The 71st World Health Day fell on April 7, with the theme of "Support Nurses and Midwives" announced by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Of the 42,600 medical workers from all over the country aiding the fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Central China's Hubei Province, 28,600 were nurses, accounting for nearly 70 percent. The post-80s and post-90s generations made up 90 percent of the nurses, according to the news conference of the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council held on April 7.

A total of 25,300 female nurses have participated in the anti-epidemic battle in Hubei, accounting for nearly 90 percent of the nurses supporting the province. Their specialties include critical care medicine, respiratory medicine, infectious disease and CRRT (continuous renal replacement therapy). 

Through unremitting efforts, they have played a vital role in treating COVID-19 patients since the outbreak, contributing to the increase of the recovery rate and the reduction of fatality rate in the anti-epidemic battle.

Nurses need to keep an eye on the conditions of the patients with mild symptoms and prevent them from worsening by providing both comprehensive basic nursing and psychological support, helping them dispel fear and receive treatment in good mood. 

As for those with severe symptoms, it is more difficult for nurses to carry out their duties because most patients cannot take care of themselves.

The number of nurses in China has kept growing in the past few years. By the end of 2019, the total number of nurses nationwide had reached 4.45 million, with an increase of 350,000 from 2018, seeing the fastest growth in recent years. 

Meanwhile, the nurses' ability and professional quality are improving and the connotation and extension of nursing work is also expanding. The services that they provide cover home-based health care, hospice care and elderly, maternal and child care. 

(Source: China Women's News and Xinhua/Translated and edited by Women of China)