Every May 12, the world commemorates International Nursing Day, a date dedicated to recognizing the work of those who constitute one of the fundamental pillars of health service.
This celebration is commemorated by the International Council of Nurses (ICN) in honor of the birth of Florence Nightingale, considered the founder of modern nursing.
In Venezuela, the date acquires a special meaning in the figure of María Teresa Párima, volunteer nurse of the Venezuelan Red Cross and winner of the Florence Nightingale medal, the highest international recognition that a nursing professional can receive.
International Nursing Day seeks to highlight the contribution and work of these professionals to the functioning of health systems.
The International Council of Nurses (ICN) points out that the date is an opportunity to recognize the impact of nursing on health and promote better conditions for those who exercise this trade.
A life dedicated to the care of others
At 94 years old, María Teresa Párima was awarded in 2025 with the Florence Nightingale medal, granted by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
According to the Venezuelan Red Cross, this distinction constitutes the maximum international recognition that can be granted to a nurse and honors a trajectory marked by decades of humanitarian service and dedication to the care of others in hospitals and health centers.
According to an article published in El Diario, journalist Daniela León points out that Párima has dedicated more than 70 years to humanitarian work and the training of new generations of nurses in Venezuela.
Her work in the Venezuelan Red Cross turned her into a national reference for her discipline, empathy and commitment to patients.
Likewise, in an interview broadcast by Unión Radio on its YouTube channel, the nurse herself summarizes the essence of her vocation by stating: “That special feeling that giving a hand to the sick gives, to a person who probably cannot heal by themselves or fend for themselves. It has to be a very great satisfaction, because if one does not have a vocation of service and to society, it is impossible to fulfill this mission that I consider that the nurse is the backbone of every human being.”
A tribute to the vocation of service
The story of María Teresa Párima represents the values that give meaning to nursing: vocation, discipline and commitment to life.
On a date dedicated to recognizing those who accompany patients in some of the most decisive moments of their lives, her trajectory reminds us that health care is also built from experience, empathy and the vocation of service towards people.
From Next Step, a company committed to strengthening hospital care in Venezuela through the provision of medical supplies and new technologies, this May 12 tribute is paid to María Teresa Párima and to all nursing professionals, who with their work day after day in health centers, contribute to the well-being of millions of Venezuelans by providing quality medical and human attention.
Párima has practiced her profession as a nurse in key moments such as the Vargas landslide, the Caracas earthquake and the COVID-19 pandemic.
References
American Nurses Association. (n.d.). History of National Nurses Week. https://www.nursingworld.org/education-events/national-nurses-week/history/
Consejo Internacional de Enfermeras. (n.d.). International Nursing Day. https://www.icn.ch/es/nuestras-acciones/campanas/dia-internacional-de-la-enfermera
Cruz Roja Venezolana. (n.d.). Venezuelan Red Cross nurse wins the highest international nursing recognition. https://cruzroja.ve/enfermera-de-la-cruz-roja-venezolana-gana-el-mas-alto-reconocimiento-internacional-a-la-enfermeria/
El Diario. (2025, October 19). María Teresa Párima, the 94-year-old Venezuelan nurse who received the Red Cross’s highest recognition. https://eldiario.com/2025/10/19/maria-teresa-parima-la-enfermera-venezolana-94-anos-que-cruz-roja/
YouTube. (n.d.). Testimony of María Teresa Párima [Video]. https://youtu.be/fc1jlCcBBrQ?si=S3PzeLaIwEwp1yf6
