Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, May 01 2009:
A NURSE from Manipur is among the winners of Florence Nightingale award instituted by the Government of India which was presented by the President of India, Pratibha Patel on the occasion of the International Nurses Day today .
Pheiroijam Rani, a staff nurse at the Gynae ward of the RIMS Hospital was the only nurse from Manipur chosen for the prestigious award.
Winning the award is a dream for every woman in the profession of nursing.
The President presented the awards at a solemn function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi today.
The award consists of a sum of Rs 50,000 and a citation.
International Nurses Day is celebrated all over the world every May 12 .
This day is celebrated to remember the invaluable contributions that the nurses make to the mankind.
The International Council of Nurses commemorates this important day each year with the production and distribution of the International Nurses Day (IND) Kit.
The IND kit 2009 contains educational and public information materials, for use by nurses everywhere.
The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has celebrated this day since 1965.In 1953 Dorothy Sutherland, an official with the U.S.Department of Health, Education and Welfare, had proposed that then-President Dwight D.Eisenhower proclaim a "Nurses Day," but he did not approve it.
In January 1974, the decision was made to celebrate the day on 12 May as it is the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, who is widely considered the founder of modern nursing.
Each year, ICN prepares and distributes the International Nurses' Day Kit.
The kit contains educational and public information materials, for use by nurses everywhere.
As Florence Nightingale is no longer seen as a role model in some parts of the world, demands have arisen, for example by the British public sector union UNISON, to transfer this day on another date.
May 21, the birthday of Elizabeth Fry (1780-1845), has been suggested.
Elizabeth Fry founded the Institution of Nursing Sisters and is also known for her work with prisoners.
As of 1998, 8 May was designated as National Student Nurses Day, to be celebrated annually.
And as of 2003, National School Nurse Day is celebrated on the Wednesday within National Nurses Week (6-12 May) each year.