Nursing: it's just what we do

摘要

Nurses' Day on 12 May marks the birthday of Florence Nightingale and celebrates the work and worth of every nurse. Why nurses nurse is another matter and for each nurse the answer will be different. There are only a few people who cannot connect a nurse to some aspect of their lives, be this a friend, a relative or an acquaintance. Despite this, few people can really define what a nurse does and even many nurses struggle, often responding with 'it's just what we do'. What we are not, however, are doctors' handmaidens. The International Council of Nurses' (2017) theme this year is the voice of nurses in leading and achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Nurses Day provides an opportunity for nurses to celebrate what it is they do, to raise the profile of nurses and our profession. This focus presents us with a chance to promote what these 17 goals are and how nurses around the world can take the lead and achieve the goals.