The value of nursing

I've said this before and I hope that I will be saying it for a long time to come – being a registered nurse is great. I have been given many amazing opportunities over the past 28 years and I hope that these opportunities continue in years to come. I know that, whether through direct clinical care, leadership or education, I have helped numerous individuals and their families, contributing to changing things for the better in the NHS, our society and maybe even the world.

I am not alone in these sentiments. The nursing profession remains of national importance and year on year the public tell us that we are and remain the most trusted professionals (Ipsos, 2023). Being able to make statements like this makes me proud to be part of our nursing community and I want to share this pride widely. Valuing ourselves as registered nurses, recognising our contribution and celebrating this is important and I'm not sure we always do this enough.