The report provides a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of the global nursing workforce. It identifies 17 policy priorities across jobs/employment, education, service delivery, leadership and emerging policy areas. The report features indicators on critical areas for nursing such as education capacity, advanced practice nursing and remuneration. 

The report calls on policymakers, nursing associations, regulators, development partners, partner organisations and other stakeholders to utilise the report for policy dialogue and decision making on how and where to strengthen nursing to achieve universal health coverage and other health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Progress on universal health coverage, health security and the health-related SDGs cannot be achieved without adequate numbers of health and care workers with the requisite competencies to meet population health needs.

The report is accompanied by country profiles with national level data available for download from the WHO National Health Workforce Accounts data portal.