International Nursing Day: Dominica focuses on health of health-workers, as PAHO cites declining enrollment

Dominica joins the rest of the world in observance of International Nursing Day today, amidst PAHO’s evidence of a sharp decline in interest in the field for the past few years.

A statement by the Ministry of  Health, Wellness, and Social Services on the occasion stated that this year, the International Nurses Day theme is Caring for nurses strengthens economies.  It further explained that this was building on the success of the 2024 theme, The Economic Power of Care. The 2025 theme shifts focus to the health and well-being of nurses, and  “highlights that nurses play a critical role in improving healthcare systems and increasing economic resilience on a global scale.”

However, according to an article on paho.org nurses play a crucial role in healthcare systems but often lack recognition and adequate investment in education, jobs, and leadership.

“International Nurses Day activities aim to promote dialogue and action in gender equality, leadership, and innovation in nursing education and practice,” the article said.

To commemorate the day, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) will hold a webinar on May 13: Nursing in the Americas: evidence and strategies for a sustainable workforce. This aims to bring countries together to discuss the use of evidence and information on strategic actions to strengthen nursing, and ensure a sustainable workforce for the Region of the Americas.

“The webinar is based on the strategic guidelines contained in the PAHO Policy on the Health Workforce 2030: Strengthening Human Resources for Health to Achieve Resilient Health Systems,” the article stated.

Meanwhile, PAHO Director, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, has warned countries of the Americas that more must be done to train and retain nurses. The call follows the release of the World Health Organization’s  (WHO) State of the World’s Nursing Report 2025, which shows that the number of nursing graduates has declined from 81 nurses per 10,000 population in 2018 to just 24 per 10,000 in 2023.

This dramatic decline presents a significant threat to the sustainability of the profession in the Region, where 40% of countries already have less than the WHO-recommended 30 nurses per 10,000 population, with a projected shortage of 200,000 nurses for the Region of the Americas.

There are currently 7.4 million nursing professionals in the Americas, which make up 63% of the Region’s total health workforce.

“Nurses are a fundamental pillar of health systems and services,” said the PAHO Director in a message for International Nurses Day. “They make up the majority of the health workforce and are key to interprofessional health teams.”

The report shows a persisting pattern of inequity in the availability, distribution, educational capacity, and working conditions of nurses in the Region. Issues such as inadequate working conditions, including the lack of specific policies regarding the working hours of nursing staff, poor job security, and the absence of mental health and well-being programs, not only affect the retention and quality of professionals, but also impact patient care and outcomes, health system functioning, and access.

To address this, the report recommends that countries ensure long-term investment in nursing to support the scale-up of nursing education, and to ensure workforce protection and improve working conditions.

“Investing in adequate working conditions, through policies and programs that ensure the well-being and mental health of nursing personnel, is crucial for their retention,” said Dr. Barbosa. “It is also necessary to recognize the value of the profession to make it more attractive to young people.”

The article went on to state that ensuring that nurses are included in the development and implementation of health policies is also key to advancing regulatory frameworks, education, and working conditions.

“Together, we can build a sustainable nursing workforce for our Region. To all the nurses: thank you for your work and commitment to the health of our communities,” concluded the PAHO Director.

PAHO continues to work with countries of the Region in the development of policies and plans on health workforce training and retention. The Organization also builds the capacity of the regional health workforce through the Virtual Campus for Public Health, and works with countries on developing faculty competencies and strengthening education by standardizing curricula.

Locally while acknowledging that nursing is a “grueling profession”, the ministry of health extends a heartfelt “happy International Nurses Day to all our hard-working nurses”, thanking them for heeding the call.