American Association of Nurse Practitioners Honors the Nursing Profession on International Nurses Day
AUSTIN, Texas, May 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) joins with a grateful nation in recognizing National Nurses Week, which is dedicated to honoring the outstanding contributions made by nurses as they care for patients of all ages in all health care settings. Every nurse shares a commitment to patients that strengthens the health of their communities.
As this week of recognition comes to a close on Florence Nightingale's birthday, May 12, the contributions made by nurses worldwide are acknowledged during International Nurses Day. This year, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) has announced an International Nurses Day theme of "Nurses: A Voice to Lead – A Vision for Future Healthcare," which highlights how nursing will look in the future as well as how the profession will transform the next stage of health care.
"For decades, nurses have underpinned our nation's health, and over the last year, they have been on the front lines to care for COVID-19 patients and vaccinate populations worldwide. As we look to recover from the pandemic and create a stronger, more accessible and equitable health care system, nurses must be at the helm of decision-making," said Sophia L. Thomas, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, PPCNP-BC, FNAP, FAANP. "During the World Health Assembly's 2021 International Year of the Health and Care Workers, AANP calls on world and industry leaders to remove barriers that stand between nurses and patients and to leverage nursing experts to lead and guide us as we forge a brighter and healthier future."
AANP encourages the public to honor the extraordinary contributions of nurses – including nurse practitioners (NPs) – in diagnosing, treating and vaccinating patients throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is the largest professional membership organization for nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties. It represents the interests of the more than 325,000 licensed NPs in the U.S. AANP provides legislative leadership at the local, state, and national levels, advancing health policy; promoting excellence in practice, education, and research; and establishing standards that best serve NPs' patients and other health care consumers. As The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®, AANP represents the interests of NPs as providers of high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive, patient-centered health care. For more information about NPs, visit aanp.org.