Of some seven million health service members in PSI, 80% are from the broad family of nurses. This makes PSI the largest international organisation representing all categories of nurses. The family includes, among others, nursing assistants, nursing auxiliaries, health care assistants, nursery nurses and community nurses as well as registered nurses.

PSI recognises that many of these workers have limited means to express their concerns within the national and international arena because their status in the medical profession denies them the opportunity for representation. PSI takes up the specific issues affecting nurses and makes them the subject of advocacy, representation, policy guidance and capacity-building through and with the ILO and WHO in particular. It also collaborates with the International Council of Nursing. The WHO pays increasing attention to nurses as a specific interest group among health workers, and has a staff person responsible for nursing as well an advisory committee on nursing and midwifery.

Issues of current concern to the nurse members of PSI include migration, HIV/AIDS, violence at work, training, occupational safety and health, their value to the health system, lack of staff, low pay and poor working conditions.