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Australia reflects on the contributions of our nurses

Australian College of Nursing

Australia reflects on the contributions of our nurses International Nurses Day 2023

This International Nurses Day (IND), the Australian College of Nursing (ACN) is thanking the community for always acknowledging the role nurses play in ensuring better health outcomes for future generations.

‘Our Nurses. Our Future’ is the inspiring theme for IND which asks nurses to think about the future of our profession and how we, as nurses, provide a better future through improved health outcomes.

ACN Chief Executive Officer, Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward FACN, said the College has been championing nursing policy leadership for many years now through our annual Policy Summit, our Policy Chapters and our Policy Fellows with the input of nursing leaders around the nation.

“We have fought to get nurses and nursing out of the shadows and to centre stage at every table where healthcare is being discussed,” Adjunct Professor Ward said.

“There is no health system without nurses. We are the largest profession in the country with over 400,000 nurses working every day, every shift, everywhere.

“We are determined to champion the nursing voice to improve care and experiences for all Australians today and into the future.

“ACN would like to thank the nurses of Australia for their unwavering commitment to care and ask them to take a moment today to reflect on being part of the most noble, trusted and respected profession in this country.

“Nurses are highly trained professionals. Many have specialist qualifications, including Post Graduate Certificates, Masters and Doctorate degrees. They care for patients as well as their families and loved ones and are pivotal to the health and wellbeing of all communities.

“Nursing provides a wide range of career pathways for specialisations, and it is this experience and specialisation that nurses bring to the table that make nurses such an important part of care teams for our consumers.

“The impact of nurses was reflected this week in the Budget, where the Government announced it would be reviewing barriers that obstruct nurses from working to their full scope of practice.

“Today, there will be over 800 ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Nurses Breakfasts where ACN provides hosts packs to ensure nurses get a chance to take a break today. If you cannot make one of the many breakfasts, share your stories and thanks through the hashtag #ACNBreakfast.”

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/Public Release.