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INTERNATIONAL NURSES DAY
A Global Day of Recognition for Nurses
International Nurses Day is observed every 12 May to recognise and celebrate nurses, highlight their importance to patients and communities, and inspire visible public appreciation through collective global action
INTERNATIONAL NURSES DAY 2026 THEME:
“Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives”
Why Nurses Matter to Patients
For patients, nurses are often the closest face of care. They save lives, protect dignity, and make care feel human. In line with the ICN International Nurses Day 2026 theme. The
World Patients Alliance is commemorating International Nurses Day through the Patients’ Hats Off to Nurses Initiative.
Patients’ Hats off to Nurses Initiative, Puts Nurses at the Heart of Care and Patient Appreciation at the Heart of the Global Conversation.
About the Initiative
Patients Hats off to Nurses initiative is being delivered inline with the International Nurses Day 2026.
Through this initiative we are bringing patients, patient organisations, and healthcare stakeholders together to publicly recognise nurses and support greater visibility of their contribution to safe, high-quality care.
Advocacy Letter: Translating Recognition into Structural Support
As part of the second round of advocacy under the broader Heart of Healthcare: Celebrating Our Nurses campaign, WPA has issued a dedicated advocacy letter aligned with the International Nurses Day 2026 theme, and connected to its Patients’ Hats Off to Nurses Initiative. The letter has been addressed to the World Health Organization, healthcare stakeholders, and nursing associations, carrying a clear message that public appreciation for nurses must be matched by practical and sustained action, including stronger workforce investment, safer working environments, better mental health and wellbeing support, and the inclusion of nursing leadership in health policy and decision-making.
The advocacy letter featured below is the version addressed to Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. In this letter, WPA calls for the global recognition of nurses under International Nurses Day 2026 to be translated into structural policy support for the nursing workforce.
It calls for action in four key areas:
Formal recognition in national health planning
Tangible investment in workforce sustainability
Safe clinical environments
Nursing leadership in governance
This advocacy letter strengthens the policy dimension of the Patients’ Hats Off to Nurses Initiative and reinforces WPA’s core message: patient-centred care depends on a safe, supported, and sustainable nursing workforce.
View the Advocacy Letter Below
Initiative Focus Areas
Inspired by the ICN 2026 call, “Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives,” Patients Hats off to Nurses initiative is built around four focus areas.
Recognise Nurses
Drive visible appreciation from the patient perspective
Raise Visibility
Show why nurses matter in every stage of care.
Support Empowerment
Reinforce the message that empowered nurses strengthen care for all.
Mobilise Participation
Bring organisations, communities, and supporters into one shared global campaign.
Explore the initiative
Through a set of coordinated campaign activities, the initiative helps strengthen recognition, increase visibility, and support collective participation across communities and organisations worldwide.
Animated Awareness Video
A dedicated campaign video brings the Patients Hats’ off to Nurses initiative to life through the patient perspective.
Global Blog
A dedicated global blog shares the message behind the campaign and why nurses matter so deeply to patients.
Social Media Campaign Toolkit
A dedicated toolkit equips nurses’ associations, patient organisations, and partners with a one-month campaign calendar, ready-to-use campaign visuals, ready-to-use social media poster and ready-to-use social media messages to support coordinated participation worldwide.
Month-Long Social Media Campaign
A coordinated 12 Days social media campaign till International Nurses Day 12 May to celebrate nurses and drive global visibility.
Read the Campaign Blog
Patients Stand With Nurses Beyond International Nurses Day 2026
International Nurses Day 2026 gave the world an important moment to recognise and honour nurses. But the message should not end on 12 May.
As part of the Patients’ Hats Off to Nurses Initiative, WPA has published a dedicated blog reflecting on the vital role nurses play in patient care and why recognition must continue beyond a single day.
The blog highlights how nurses bring comfort, dignity, communication, and trust into care. It also explains why supporting, protecting, and empowering nurses is essential to safer, more respectful, and more patient-centred healthcare.
Read the Blog
As part of the Patients’ Hats Off to Nurses Initiative, WPA has published a dedicated blog reflecting on the vital role nurses play in patient care and why recognition must continue beyond a single day.
The blog highlights how nurses bring comfort, dignity, communication, and trust into care. It also explains why supporting, protecting, and empowering nurses is essential to safer, more respectful, and more patient-centred healthcare.
Read the Blog
Watch: Patients’ Hats Off to Nurses
A Global Tribute to Nurses
The animated awareness video for the Patients’ Hats Off to Nurses Initiative brings the campaign to life through the patient perspective. It recognises nurses as the Heart of Healthcare and highlights their essential role in safe, compassionate, and patient-centred care.
Watch the video and share it with your network to join WPA in recognising nurses for International Nurses Day 2026.
Toolkit: Campaign Materials
The Patients’ Hats Off to Nurses Initiative includes a dedicated set of ready-to-use materials to support coordinated participation throughout May 2026.
Designed for nurses’ associations, patient organisations, and partners, these resources include a one-month International Nurses Day campaign calendar, posting themes, platform-specific captions, hashtags, ready-to-use visuals, and social media posters.
Together, they help drive a consistent and visible global campaign that celebrates nurses through the patient perspective
Designed for nurses’ associations, patient organisations, and partners, these resources include a one-month International Nurses Day campaign calendar, posting themes, platform-specific captions, hashtags, ready-to-use visuals, and social media posters.
Together, they help drive a consistent and visible global campaign that celebrates nurses through the patient perspective
Download Ready-to-use Social Media Posters
These posters are designed to help patient organizations, nurses’ associations, and partners celebrate nurses on International Nurses Day.
Each poster carries a clear recognition message from the patient perspective and can be shared directly on social media to honour nurses, raise appreciation, and support the global celebration of nursing.
Each poster carries a clear recognition message from the patient perspective and can be shared directly on social media to honour nurses, raise appreciation, and support the global celebration of nursing.
Ready-to-use Social Media Calendar
This ready-to-use social media calendar has been developed to support patient organizations, nursing associations, healthcare partners, and other stakeholders in celebrating International Nurses Day.
It includes themes, captions, and hashtags for a 12-day campaign, including a 7-day countdown.
Use it as it is, or adapt it for your organization, country, and community. Each post is designed to honour nurses, amplify patient appreciation, and support the global celebration of nursing.
It includes themes, captions, and hashtags for a 12-day campaign, including a 7-day countdown.
Use it as it is, or adapt it for your organization, country, and community. Each post is designed to honour nurses, amplify patient appreciation, and support the global celebration of nursing.
Download Ready-to-use Social Media Calendar Visuals
Use these ready-to-post visuals alongside the 12-day social media calendar.
Each visual is linked to a specific campaign date and message. Please match the visual with the same date shown in the calendar. You can download the full set or select the visuals you need for your organization’s campaign.
Each visual is linked to a specific campaign date and message. Please match the visual with the same date shown in the calendar. You can download the full set or select the visuals you need for your organization’s campaign.
Ready-to-Use Social Media Messages
Use these ready-to-post social media messages to recognize and celebrate nurses on International Nurses Day. These messages can be shared by patient organizations, nursing associations, healthcare partners, and supporters as part of the Patients’ Hats Off to Nurses Initiative. You may use them as they are or adapt them to reflect your organization, country, community, or local nursing workforce.
How to Take Part
Join the Patients’ Hats Off to Nurses Initiative throughout May 2026 and help build a visible global moment of recognition for nurses.
Use the Toolkit
Download and use the campaign materials across your channels.
Share on Social Media
Post the official campaign content during the month-long initiative.
Share a Message of Thanks
Publish a short tribute, reflection, or appreciation message for nurses.
Mobilise Your Network
Invite your organisation, members, and community to take part.
Tag WPA
Tag World Patients Alliance and help amplify the campaign globally.
Messages from Patients and Communities
Patients and communities know the value of nurses firsthand.
This section shares messages of appreciation from patients, families, patient organisations, partners, and supporters who want to recognise the role nurses play in care, comfort, safety, and trust.
Through testimonials, quotes, and public messages of thanks, the initiative helps bring patient voices into a shared global moment of recognition.
Dr. Kagan Cavusoglu
Founding Secretary-General Red Ribbon Istanbul, Türkiye
“In public health and civil society work, I have seen how nurses play a vital role in supporting people living with chronic infections, including HIV, hepatitis, and TB. Their contribution goes beyond clinical care. Nurses help patients feel informed, respected, and less alone during difficult moments, and additionally, they play a supportive role in helping patients adapt to their health status. A strong patient–nurse partnership builds trust, improves communication, and supports better care experiences. Recognizing nurses means recognizing one of the most human and essential parts of healthcare.”
Dr. Inge Dhamanti
Head, Center of Excellence for Patient Safety and Quality Universitas Airlangga, Indonesia
“In patient safety and quality improvement, nurses are central to safer care. They are often the professionals who spend the most time with patients and families, observe early risks, communicate concerns, and help ensure that care is delivered with dignity and respect. A strong patient–nurse partnership supports trust, open communication, and safer healthcare experiences. Recognizing nurses is therefore not only a matter of appreciation. It is also an important part of strengthening patient safety and quality of care.”
Mecciya Majrashi
President, Saudi Patient Experience Club Board Member, Motaafi Cancer Survivor Foundation, Saudi Arabia
“Through my journey as a cancer survivor and my work in patient experience and advocacy, I have seen how nurses become a trusted part of the patient’s care journey. They support patients not only through treatment, but also through fear, uncertainty, recovery, and hope. Nurses help patients feel seen, heard, and respected. A strong patient–nurse partnership can make care more personal, more compassionate, and more meaningful. Recognizing nurses means recognizing the people who stand close to patients when care matters most.”