The EFN National Nurses Associations (NNA), representing 3 million EU nurses, met online for the EFN General Assembly (GA), taking this opportunity to share key information on the COVID-19 crisis management at national level. The EFN GA emphasised the importance of being protected as a nurse, in line with the Directive 2020/739, in addition to the need to amend Annex III of the Directive 2000/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council to include SARS-CoV-2 in the list of biological agents known to infect humans. All the evidence points to nursing infection rates being very high across the European Member States including Norway, UK, etc. The measures to protect our nurses is extremely urgent considering the high levels of infections and rising levels across Europe. The majority of EFN Members reported their concerns of staff shortages and the increasing infection rates compromising the ability to provide safe care to patients; and highlighted the importance of National Governments working with their NNAs.
The EFN Members raised how crucial it is, in this context of COVID-19 crisis, to apply the EU Directive 2013/55/EU in relation to the appropriate content and levels of nursing education (theorical and clinical) in all the EU countries. The importance of qualified and competent nursing personnel is intrinsically linked to appropriate, safe and high-quality care for all patient and citizens in all health settings.
This valuable information is extremely important astheEFNcontinuesto lobby the EU Institutions to provide: increased training places, increased staffing numbers and appropriate human resources/recruitment, funding for PPE (It is key to maintain protective equipment), appropriate education(critical to ensuring we have appropriate qualified nurses for the long-term impact of the pandemic), psychological support, safe workplace, and legislation to ensure health and safety measures are in place to protect nurses, mainly female who are the COVID-19 first responders, some of whom have already died in the line of duty or others who are facing long-term health issues with lifelong serious implications.
The EFN will proactively work with the Europeaninstitutionstoensurenurses are better prepared, protected and supported for any outbreak or health crisis in the EU. As such, the EFN Membersreaffirmed their dedicated commitment to ensuring that nurses’ united voice is heard at EU level and considered in the design of fit-for-purpose policies that affect the nursing profession. The COVID-19 outbreak has had an enormous impact across all layers of society. During such times of health crisis, it is vitally important to support healthcare professionals, nurses in particular, to respond to the challenge of COVID-19 pandemic without compromising their safety and wellbeing, and to continue to encourage investment in preparedness, learning from the lessons and knowledge gained so far.
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Notes to Editor: The EFN Members discussed and approved key governance documents to prepare EFN actions for the coming 7 years, such as the EFN Strategic and Overarching LobbyPlan 2021-2027 (EFN SOLP) and the linked EFN Budget 2021-2027 to implement the SOLP. The EFN members discussed and endorsed a key Policy Statement on“Nurses’ Contribution to Tackle Climate change”, and will work further on two new Policy Statements: on “Nurses’ Mentorship”, linked to the EFN EU Project QualMent; and on the “Consequences of Nurses ́ Shortages in Public Health”.
Furthermore, the EFN members expressed the support to the EFN continued engagement with the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition, which promotes adherence to international humanitarian and human rights laws that protect health facilities, health professionals, ambulances, and patients during conflict, knowing that nurses at conflictive areas are often exposed to risks and dangers proper of the environment they are working on and are often left unprotected when situations worsen, and security forces leave.
The EFN is eager to get political results within the EU Institutions and this meeting was extremely important from that perspective.