Shaping the Future of Intensive Care

“Nurses are the backbone of paediatric and neonatal intensive care, combining advanced clinical expertise with compassion and advocacy at the most critical moments of life. Empowering nurses through investment in education, wellbeing, and leadership is not optional, it is essential for delivering safe high-quality care for the most vulnerable infants, children, adolescents, and their families.”

Said Professor Anne-Sylvie Ramelet, RN, PhD, Nursing President of ESPNIC

The European Society of Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care (ESPNIC) proudly marks International Nurses Day (IND) on 12 May 2026, joining the International Council of Nurses (ICN) in recognising the vital role nurses have in saving lives, improving health outcomes, and strengthening health systems worldwide.

Every day, nurses deliver expert, compassionate, and person-centred care, often in the most complex and high-pressure environments. Their impact is greatest when they are fully empowered through appropriate education, leadership opportunities, supportive working conditions, and strong health system structures. At a time of extraordinary global pressure on healthcare services, the 2026 International Nurses Day theme highlights the urgent need for structural change to enable the full power of the nursing workforce.

Building on the ICN’s recent reports, The Economic Power of Care and Caring for Nurses Strengthens Economies, this year’s theme illuminates nursing as a cornerstone of resilient and sustainable healthcare systems. Nurses are central to improving health outcomes and delivering sustainable, high-quality, person-centred care across all settings, including paediatric and neonatal intensive care.

ESPNIC, as a leading international organisation, offers a unique platform for learning, research and innovation, leadership, and collaboration across disciplines and healthcare professions. It recognises that excellence in paediatric and neonatal intensive care depends on investing in nurses, supporting their wellbeing, advancing specialist skills, and ensuring nurses are active contributors to clinical leadership, research, and policy development. Empowering nurses not only strengthens care for critically ill infants and children, but also supports families, communities, and healthcare systems as a whole.

On International Nurses Day 2026, ESPNIC celebrates the dedication, professionalism, and leadership of nurses worldwide and reaffirms its commitment to advocating for the structural changes needed to support and sustain the nursing workforce, now and into the future.