Introduction
Nursing Now: Looking back at 2020, the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife
It hasn’t been the year of celebration that we had planned, but in 2020, a light shone brighter than ever on the incredible work of nurses and midwives around the world. The world has witnessed their unfailing dedication, compassion and the expert clinical care they provide every day and throughout this global pandemic.
Read on for some highlights of the Nursing Now year.
Read on for some highlights of the Nursing Now year.
January
January
At the start of the year Nursing Now and our partners at the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Council of Nurses (ICN) reached out to all heads of state to stress the importance of investing in and supporting nurses and midwives on a global scale in order to achieve health for all.
“It is crucial that leaders around the world recognise the importance of this year, and that we use the global momentum to spark real change for nurses and midwives around the world,” said Nursing Now’s Co-Chair, Lord Nigel Crisp.
“It is crucial that leaders around the world recognise the importance of this year, and that we use the global momentum to spark real change for nurses and midwives around the world,” said Nursing Now’s Co-Chair, Lord Nigel Crisp.
Pope Francis recognised 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife and praised the “precious” work carried out by those in the nursing profession.
Along with Jhpiego & ICN, we launched the #NursingInFocus photo contest to put the spotlight on, and celebrate the work of nurses and midwives around the world. Over 2,000 entries were received.
Learn more about Nursing in Focus here.
Learn more about Nursing in Focus here.
February
February
On the 3rd and 4th of February 2020, Nursing Now held the first of its regional meetings in Kampala, Uganda. This was an opportunity for Nursing Now board members including Lord Nigel Crisp, Professor Sheila Tlou, Annette Kennedy, Dr. Francis Omaswa, along with a delegation of influential regional healthcare leaders and key organisations including Aga Khan University, Jhpiego, ECSACON, WHO AFRO to discuss the progress and future of the Nursing Now campaign.
Nursing Now joined the Heads of Nursing from Pacific Island Countries and Territories convened in Nadi, Fiji from the 11th- 13th of February 2020 for the inaugural Pacific Heads of Nurses Meeting. This is the first time such a meeting has taken place, reflecting the increasing recognition of the essential role nurses play in Pacific health services.
From 11th – 13th March, Nursing Now met with nurses in The Bahamas. This was an opportunity for our Executive Director, Dr Barbara Stilwell, and Nursing Now board members Professor Sheila Tlou, Mary Watkins, Annette Kennedy, Shirley Baines, Christine Beasley, Claudia Laselva and Rosemarie Josey to meet and discuss the regional progress, and future of the campaign with other nursing leaders from the WHO Americas region.
March
March#RememberHealthHeroes
On 11th March 2020, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the WHO. Nursing Now spoke out on the critical importance of providing access to PPE and support for nurses and frontline health workers during this time.
On 11th May, the eve of International Nurses Day, Nursing Now, the ICN and the WHO encouraged people to take part in a moment of reflection to honour the memory of nurses and health workers who have tragically died during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On 11th May, the eve of International Nurses Day, Nursing Now, the ICN and the WHO encouraged people to take part in a moment of reflection to honour the memory of nurses and health workers who have tragically died during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nursing Now created a page to offer an insight into the experiences of nurses working on the frontlines around the world and provided recommendations to Nursing Now groups, and resources to support the nursing and midwifery workforce during this difficult time. Click here to view.
Nursing Now facilitated the global sharing of experience and support for nurses and midwives as the COVID-19 crisis continued through webinars, case studies and through its Poetry Portal where people shared expressions of thanks, support, shared emotions and came together through the medium of art. Click here to view.
Nursing Now was one of the signatories to an open letter to G20 leaders which brought together the voices of 40 million health professionals from around the globe together to call on G20 leaders to pursue a #HealthyRecovery from COVID-19.
Click here to read the letter.
Click here to read the letter.
April
April
In April, the first-ever State of the world’s nursing report, developed by the WHO in partnership with the ICN and Nursing Now was published and provided a compelling case on the value of the nursing workforce globally.
See more here.
See more here.
May
MayTo mark International Nurses Day, in this the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, Nursing Now made a film to shine a light on the incredible work of nurses around the world. This film uses the voices of people from different walks of life, from actors to footballers and global health-stakeholders to highlight the importance of the nursing profession and call on governments to support and invest in nurses in order to ensure access to health for everyone, everywhere.
Nursing Now Patron, HRH The Duchess of Cambridge & HRH The Countess of Wessex spoke to nurses around the world to discuss the challenges and pressures nurses are facing globally to bring the COVID-19 pandemic under control.
“We are delighted that our Patron the Duchess of Cambridge and the Countess of Wessex met with nurses from around the world to mark International Nurses Day. They have helped to get nursing into the spotlight and raise awareness of the critical importance of supporting our nurses. These nurses are representative of a global profession whose care, compassion and skill are critical at every step on the road to health.”
Dr Barbara Stilwell, Executive Director of Nursing Now.
The Royal family pays tribute to nurses on International Nurses Day, click here to watch.
Read the letter from the Duchess of Cambridge here.
“We are delighted that our Patron the Duchess of Cambridge and the Countess of Wessex met with nurses from around the world to mark International Nurses Day. They have helped to get nursing into the spotlight and raise awareness of the critical importance of supporting our nurses. These nurses are representative of a global profession whose care, compassion and skill are critical at every step on the road to health.”
Dr Barbara Stilwell, Executive Director of Nursing Now.
The Royal family pays tribute to nurses on International Nurses Day, click here to watch.
Read the letter from the Duchess of Cambridge here.
“I am truly pleased to see you all receive the admiration you truly deserve at the national, regional, and global levels, in appreciation of your blessed efforts, especially in countering the COVID-19 epidemic […] You have made your leaders proud before the world of your achievements during these extraordinary circumstances that the whole world is facing,” HRH Princess Muna Al Hussein.
Read the letter from HRH Princess Muna Al Hussein here.
Read the letter from HRH Princess Muna Al Hussein here.
June
June
To mark the first anniversary of the Nightingale Challenge, we held an all-day virtual conference on Friday 26th June. This was the opportunity for Nightingale Challenge employers and participants to share their experiences of implementing the Nightingale Challenge and to discuss nursing and midwifery leadership now and into the future.
Listen to Dr. Tedros' address given at the Nightingale Challenge: One Year On anniversary event.
Read more here.
Listen to Dr. Tedros' address given at the Nightingale Challenge: One Year On anniversary event.
Read more here.
Experiences of the Nightingale Challenge
In June, Nursing Now also launched The Nightingale Challenge Global Solutions Initiative to provide the opportunity to connect with nurses around the world to share ideas for nurse-led innovations to resolve global health issues. Since then, our online community has amassed over 500 members who have been able to take part in challenges relating to brain injury and creating health in the community.
July
JulyNursing Now convened a discussion on the topic of racism and the role that nurses can play as activists for equality. The panel highlighted perspectives from the USA, Brazil and Europe and included Dr Ernest Grant, President of the American Nurses Association, Carol Cooper, Head of Equality, Diversity and Human Rights, Birmingham NHS Trust, England, and Juliana Cristina dos Santos Monteiro, Associate Professor, University of Sao Paulo.
October
We also created the Nightingale Challenge Partnerships Platform. This provides a space that allows Nightingale Challenge employers to connect, form, and strengthen new and existing partnerships, facilitate engagement and conversation between organisations participating in the Nightingale Challenge.
One of the greatest assets of the Nightingale Challenge is its global community and the opportunity this provides to share knowledge and learn from health employers around the world.
To date, we have facilitated 96 partnerships between participating organisations. These partnerships offer an opportunity to create lasting relationships between organisations through the sharing of different perspectives and experiences.
One of the greatest assets of the Nightingale Challenge is its global community and the opportunity this provides to share knowledge and learn from health employers around the world.
To date, we have facilitated 96 partnerships between participating organisations. These partnerships offer an opportunity to create lasting relationships between organisations through the sharing of different perspectives and experiences.
Over the course of the year, 180 new Nursing Now groups have registered and supported our campaign aims, amplifying our messages and helping to drive commitment at national and global level to the nursing and midwifery professions.
Nursing Now has provided many varied and valuable webinars for the global community throughout 2020 (18+), to facilitate discussion and amplify the voice of nurses.
November
November
Nursing was on the agenda at the WISH Virtual Summit on Global Health. Nursing Now widely encouraged participation of nurses at the Summit and had a session on mental health and resilience for frontline workers. We were delighted to be joined by international author and poet, Michael Rosen who did a reading of his poem 'These are the hands'. In addition, Nursing Now facilitated a session led by young nurse leaders on the topic of advocacy.
December
DecemberIn December, Nursing Now convened health leaders in a discussion on the critical priorities for action and investment that are needed for the development of nursing across Africa. The webinar was moderated by Professor Sheila Tlou, Nursing Now Co-Chair with opening remarks from Dr Matshidiso Moeti, Regional Director for Africa, WHO.
2020, the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife is drawing to an end but our commitment to raising the profile and status of nursing and midwifery will continue. As we approach 2021, Nursing Now is preparing to amplify the voice of nursing and midwifery everywhere, to ensure that governments hear our call to invest in nurses and midwives to ensure access to health for all.
Read more about Nursing Now's 2020 achievements and plans for 2021 here.
Read more about Nursing Now's 2020 achievements and plans for 2021 here.
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Nursing Now: Looking back at 2020, the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife
January
February
March
April
May
June
Experiences of the Nightingale Challenge
July
November
