As you may have heard, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared 2020 the “International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.” This special recognition not only celebrates the contributions and accomplishments of more than 22 million nurses who make up half of the world’s health workforce, but also calls attention to a need for nine million additional nurses globally.

The WHO’s designation, by coincidence or perhaps by design, coincides with the 200^th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale. From the first nursing school that Nightingale founded in 1860, nurses today influence virtually every aspect of health care. I am so very proud of the role played by our alumni, faculty, staff and students in the continuing evolution of our profession, and this year we will be sharing that pride.

Here at DUSON we will be supporting this important celebration and outreach effort in a variety of ways. In the coming weeks and months, we will coordinate with the WHO’s global education and awareness campaign that will not only demonstrate our commitment to our profession, but to also showcase the many accomplishments that the DUSON Community has achieved in our nearly 90 year history.

I invite you to join us as we celebrate this very special year. It promises to be an exciting one and as I have often said, it is a great time to be a nurse.