That ends our coverage of the Scottish Parliament for Wednesday 10 May 2017.

We'll be back tomorrow morning.

Have a good night. 

Public Health Minister Maureen Watt says nurses make up the largest single profession in the NHS.

Ms Watt says every person in the chamber has, often literally, been touched by the work that nurses do.

The public health minister says nurses are valued and appreciated. 

She says it is more important than ever that there is a nursing workforce that is equipped for the future.

Ms Watt says it is important to attract nurses in the future. 

She says the government is delivering a record number of nurses and midwives and supports student nurses with bursaries.

Tory MSP Gordon Lindhurst says these are people we depend upon to help us through some of the most difficult times in our lives.

Mr Lindhurst says it is important to remember the debt we owe to all healthcare professionals.

"Nurses are essential in society and deserve our respect," he says. 

SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson says nurses today are highly trained and when he was a nurse in 1964 it was not the case. 

Mr Stevenson says nurses are important in primary care in a way that they weren't before. 

Of the valuable work nurses do, he says "lets hope we never have to meet them but know that they are there."

Green MSP Alison Johnstone says it must be ensured that nurses have opportunities to enhance their skills with training.

Ms Johnstone says strengthening preventative health in schools is vital.

She says that nurses working in communities are at the centre of early prevention. 

Labour MSP Anas Sarwar pays tribute to nurses and the trade unions that support them.

Mr Sarwar says it is important to recognise that the UK has the healthcare system it does and that this is often taken for granted.

He says he notes with disappointment that a nurses pay rise has just been voted down in the previous debate. 

Mr Sarwar says a nurse said to him this morning that goodwill is one thing but it does not put food on the table. 

Tory MSP Donald Cameron says nurses are the public face of the NHS with an incredibly tough job.

"They are the bastions of our health service and we must remember that," he says. 

Mr Cameron says more must be done to attract more men and women to nursing. 

SNP MSP Clare Haughey pays tribute to Florence Nightingale.

Ms Haughey says change is the one constant for nursing and that nurses move forward with what works.

The SNP MSP says we need to be open to discussion to what can be done more effectively. 

Ms Haughey says Pauline Cafferkey is a constituent of hers and she is an example of a nurse who strives to improve the lives of others.

"Lets tell our nurses we appreciate the outstanding work they do," she says. 

Mary Seacole (1805-1851) was a Jamaican-born nurse who cared for wounded British soldiers during the Crimean War in the 19th Century.  

Learn more about Mary Seacole here.

Image source, Getty Images

Florence Nightingale was so much more than a lady with a lamp. The legend of the saintly nurse has long obscured the truth – that her mathematical genius was what really saved so many lives.

Her ambition led her into the hellish world of Crimean warfare and, as a result, on a journey that would transform nursing and hospitals in Britain.

Learn more about Florence Nightingale here.

Ms Harper says May the 12 is chosen date because it is the birthday of Florence Nightingale. 

The SNP MSP says Mary Seacole is another nurse who should be celebrated. 

"Both were formidable women who cared for soldiers," she says. 

She thanks the Scottish government for keeping the student bursaries. 

Image source, RCN

Taken from the RCN website, external:

"Nursing staff are the superheroes of health care. You're there when needed most, changing lives with your unique set of skills. On Friday 12 May we want to say thank you!"

#nurseheroes

Image source, bbc

SNP MSP Emma Harper details the excellent work of nurses across the world.

Ms Harper says: "I am a nurse."

The SNP MSP says she was a nurse for 33 years and she says she still approaches problems with her "nurse heid on".

She says according to the RCN "nurses are the superheroes of healthcare".

Ms Harper says that nursing encompasses the autonomous and collaborative care of individuals of all ages, families and communities in all settings.

She says this includes the promotion of health, prevention of illness and care of people who are ill, disabled and who are dying.

The SNP MSP says that advocacy, promotion of a safe environment, research, participation in shaping health policy and education are also key roles in nursing.

She calls for everyone to mark International Nurses Day in some way, whether it be by sharing messages of support on social media, learning more about the hard work nurses do, or fundraising for a charity that supports nursing staff.    

SNP MSP Emma Harper uses her motion to highlight International Nurses Day 2017, which is celebrated around the world every year on 12 May.

Ms Harper says that this date is the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth.

Image source, Getty Images

The SNP MSP says that Mary Seacole also contributed immensely to furthering the caring for ill and recuperating patients.

She understands that nurses are the single largest group of healthcare professionals in the UK.

Here is SNP MSP Emma Harper's motion:

Image source, Scottish Parliament

The Labour motion, as amended by the Scottish government, is agreed to with 62 MSPs voting for and 55 against

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Image source, Scottish Parliament

The Scottish government amendment is agreed to with 62 MSPs backing it and 55 against.

This preempts the amendment from the Tories.

Image source, Scottish Parliament