International Nurses Day is celebrated each year on the 12th of May, the birthday of Florence Nightingale. Who pioneered modern nursing practice with implementation of Sanitation and hygiene reform during the Crimean war. Her birthday is an opportunity to recognise the skill, leadership, compassion and impact of nurses across the world. The 2026 theme from the International Council of Nurses is “Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives.” This theme is a call to properly value, support and invest in the nursing profession.
The ICN report highlights that nurses are the world’s largest health workforce, numbering almost 30 million globally, and that empowered nursing can improve patient safety, strengthen health systems, and support better health outcomes across communities. Furthermore, nurses spend a significant amount of time with patients, allowing them to advocate and support patients through their healthcare journey. Nurses are often one of the most trusted points of contact in healthcare, helping patients feel heard, informed and supported.
International Nurses Day reminds us that nursing continues to evolve. One growing area is the subspecialty of sleep medicine. Sleep health is increasingly recognised as central to cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological and mental health. Nurses working in sleep medicine may support patients through diagnostic sleep studies, CPAP and BiPAP therapy, oxygen monitoring, complex titration, education, adherence support, and long-term chronic disease management. This is especially important as conditions such as obstructive sleep apnoea, insomnia, restless legs syndrome and sleep-related breathing disorders become more visible in clinical practice. Early recognition and treatment of sleep disorders can also reduce broader health risks, including fatigue-related safety concerns and worsening chronic disease.
Sleep nursing reflects the broader message of International Nurses Day: When nurses are empowered to work to their full scope and potential, patients benefit. In sleep health, nurses combine technical knowledge, patient education, clinical assessment and therapeutic communication to improve treatment confidence and long-term outcomes. Sleep nurses also work alongside sleep physicians, scientists, respiratory clinicians and other health professionals to support safe, coordinated care. As healthcare becomes more complex, subspecialties like nursing and sleep disorders show how nurses continue to lead, adapt and expand their impact.
International Nurses Day is therefore not only a thank you. It is a reminder that safe, effective and future-ready healthcare depends on nurses being recognised, supported and empowered.
International Nurses Day. (n.d.). ICN – International Council of Nurses. https://www.icn.ch/how-we-do-it/campaigns/international-nurses-day
