On 12 May, nurses across the world will commemorate International Nurses Day. Comprising 59% of the global health and care workforce, the nursing workforce occupies a critical role in efforts to realise universal health care and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  

Despite this, governments have failed to make necessary investments and policy choices that would ensure the physical, mental and social wellbeing of nurses. This has debilitating effects on the nursing workforce and equally undermines the possibility of safeguarding a healthy and better future for humankind. This situation is unacceptable. But we can change it, with collective and persistent action.  

There is a global shortage of about 6 million nurses. 89% of these are in low- and middle-income countries. The nursing workforce is understaffed, leaving the available nurses overworked. This leads to high rates of burnout and makes the nursing profession unattractive to young people. In the places with the highest shortages of nurses, we still find so many nurses unemployed, and most nurses take home pay cannot take them home. Several nursing affiliates of PSI have experienced government repression for advocating for their members' concerns. 

Governments failed to consider the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and wellbeing of nurses

A significant number of the nurses in developed countries with aging populations are migrants from countries in dire need of nurses. In today's world, at least one out of every eight nurses practices in a country other than the one where they were born or trained to become nurses. Several of them, who migrated through recruitment agencies, face super-exploitation and demoralising conditions.  

Nurses across the world continue to face violence in the workplace. Many are caring for people in conflict zones, at great risks to their own lives. Yet this is hardly appreciated by governments and other decision-makers. For how long will this continue?  

During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses were on the frontline of the global response. Governments urged us to clap for them and other health workers, but fail to take concrete action, making the loud applaud now sound hollow.  

Governments failed to consider the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and wellbeing of nurses, many of whom were traumatised by the experience described as being at a war front in some countries, at the peak of the pandemic.  

Governments have not walked their talk on commitments made to invest in nursing to ensure adequate numbers of nurses, enjoying decent work. These commitments include the recommendations of the United Nations High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth (UN-COMHEEG), on which PSI served as the global voice organised health and care workers.  

Before the COVID-19 outbreak, the World Health Assembly had declared 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, in honour and appreciation of the work of the nursing workforce. But every day is a day for caring for others for nurses. It is about time we get decision-makers to ensure that nurses are cared for.  

Let us with one voice demand investment in nursing to ensure adequate numbers of well-trained and well-paid nurses; labour and trade union rights for nurses’ unions; zero tolerance for violence in the health sector; insist that governments and insurgents respect that nurses and other health workers are not targets; ensure that when nurses migration take place, they are on fair and ethical grounds.  

PSI is working with its affiliates across the world to win these and lots more. In our mental health and public sector healthcare report, we underscore the impact of neoliberal policies, poor salaries and abysmal working conditions on the wellbeing of healthcare workers, including nurses. Nursing unions in different parts of the world comprised a significant number of the PSI affiliates in the countries that were case studies.  

We are not stopping at analysis; we are taking action. We can do more and win when we stand together in solidarity as we do today to mark the 2024 International Nurses Day, and always.