International Nurses Day 2026: Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives.
Tuesday 12 May is International Nurses’ Day, which highlights the immeasurable contribution that nurses make to healthcare and draws attention to key themes surrounding global nursing. The focus in 2026 is Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives.
In this blog, the All-Wales Nurse Staffing Programme Team, (Rhys Roberts, Teresa Durston, Sharon Fernandez and Kimberly Field) share collective reflections on how this year’s theme aligns with our programme’s work and their continued commitment to supporting nurses across Wales.
Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives. That’s an International Nurses Day theme that strongly resonates with us in the All-Wales Nurse Staffing Programme, and what we’re working to achieve.
Nurses are synonymous with many of the special attributes associated with the best healthcare. Compassion in moments of uncertainty. Skill in moments of need. Leadership in moments of change.
Our programme’s focus is ensuring the conditions in Wales for those attributes to shine.
In every setting, from hospitals and community services to homes and specialist care, nurses deliver person-centred care, improve outcomes, advocate for patients and help shape the future of services across Wales - often in the face of challenging circumstances.
Taking a once-for-Wales approach, our programme supports NHS Wales to meet the duties of the Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act 2016, helping ensure safe, effective and evidence-informed staffing across services, providing a foundation for nurses in all settings to care, lead, advocate for patients, and improve outcomes.
Elements of our work include progressing the use of staffing multipliers to numerically translate patient demand into workforce requirements; strengthening the way we meet Section 25A of the Act to ensure sufficient nurses are available across every care setting, not just acute hospitals; advancing digital solutions for better informed workforce planning; and driving national benchmarking and consistency.
We are also implementing national rostering principles to help services roster safely, efficiently and fairly whilst improving staff experience and patient care. Additionally, the developing National Clinical Excellence Framework will promote outstanding practice, quality improvement, professional development and recognition of nursing expertise across Wales.
These areas of work aren’t just about strengthening systems - they empower nurses to lead.
Leadership in nursing exists in every role. Whether delivering direct care, leading teams, educating others, improving services, driving innovation through research or shaping policy - every nurse has a voice, and every nurse leads.
Through surfacing better data, smarter tools, stronger governance and national consistency, our work is facilitating nurses to do just that - to influence decisions, improve services and deliver the safest possible care.
On International Nurses Day – as with every day – it’s important to recognise the professionalism, dedication, compassion, resilience and leadership of every nurse working across Wales, who continue to support one another, lead improvements and deliver safe, effective care, often in challenging circumstances.
As part of that recognition, we’re committed to continue working towards a bright future for nurses in Wales - one where those special attributes can shine and make a difference to patients, families and communities throughout Wales day in, day out.