Good Evening Everyone!! Welcome back to those who have followed us for years (even virtually through COVID!) and a warm welcome to new friends just joining us.
For those newcomers, Nurses With Global Impact, Inc. was initiated in 2016, and it connects, supports, and celebrates the work of nurses everywhere, bringing visibility to nurses doing extraordinary work and their projects that make a global impact on healthcare. We share their experiences and stories while recognizing their accomplishments. Basically, ordinary nurses doing extraordinary work!
Although we’ve had a few bumps along the way, COVID as mentioned, and then a trial run at someone else hosting, Nurses With Global Impact is back —actually for the 8th Annual International Nurses Day— and, of course, at the UNITED NATIONS!!! So, a very heartfelt welcome & thank you to all the nurses here today, and everywhere! You are admired, loved and a gift to so many.
I remind everyone, International Nurses Day commemorates the birthday of our nursing’s founder, Florence Nightingale, which is May 12th. Each year the International Council of Nurses (ICN) announces the theme for International Nurses Day. This year, 2024, the theme announced by its President, Dr. Pamela Cipriano, is “Our Nurses. Our Future. The economic power of care,” which is meant to create healthy people and societies and drives healthy economies.
The theme ANA selected for National Nursing Month May 2024 is “Nurses Make the Difference”; And the theme for National Nurses Week (May 6-12, 2024) —“Changing Lives. Shaping Tomorrow,” invites us to reflect on the meaningful and lasting impacts nurses have within our health care system and beyond.
Hmm…changing lives, shaping the future of tomorrow, making a difference and economic power of care…sounds like a pretty impactful profession, with much to be proud!
Again, it’s so good to see all of you here. You might remember some of our friends from NWGI’s beginning years, (in fact there are a few of you here—raise your hand for me to recognize you–…Marcia from CMMB, Patty DuCharme from RAD-AID, Elizabeth Cleek from the Gold Foundation, Kristina Barkey from RWJBarnabas, Sue Koob from PCNA, any others I miss??—Another loyal friend is Villanova University, M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, Evelyn Lengetti is with us here from Villanova, along with the American Nurses Credentialing Center, ANCC, which Jennifer Graebe, Director of Nursing Continuing Development & Joint Accreditation Program joins us tonight—both have been kind enough to want to continue this special recognition & celebration of nurses with me and NWGI!
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We have a special friend with us tonight …I’m delighted our partnership with The Ceca Foundation continues. The Ceca Foundation was established in 2013 to celebrate caregiver excellence. It was founded by the Matthew and Rosemary Lawlor family. The Lawlors were inspired by the exceptional care Matt’s mother, Mary Lawlor, enjoyed in her later years, and by what they witnessed as volunteers at care facilities for the physically and developmentally disabled.
The Ceca Foundation selects a handful of National Ceca Award Honorees each year. This allows honorees to tell their exceptional stories of heroism and compassion to a national audience. Ceca presented its first International Ceca Award in 2022 in partnership with Nurses With Global Impact. Nate Hamme is here tonight to again bestow the Ceca award on our Nurse Honoree! Nate, please come to the podium….
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My heartfelt congratulations to the nurse we’ve honored this evening, all our fellow nurses in the room, and every nurse worldwide —Happy International Nurses Day! Happy National Nurses Month/Week and Day—-but especially, Happy Birthday Florence!
Again, thank you all for joining us this evening to celebrate nurses. We’ll keep you posted of next year’s venue—it will definitely will be at the UN, but date & specific location is TBD. For now, enjoy the great venue, the great food—and the great company!
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I hope you all enjoyed tonight—it really was a special event re-connecting with old, and new, friends! . We really want to continue this annual event, and we hope to return next year … We’ll keep you posted and hope to see you here at the UN next year! Thank you again.
