Today is International Nurses Day - a nod to Florence Nightingale aka The Lady with the Lamp.
Gunners & Ali - Ali's Random Facts
Tuesday, 12 May 2026 - 2 minutes
Today is International Nurses Day - a day celebrated around the world to honour the incredible work nurses do every single day caring for people when they’re sick, injured, scared, or recovering.
The date is held every year on May 12 because it marks the birthday of one of the world’s most famous nurses... Florence Nightingale.
Back in the 1800s during the Crimean War, Florence became known as “The Lady with the Lamp” because she would walk hospital wards at night carrying a lamp, checking on wounded soldiers and helping improve their care.
Before Florence Nightingale, hospitals were often dirty, overcrowded and dangerous.
She introduced ideas around hygiene, hand washing, clean bedding and proper patient care, things that completely changed medicine forever.
Today, nursing is one of the largest and most important professions in the world. There are estimated to be more than 29 million nurses globally, working everywhere from hospitals and ambulances to schools, aged care homes, remote communities and even rescue helicopters.
And nurses do SO much more than people realise.
They:
• comfort patients
• help deliver babies
• assist during surgery
• give vaccinations
• help during emergencies
• and are often the first people families turn to during frightening moments.
So today is really about saying thank you - to every nurse who’s ever held a hand, calmed a fear, worked a night shift, or helped save a life.
Source: Instagram
