International Nurses Day is celebrated worldwide on 12 May every year in commemoration of the founder of nursing science and nursing education Ms. Florence Nightingale. The theme that the International Council of Nurses (ICN) has chosen for this year’s International Nurses Day is “Closing the Gap: the Millennium Development Goals: 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1”.

The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were set by the United Nations during the Millennium Summit held in Year 2000, targeting at eliminating world poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation and discrimination against women. It is aimed to achieve all the goals by Year 2015. Among the eight MDGs, Goals 4, 5 and 6 are specifically health-related, namely to reduce child mortality (MDG4), improve maternal health (MDG5) and combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases (MDG6). The theme of this year’s International Nurses Day is intended to be a countdown to Year 2015, with an emphasis on the health related goals. As the largest health care profession in the world, nurses are key to the achievement of the MDGs. ICN indicates that nurses possess practical knowledge on the design, coordination and implementation of health services, and thus, they are encouraged to actively involve in programmes that facilitate the enhancement of health services. Moreover, national nurses associations play a crucial role in informing, advising, encouraging and supporting nurses in their work. They shall maintain constant cooperation with governments and other associations to strengthen health systems and create the conditions necessary to maximize the contribution of nurses.

To celebrate the International Nurses Day, KWNC organized the event “Theme Talks Summing-up cum Cap Conferment and Pinning Ceremony” on 3 May 2013 at the Auditorium of Kiang Wu Hospital. College teachers, students, staff members, Board of Directors and invited guests all came to participate in the event. The Cap Conferment Ceremony aimed at motivating students who were going to attend whole-year clinical studies in the following academic year to inherit their seniors’ excellent tradition of serving patients with professional knowledge and caring hearts. Nursing seniors including Chairperson of Taiwan Nursing Accreditation Council Professor Yu-Mei Y. Chao, Chief Supervisor of Nurses of Hospital Centre S. Januario Choi Mio Iong, Supervisor of the Nursing Department of Kiang Wu Hospital Lei Lai Keng and President of Nurses Association of Macau Tin Kit Peng were invited to be guests of the Cap Conferment Ceremony. A total of 57 Year-3 students of the BSN Programme received a nursing cap each from their seniors. In the Pinning Ceremony, Vice-Chairman of Board of Directors of KWNC Vong Kok Seng, Assistant Professor U Wai Ang, Deputy Head Nurse of Kiang Wu Hospital Kan Sut Peng and Nurse Chan I Seong of Hospital Centre S. Januario conferred the College pins on 47 Year-4 students, wishing them every success in applying the knowledge learned in the College to their real nursing work after graduation.