International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world every May 12, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth. It recognises the impact that nurses have within the community working as the largest healthcare profession across all aspects of a person’s life.
The theme for this year is “Our Nurses. Our Future. The economic power of care”. Despite being the backbone of health care, nursing often faces financial constraints and societal undervaluation. This year’s theme aims to reshape perceptions, demonstrating how strategic investment in nursing can bring considerable economic and societal benefits.
At Western Health our nursing workforce has grown from approximately 3,500 nurses 5 years ago, to approximately 6,000 in 2024. To meet the healthcare needs of the rapidly growing western metropolitan region, with the new Footscray Hospital, new Melton Hospital and our new community hospitals our nursing workforce is expected to continue grow by between 2,300-4,000 nurses over the next 5 years! Investment in nursing will be vital to ensure that the people of the West have a healthy future.