Florence Nightingale
On Friday 12 May we celebrate nurses across the globe as we remember the pioneer of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, and her legacy.
International Nurses Day 2023 is a time for us to reflect on the vital role primary care nurses have played in Aotearoa’s history, and will continue to play in shaping the future of healthcare.
Primary care nurses are often the first point of contact for patients seeking medical care, and they play a critical role in promoting health, preventing disease, and managing chronic conditions. They also form long term relationships with patients and their whānau, often spanning many years.
Our nurses triage and utilise critical decision-making by dealing with multiple challenging situations daily in the face of many challenges seen over the past three years, including staff shortages and the impacts of the pandemic.
As we continue to address the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, primary care nurses have been at the forefront of providing care and support to patients, often under extremely difficult circumstances. They have shown us the importance of a robust and resilient healthcare system that can respond effectively to emerging health challenges.
The move to Prescribing through the three layers of authority is a clear dedication to equity and bringing the care to the whānau as they do so.
This year's theme, "Our Nurses Our Future," reminds us of the crucial role that primary care nurses play across many facets of healthcare. We celebrate and honour the incredible contributions of primary care nurses and commit to continuing to advocate for them at all levels. By doing so, we can ensure that the work of our nurses is known across the health sector, and that our nurses are well-prepared to meet the evolving healthcare needs of our communities, delivering the highest quality of care to patients, both now and in the future.
We want to thank all our nurses across the Pinnacle network for their care and dedication to their patients, whānau and communities. A sincere thank you to each of you.
Ngā mihi nui; Kia ora rawa atu – Thank you very much.
Justin Butcher,
Chief executive officer — Pinnacle
Jan Adams,
Nursing director — Pinnacle