RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - May 12 is commemorated every year as International Nurses Day to honor the contributions of nurses across various healthcare settings. The occasion coincides with the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, an important figure in the history of modern nursing.

According to the International Council of Nurses, the theme for International Nurses Day 2026 is “ Our Nurses, Our Future, Empowered Nurses Save Lives.” This theme highlights the vital role of the nursing workforce to improve health outcomes and deliver the trusted, person-centred primary care that can transform health systems and address our world’s biggest health challenges.

Every day, nurses both save and improve lives, and their impact is greatest when they are properly empowered. At a moment of extraordinary global pressure, this year’s IND theme focuses on making the structural changes needed to harness the power of the nursing workforce.

ICN stated that this theme comes at a time when the world is facing increasingly complex health challenges. Shortages of healthcare workers, rising demand for medical services, conflicts, and climate change are placing major pressure on global health systems.

In these conditions, nurses remain on the front lines of healthcare services. They continue to provide care, protect communities, and keep health systems running despite various limitations.

International Nurses Day 2026 also serves as a reminder that the role of nurses often has not received the recognition and support it truly deserves. Therefore, empowering the nursing workforce is considered essential to optimize the impact of healthcare services.

Through this commemoration, the world is encouraged to appreciate the nursing profession as an important part of patient safety and public health. This year’s theme also emphasizes that nurses have tremendous power in creating healthcare services that are safe, effective, and accessible to everyone.