The President of the ICN has written a letter to the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation and Australian College of Nursing to express their support and acknowledge the work being done during the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus.

Please pass on our expressions of solidarity and gratitude to all the nurses in your country who are working long hours and making personal sacrifices to deliver essential care to patients in very difficult conditions. We must ensure that the care that nurses provide continues without risk to their own health and those of their families. To do this all nurses need to be aware of the guidelines issued by WHO on how to protect themselves, as well as the rights and responsibilities of nurses during this difficult time. Our aim is to support, protect and save lives and we must do everything we can to protect our nurses and, in turn, our patients.

• Read the full letter