NORTHERN Ireland's "extraordinary" nurses have been praised by the chief nursing officer for their "dedication during challenging and uncertain times".
Professor Charlotte McArdle issued the message to mark International Nurses Day tomorrow, describing the workforce as "tenacious and hard-working".
"There is hope for the future and things will get better as we work together to transform the health and social care system," she said.
"It will take time to sort out our workforce challenges but there is a plan and we will start to see the benefits of that soon.
"I urge all nurses to grasp the opportunities that are being presented to us to lead transformational change and improve outcomes for the populations we serve."
She added: "Though shortages are making working environments particularly challenging, our nurses go the extra mile and do extraordinary things to make sure people are cared for to the best of their ability.
"You are doing an amazing job and I personally value the huge contribution nurses make to care and our society."
