From disempowerment to empowerment
Our nurses. Our future. Empowered nurse saves lives, IND 2026
International nurses day (IND) is celebrated across the world on May 12th commemorating the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale the founder of nursing profession. International Council of Nurses (ICN) is a federation of 140 national nurses association and voice of 30 million nurses globally. It was established in 1899. ICN declares this year’s theme of international nurses day is Our nurses. Our future. Empowered nurse saves lives with core purpose to bring changes to revitalize power of nursing profession.
ICN has proposed seven powers of empowered nurses:
People demonstrate trust in nurses. In the latest Gallup Honesty and Ethics of Professions poll rated nurses as the most trust-worth profession (Roush, Karen 2025). Patients place significant trust in nurses, viewing them not merely as passive recipients of care but as active participants in the care process. A research study conducted in Uttarakhand concluded that patients reported a high level of satisfaction with the empathic communication skills of nurses (Rashmi Rawat 2024).
However, evidences also suggest that the trust gap is widening due to Understaffing excessive work demands and unrealistic expectations imposed on the nursing workforce. There is an urgent need to ensure safe nurse-to-patient ratios across all levels of health care settings. Nurses should be enabled to provide dedicated patient centered care and actively integrated into policy formulation, implementation and evaluation process. Trust should be recognized as a key quality indicator of care. Furthermore, health care system must promote a strong culture of safety and encourage research that examines trust as an essential clinical parameter.
The key elements of the nursing profession include rigorous education, ethical standards, regulation, and accountability. According to the International Council of Nurses (ICN), every 10% increase in bachelor’s degree–prepared nurses is associated with a 70% reduction in patient mortality, highlighting that investment in nursing education is both clinically beneficial and cost-effective.
The Code of Ethics formulated by the Indian Nursing Council (INC) mandates that nurses provide compassionate and non-discriminatory care while respecting patients’ dignity, privacy, and informed choices. It also emphasizes the importance of maintaining professional competence, adhering to legal and ethical standards, and collaborating effectively with healthcare colleagues. To strengthen regulation and maintain standards of nursing and midwifery education and services, the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill, 2023, was introduced in the Lok Sabha. This Bill seeks to replace the Indian Nursing Council Act, 1947, and aims to modernize the governance of nursing education and practice in India.
Despite these advancements, several professional threats to nursing still persist. The employment of untrained personnel and unsafe substitution practices promote a false economy and jeopardize the quality and safety of healthcare delivery. In addition, the shortage of qualified nursing faculty and the proliferation of substandard nursing education institutions remain significant challenges and tarnish the dignity of this noble profession. To preserve the integrity and professional authority of nursing, the professional title “Nurse” must be legally protected, and nursing services should be delivered only by licensed and qualified nurses.
Nurses constitute the largest segment of the global healthcare workforce and represent a vital human capital resource. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) report 2025, there are approximately 29 million nurses worldwide. In India, nearly 39.4 lakh nursing personnel are currently serving across diverse healthcare settings. As per the PIB Report 2026, the country has 5,310 nursing institutions, including 806 government institutions, collectively producing nearly 3.82 lakh nursing professionals annually.
The vast nursing workforce significantly strengthens healthcare systems, improves patient outcomes, and contributes to economic growth. However, despite the expanding nursing community, the world is facing a triple crisis in nursing—education, retention, and utilization. Key challenges include limitations in scaling up the nursing education ecosystem, underutilization of nurses’ advanced skills in routine roles, and inequitable international recruitment practices. To ensure sustainable growth, stringent remedial measures are required: safe staffing norms, fair remuneration, defined career pathways, workplace safety, and quality education.
A substantial proportion of preventive and chronic healthcare services can be effectively delivered by nurses. Nurse-led care models have demonstrated cost-effectiveness across various healthcare settings in India, particularly in improving accessibility, continuity of care, and patient outcomes. Internationally, the independent Nurse Practitioner care model is well established and widely accepted in the United States. According to the U.S. News & World Report 2026, the Nurse Practitioner profession ranks among the best jobs, with an average annual salary of USD 126,260.
Despite the potential, several challenges persist, including outdated regulatory frameworks, hierarchical healthcare structures, and physician dominance within health systems. To address these issues, legislative and regulatory mechanisms must be revised to establish a clearly defined and expanded scope of nursing practice.
It is fundamentally about professional closeness and accessibility to marginalized populations. Local nurses often develop strong bonds, respect human dignity and establish trusting relationships with the communities they serve. However, nurses in peripheral and underserved areas remain scarce and are frequently overburdened with multitasking responsibilities. Therefore, active community participation is essential to strengthen and sustain the closeness, trust, and collaboration between nurses and the communities they care for.
Nurses play a vital role in primary healthcare delivery. Person-centered nursing care has been shown to reduce mortality, decrease hospital admissions and length of stay, and improve overall quality of life. In contrast, fragmented care weakens the effectiveness and continuity of healthcare services. Nursing care should not remain confined within hospital walls. The role of nurses must expand beyond institutional settings to encompass communities, schools, colleges, and broader multisectoral healthcare initiatives. Strengthening community-based and preventive nursing services is essential for achieving accessible, continuous, and holistic healthcare for all.
Nurses keep care alive during conflict and crisis situations. They contribute tirelessly to recovery, rebuilding, and the restoration of social stability. In times of adversity, nurses preserve calmness, provide compassionate support, and help restore both the physical and psychological well-being of affected individuals and communities. In such challenging contexts, the mental well-being of nurses must be prioritized, and their invaluable services should be recognized and acknowledged appropriately.
So, if you happen to meet a nurse, remember the strength, compassion, and resilience they embody, and wish them a Happy International Nurses Day.
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