The Legacy of the Nursing Now Groups

Nursing Now Groups were established as part of the global Nursing Now Campaign (2018-2021) to raise the profile and status of nursing. The International Council of Nurses (ICN) and the World Health Organization (WHO) were partners in the Campaign from the outset and, given its enormous reach and success, ICN is proud to continue the Campaign’s legacy.

Many of the Nursing Now Groups have been engaging with ICN since early 2021 on such critical issues as the impact of the pandemic on nursing and learning for the future, and on key WHO strategies. The ICN Board has given a strong commitment to working closely with the Nursing Now Groups in future on the recently agreed WHO Global Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery (2021-2025). Adopted by governments in an historic moment at the World Health Assembly in May 2021, the Strategic Directions , highlight policy priorities in education, jobs, leadership and service delivery and give a commitment to also monitor progress.

Achieving these policy changes in countries and regions across the world will be the focus of our collaboration with the Nursing Now Groups which include nurses associations, governmental ministries, universities and colleges, and health providers.

There are currently over 200 Groups from 71 countries registered with ICN. We would love to hear from all established Nursing Now Groups, whether or not you are already linked with ICN, about your priorities for ensuring that the Strategic Directions are a reality in your country/region. Please contact [email protected]

The Nightingale Challenge, established as part of the Nursing Now Campaign to focus specifically on encouraging health employers to provide leadership development opportunities for young nurses and midwives, is now being taken forward separately as the Nursing Now Challenge. ICN continues to provide expertise for the Nursing Now Challenge's activities. You can find out more about the Nursing Now Challenge here

We will be using this space to highlight forthcoming webinars, forums, useful resources and, of course, the work that you, the Nursing Now Groups, are continuing to do to as we focus on recovery and new opportunities to use the Strategic Directions to shape health provision for the future.