International Nurses Day 2026 

For the nurses who never stop caring

This International Nurses Day, we wanted to recognise the dedication, resilience and compassion nurses bring to their communities every single day. The care, comfort and support they provide often happens quietly, behind the scenes, but its impact is felt everywhere.

So we teamed up with Pinchapoo, our community partner dedicated to fighting hygiene poverty in Australia, to do something small but meaningful for nurses.

Together, we packed and delivered 12,500 care packs to nurses across Australia. Filled with everyday essentials and little comfort items, each one was a reminder to pause, reset and take a moment for themselves too.

The week before delivery, the Bank First team rolled up their sleeves and helped prepare thousands of packs ready to reach nurses across the country.

Michelle Bagnall, Chief Executive Officer at Bank First, shared:

“The people who spend all their time looking after everybody else are often the least likely to spend time looking after themselves.”

The best part of International Nurses Day? The conversations.

Hearing nurses talk about the moments that stay with them forever. Supporting families through difficult days. Caring for patients beyond their illness. Helping someone smile again after a long time.

It was a powerful reminder that nursing is so much more than a job. It’s care, compassion and showing up for people when they need it most.

At Bank First, supporting people who care for others has been part of our story for more than 50 years. As a customer-owned bank, we invest back into the communities we serve through partnerships, programs and initiatives that create real impact for teachers and nurses across Victoria.

Simon Terry, Chair at Bank First, also reflected on the organisation’s ongoing commitment to nurses, saying,

“Our purpose is to help nurses thrive. We want to see nurses maximise their opportunities and be recognised for what they contribute to others and the care they provide every single day."

Kate Austin, Founder and CEO of Pinchapoo, adding,

“This year we have yet again partnered with our good friends at Bank First to pull together a whopping 12 and a half thousand little packs to say to our nurses, take a moment for you. We’re so proud of everything that you do and everything that you give every day.”

Partnerships like Pinchapoo are one small way we can give back to the people who give so much every single day.