Primary Health Care Nurses Day

The first Wednesday in February each year is Primary Health Care Nurses Day, where we celebrate the amazing work that nurses do outside of the hospital setting, in aged care, community, general practice, custodial, schools and a range of other primary health care settings.

Primary health care is the cornerstone of our health care system, but most people think 'hospitals' when they think 'health'. Primary health care is the first point of contact for individuals and families within the health care system and plays a pivotal role in prevention, early intervention, and ongoing care.

Primary Health Care Nurses Day is our chance to shed light on the incredible work being done by the 98,000+ primary health care nurses nationwide and highlight the vital work that they do that positively impacts the health and wellbeing of every Australian.

What is primary health care nursing? Click here to learn more.
 

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Primary Health Care Nurses Day 2026

Wednesday, 4 February

Wear primary colours on Primary Health Care Nurses Day

On Primary Health Care Nurses Day, join the vibrant celebration by wearing primary colours. Embrace the power of red, blue and yellow on the Wednesday, 4 February 2026 to symbolise gratitude for all primary health care nurses and the important work that they do in proactive wellbeing and keeping Australians out of hospitals.

How can individuals get involved?

Each APNA member will receive A3 copies of the campaign posters in their summer edition of Primary Times magazine and is invited to display them in their workplaces.

How can businesses and organisations get involved?

APNA is inviting businesses and organisations (including Primary Health Networks) to actively participate in the celebration of Primary Health Care Nurses Day. Here’s how you can be directly involved:

• Host a celebration event
  Celebrate Primary Health Care Nurses Day in your workplace by organising a special event, such as a morning tea, a team acknowledgement during a staff meeting, or a social gathering for your staff.
• Download and display the campaign poster
  Show your support by downloading the complementary campaign poster (coming soon). Personalise it with details of how your workplace is celebrating, then print and display it alongside your A3 poster(s) to raise awareness.
• Wear primary colours on the day
  On Wednesday, 4 February, wear primary colours to mark the occasion. Capture a group photo with your colleagues and share it on social media using the hashtag #PHCND2026 to showcase your support and join the wider campaign.
• Become a campaign supporter
  APNA is currently inviting businesses and organisations to get involved. To participate, please email engagement@apna.asn.au with a hyperlink to your logo (not the file itself, e.g. 'https://www.apna.asn.au/assets/img/apna-logo.png'), and we'll feature you as a campaign supporter on this page. All we ask of you is:
  • post about our campaign and Primary Health Care Nurses Day a minimum of two times on your organisation's official social media handles with the hashtag #PHCND2026, and
  • host a celebration event and send a photo to engagement@apna.asn.au.

2026 Toolkit

Coming soon

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About the 2025 Campaign

Our 2025 campaign, 'Treating the whole person', shone a light on the unique blend of science, expertise, and compassion that primary health care nurses bring to every patient interaction.

The posters celebrated nurses’ holistic, patient-centred approach – caring for the whole person, not just the symptoms. From January to February, the campaign reached communities nationwide, with billboards in cities across Australia showcasing the vital role of primary health care nurses.

Check out the map below, showcasing all the spots we lit up across the country! We’re excited to share that we covered 492 locations 📍, racking up an incredible 12,536,976 plays across different phases—featuring some surprise locations along the way! 🎉

2025 Campaign Supporters

***The logos displayed below represent organisations supporting Primary Health Care Nurses Day 2025. Their inclusion on this webpage is intended solely to signify support for this campaign and does not imply any affiliation/partnership among the organisations.