May 12 celebrates International Nurses’ Day

May 12 celebrates International Nurses’ Day

May 12 2015 marks the 195th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, and is also International Nurses’ Day.

Head of the School of Nursing Professor Annette Huntington says nurses make a significant contribution to people in New Zealand and overseas, and it’s fitting that International Nurses Day acknowledges that.

“At Massey University, we want to acknowledge the major contribution that all our registered-nurse postgraduate students make to the health and wellbeing of people in New Zealand and overseas – now and in the future.

“Nurses contribute directly in providing care to individuals, whānau and communities, but also contribute in an amazing range of support and leadership positions and collectively, we impact on wider society in a way that supports the lives of people we work with, especially those in challenging situations.

“We also want to acknowledge our undergraduate nursing students who will lead the profession of tomorrow - you are our future. We know you will make a really exceptional contribution to the health of your communities whether in New Zealand or overseas and will continue the tradition of concern for the wellbeing of people,” she says.

Massey University Distinguished Alumni Service Award winner Andrew Cameron is a shining example of the calibre of New Zealand nurses serving the international community. A Red Cross nurse, he has worked in war-torn regions across the globe including Kenya, Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and South Ossetia in Georgia, as well as serving remote populations in Australia.

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