To celebrate 2020 Year of the Nurse & Midwife we would like to honour the very real and positive impact nurses have across Australia each and every day, not just in a crisis.

Read about the exceptional work nurses do each and every day for communities across Australia #ProudToBeANurse

International Nurses Day is celebrated on 12 May every year to recognise the invaluable contribution nurses make to the health of our society. This International Nurses Day is particularly significant because it is taking place in the official Year of the Nurse & Midwife. Find out how you can get involved.

The Australian College of Nursing (ACN) is leading the way to empower nurses around the country to achieve the health and wellbeing they deserve. Nurses dedicate their lives to caring for others and often neglect looking after themselves in the process. We know how difficult it is to find the time to exercise, meal prep or even just take a moment to breath when you are doing shift work or working weekends. That’s why we have created the NurseStrong movement to encourage nurses to improve their physical, mental and emotional strength in a safe and supportive environment.

ACN has formed the COVID-19 Workforce Solutions Expert Advisory Group which is dedicated to removing barriers to nurses delivering care in the community and enable funding and resources that will allow nurses to provide care for people in their homes and via telehealth. You can learn how the group are fighting for nurses.

ACN has developed an extensive range of COVID-19 resources which provides information on refresher program scholarships, an online discussion forum, official resources, policy papers and blog articles.

Nursing Now is a three-year global awareness campaign which, in collaboration with the World Health Organization and the International Council of Nurses, aims to raise the status and profile of nursing around the world. The initiative, which is patroned by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge, works to empower nurses to take their place at the heart of tackling 21st Century health challenges.

The Hon. Greg Hunt MP, in conjunction with Australian College of Nursing, launched the inaugural Health Minister’s Award for Nursing Trailblazers in 2019. This award is the first of its kind in Australia and acknowledges the vital role nurses play in transforming our country’s health and aged care system.

Nursing has the solutions to many of the problems that plague our health and aged care systems. This prestigious award is bestowed upon a nurse who has demonstrated leadership to bring new thinking to a wide range of health care challenges.

Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel AO, MBE, ARRC, ED, FNM was the sole survivor of the 1942 Banka Island massacre. After being shot, Vivian feigned death and survived, only to be taken prisoner for the remainder of World War II.

The Australian War Memorial has agreed (in principle) to locating a commemorative sculpture recognising the life of Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel in the grounds of the Australian War Memorial and the Australian College of Nursing has committed to contributing to a fund to support this worthwhile project.

Will you join us in making this vision a reality?

ACN is delighted to announce we have partnered with Jon Baines Tours to create a new and exciting nursing study tour to South Africa in June 2020. The tour combines visits to hospitals and clinics with safaris and sightseeing. Meet with South African nurses, see the big five on safari, travel with fellow nurses and enjoy wonderful food and wine, stunning landscapes and the warm hospitality of South Africa. The tour is led by Marilyn Gendek FACN.

Best of all, ACN Fellows and Members will receive a $100 discount on the tour!