International Nurses Day 2026 - our nurses, our future, empowered nurses save lives

by James Ridley

The 12th May is a day celebrated by “Nurses” across the world and is the day associated with Florence Nightingale or for some known as the “Lady with the Lamp”. The theme for this year is that “Our Nurses, Our Future, Empowered Nurses Save Lives”. Breaking this theme down is important as it stands alongside the recognition of how nurses maximise the life saving impact of our practice by supporting safe working environments, being leaders in our fields and influencing decision making in relation to health and social care.

The overall theme and the sub themes are important reminders of how nurses as a professional group support the care and support of any who come into contact with them. As I consider this, I also reflect on my own journey to becoming a “Nurse” and the challenges that I have faced and continue to see faced by me, my nursing colleagues, and the wider collective of those offering care and support.

Nursing is a “Holistic” role, requiring us to be able to navigate complexity in ways that others may find difficult or challenging. I have faced those challenges but remained focused on my understanding of a holistic approach, asking as most will know the “Why” questions that I feel empower me as a professional nurse. At a time where we are hearing that challenges to nurses and the wider health workforce, we must be empowered to be able to respond in ways that can save lives in the wider context supporting not only someone’s physical wellbeing but also their mental and emotional wellbeing.

So, how does my role as a nurse consultant in PRICE Training and the theme that is being celebrated come together? To support me to explore this I want to refer to the “5 Principles” that define what we do.

PRICE Training’s “5 Principles” are:

1. Always practice within a human rights and person centred framework.
2. Have an understanding and awareness of the needs of those being supported.
3. Plan and prioritise for the use of primary, secondary, and non-restrictive. 
4. As a last resort, only use approved restrictive and non-restrictive techniques.
5. Use reflective practice to change culture and reduce the use of restraint

Using the “5 Principles” I can use these to truly empower me and my practice as a nurse consultant working within PRICE Training. By working within a human rights and person centred/led framework, and understanding the needs of those being supported I can clearly look to understand what a person’s “Life” needs to be look like. Saving lives should be about saving and opening opportunities that empower individuals to live the “lives” that are meaningful to them, we know the negative impact of living a life that has no meaning or not offering quality. Planning support must be done in collaboration, if we are empowered to ask the “Why” questions then we are more likely to empower those to ask those “Why” questions themselves. Asking “Why” is empowering, it can open the opportunity to discuss, learn, plan and if needed respond to the times when a person may not be able to ask a question or give us an answer. As such an empowered nurse can work with the person and those around the person to support a safe environment, making sure that this is reflective of their professional practice, is influenced by leadership and fundamentally does not restrict an individual’s life without a fundamental and at times lifesaving need to do so.  Reflection is a fundamental skill and is heavily supported within the nursing profession as it empowers us to see what we did, what we can do, and what we plan to do further emphasising our ability to feel empowered in ways that can influence decision making processes. Linking this opportunity for reflection to our final PRICE Training principle is clear, “We” as a collective need to be empowered to reflect, to learn, to challenge and to change, only in doing so will we be empowered to support the changes that are meaningful to those we support.

As a very proud Registered Nurse Learning Disability and as a Nurse Consultant working in PRICE Training I will continue to reflect on this year’s theme and the subthemes that are presented. I will continue to be guided by our PRICE principles and use these in collaboration with those that I support.  Lifesaving can be aligned to the provision of acute or emergency care that some may need, but lifesaving can also be about life supporting and enabling individuals and those close to them to live the lives that they want to live. That is challenging at times, with professional practice(s), knowledge and influences being challenged on a sometimes daily basis. However, I feel empowered in my role in PRICE Training to support the futures of not just other nurses, but also anyone who interacts with us.

Happy International Nurses Day 2026!

Published 12 May 2026