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.

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, 5 February 2025 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.

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Primary Health Care Nurses Day 2025 – Wednesday, 5 February

For Primary Health Care Nurses Day 2025, we're taking another step towards changing the way people view primary health care nurses and the vital role they play in health care. Our campaign, 'Treating the whole person', highlights the unique blend of science, expertise and compassion that primary health care nurses bring to the table.

These dedicated professionals go beyond just addressing symptoms – they take a holistic, patient-centred approach to care, focusing on the whole person, not just the problem at hand.

The posters aim to visually depict the deep expertise and compassion that primary health care nurses bring to the forefront of patient care.

🎉 Join the Celebration & Win Big! 🎉 Billboards celebrating primary health care nurses are hitting shopping centres across Australia – and we want YOU to be part of the excitement!

The competition has now concluded, and we are no longer accepting entries. Throughout January and February, billboards celebrating primary health care nurses illuminated cities across the country. We want to extend our thanks to everyone who participated.

🎉 We’re thrilled to announce the lucky winners who will receive a FREE pass to attend the Festival of Nursing in Brisbane this July...🥳🎊

Courtney V (VIC)
Misty C (WA)

Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to all who entered! We truly loved seeing your amazing photos!

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! 🎉

How can individuals get involved?

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

With 2025 being a federal election year we need your help to raise the awareness of primary health care nurses with your local federal member. Along with the three A3 posters, you'll find a letter to your federal member. We ask that you:

• display two of them in your workplace for your colleagues and patients/residents/clients to see, and

• deliver one of them to your local member of parliament’s electoral office, along with a letter we have drafted for you. All you need to do is sign the letter, add your contact number, and drop it to their office. If you’d like to add your own short message, please feel free to. This will help spread the word on the important role that you and all primary health care nurses play in keeping Australians healthy and out of hospital.

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. 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, 5 February, wear primary colours to mark the occasion. Capture a group photo with your colleagues and share it on social media using the hashtag #PHCNday2025 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 'Treating the whole person, not just the hole in the person' campaign and Primary Health Care Nurses Day a minimum of two times on your organisation's official social media handles with the hashtag #PHCNday2025, and
  • host a celebration event and send a photo to engagement@apna.asn.au.

Primary Health Care Nurses Day 2025 toolkit

Below, you'll find a selection of promotional assets that can be used in socials, newsletters, websites, and other communication channels to help spread the word about Primary Health Care Nurses Day. Please feel free to adapt to fit your needs.

Supported by

***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.