Italian nurse Laura Perrone knighted by President Mattarella

Laura Perrone, a 42‑year‑old nurse, serves as coordinator of the emergency operating‑room block (DEA) at Milan’s Ospedale Niguarda. After completing a master’s degree in Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Milano‑Bicocca, she was honoured by President Sergio Mattarella, who appointed her a Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.

Perrone’s career began with a childhood ambition to become a nurse, leading her to move from Calabria to Lombardy for study and work despite modest family means. She continued to work through two pregnancies and, after a 2023 cancer diagnosis, persisted with chemotherapy while preparing for a civil‑service exam that secured her current role. She described the award as “an immense, unexpected emotion, not only for me but for my colleagues and the nursing profession.”

The recognition also highlighted broader issues in Italian nursing, including staff shortages and a lack of professional appreciation, underscoring the need for systemic reforms beyond individual achievements.