all things nursing and get a chance to win an Amazon voucher of up to £30 - https://forms.office.com/e/E3r6bxbE36
Our students are also getting involved in the campaign. Second-year BSc Adult Nursing student Lynne Crawford said: “Nursing is an ever changing and evolving profession. Protection of nurses and the nursing profession is vital in ensuring gold standard care can be provided in sickness and ultimately in health.
“Continuation of degree-level nursing courses such as the BSc provided by universities such as Glasgow Caledonian ensures Scotland can continue to provide degree-level trained nurses in a wide range of settings. The pandemic only highlighted the important role that nurses play.”
Third-year BSc Child Nursing student Megan Rioch said: “I like to ensure all care I deliver to children, young people and their families is family-centred. I do this through by ensuring I include children, young people and their families in all the decisions regarding their own care and treatments, and allow them to make informed decisions.
“I also like to find out and learn about each patient's individual personal needs and personalise the care to deliver high quality care in a way that the patients prefer. This allows me to show respect for everyone in my care.
“I can't wait to continue to show a high level of respect to all my patients throughout my last placement and as I begin my first job in October as a staff nurse.”