ICN’s President applauds new Nursing Definition that provides the language to shift nursing from invisible to invaluable

Dr Pamela Cipriano, President of ICN, issued a statement on the new Definition of Nursing and Definition of a Nurse released by ICN yesterday.

Dr Cipriano remarked:

“ICN’s previous Definition dated from 1987, with our shorter Definition published in 2002. The world has changed dramatically since then — and so has the nursing profession.

‘That is why our updated Definition is so urgently important, to reflect the increased scientific knowledge and complex skills that nurses bring to the delivery of care and to capture their leading roles in promoting health policies and systems that advance our goal of health for all people.

‘Being able to name, describe, and clearly communicate what nurses are and do is the key to providing a fuller understanding of the true scope and scale of nurses’ evolving and expanding global health roles. Nurses are caregivers but they are also changemakers who deliver clinical excellence, who address the world’s most complex health issues, and who advocate for health and equity, everywhere.

What distinguishes this profession is not only what nurses do, it is how they do it: by acting as powerful advocates on behalf of the world’s people and acting to transform health systems to ensure high-quality, accessible care for all.

‘At its core, this new Definition shows that nursing is a highly-educated, evidence-based, person-centred, ethical, and socially-just profession. It gives us the language and framework to convey to the world that nursing is a fusion of art and science that saves lives and changes lives. This Definition recognizes nurses as innovators, educators, researchers, and policy leaders who are shaping the future of care delivery for the good and health of all.

‘This is an important new step in ICN’s ongoing work to shift nursing from invisible to invaluable, so governments, regulators, educators, and the public recognize the value and full potential of nursing to create a healthier, more equitable world.”