As 2019 comes to a close, nursing students across the UK will be moving forward in their chosen career. Many will be in their final few months of their training, whilst others will have just embarked on their three-year journey.
Whichever stage of their training student nurses are at, they have entered perhaps one of the most challenging and yet exciting times in recent nursing history. New nursing standards, within the UK, are replacing old, global nursing is high on the agenda and 2020 has been declared the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife by the World Health Organisation. The nursing profession has much to celebrate.
There is now strong evidence to indicate that nurses, improve the health and wellbeing of the population; they promote gender equality and support economic growth; as evidenced in the Triple Impact Report. This report having a global influence, with the Nursing Now Campaign and the Nightingale Challenge being at the forefront of nursing development.
Nursing is undeniably one of the most rewarding of careers. The opportunities for professional growth, leadership development and collaborative working are increasing and fundamental to the expansion of a workforce able to lead on both National and International developments. Whilst the importance of developing a global nursing network is gaining momentum.
2020 is the year when Florence Nightingale will be 200 years old. This year celebrates the significant contribution that nurses make every single day. Nursing today is not without its challenges; however, it continues to be a rewarding career that I have enjoyed for 30 years. My passion for supporting the delivery of safe and effective care and promoting the health and wellbeing of the profession, will continue to be a significant part of my life.