The School of Nursing and Midwifery, UCC celebrating International days of the Midwife and of the Nurse.

5 May 2020

International Day of the Midwife (5^th May) -  -  - International Day of the Nurse (12^th May)

The School of Nursing and Midwifery, UCC celebrates the International Day of the Midwife (5^th May) and International Day of the Nurse (12^th May) with a one page piece published on the 5^th May 2020.

Within this piece the individual stories of eight students are captured. These perspectives reveal the breadth of roles that nurses and midwives can undertake.

The World Health Organisation designated 2020 as the “International Year of the Nurse and Midwife”. On the 5th of May each year The International Day of the Midwife is celebrated to highlight the important role midwives play in the health of mothers, children and their families. International Nurses Day is observed around the world on the 12th of May (the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth) of each year,

to mark the contributions that nurses make to society. Nurses are the frontline and backbone of health care delivery comprising over 50% of the global healthcare workforce. The WHO notes that there is a global shortage of nurses estimated to be in the region of 5.9 million. Today’s nurses care for patients across the lifespan; run their own clinics, diagnose patients, prescribe X-Rays and medications, lead complete episodes of care; work in partnership with patients and their families across teams and services; and can also be found leading cutting-edge research programmes. In developing countries and geographically remote areas, they are often, the first and only point of care in their communities. 

Covid-19 and the worlds response and also demonstrated the important role of front line health care professionals, nurses and midwives to society. The School of Nursing and Midwifery UCC celebrates with nurses and midwives and says thank you to front line staff.