International Nurses Day 2026
Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives
The 2026 International Nurses Day theme from the International Council of Nurses (ICN), “Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives,” delivers a powerful global message at a critical moment for healthcare systems worldwide.
Every day, nurses save lives, protect patient safety, support communities, and strengthen healthcare systems. However, nurses can only achieve their full impact when they are truly empowered through education, leadership opportunities, professional autonomy, safe working environments, fair recognition, and meaningful participation in healthcare decision-making.
For perioperative nurses, this message carries particular importance. Perioperative nursing demands advanced clinical expertise, critical thinking, precision, teamwork, communication, and continuous vigilance. In operating rooms across the world, perioperative nurses advocate for patients during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives and contribute directly to safe surgical care and positive patient outcomes.
The 2026 theme also builds upon the important messages shared by the International Council of Nurses over recent years.
In 2025, the theme “Our Nurses. Our Future. Caring for nurses strengthens economies” emphasized that healthcare systems cannot remain sustainable unless nurses themselves are supported, protected, and valued. Nurse wellbeing, mental health, safe staffing, and healthy work environments are essential not only for healthcare systems, but also for economic stability and social wellbeing.
In 2024, “Our Nurses. Our Future. The economic power of care” highlighted the significant economic and societal value of nursing care. Investing in nursing improves patient outcomes, reduces healthcare costs, strengthens communities, and contributes to healthier and more resilient societies.
In 2023, “Our Nurses. Our Future.” focused global attention on the future of nursing after the COVID-19 pandemic and reinforced the urgent need to invest in workforce development, leadership, education, and sustainable healthcare systems with nurses at the center.
Together, these themes create a clear and meaningful progression: support nurses, value nurses, empower nurses, and healthcare systems become stronger for everyone.
As the International Federation of Perioperative Nurses (IFPN), we proudly celebrate perioperative nurses across the world for their expertise, resilience, leadership, and compassion. We remain committed to advancing perioperative nursing through collaboration, education, professional development, research, wellbeing, and patient safety initiatives globally.
Today, we thank every nurse for the extraordinary contribution they make every single day.
When nurses are empowered, lives are saved.
Happy International Nurses Day 2026.
Prof. Dr. Meryem Yavuz van Giesbergen
President
International Federation of Perioperative Nurses (IFPN)
#IND2026 #OurNursesOurFuture
Visit the ICN website: https://www.icn.ch/news/icns-call-international-nurses-day-2026-empower-nurses-save-lives
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