The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated to all the EU citizens the added value of the nursing workforce to the European healthcare ecosystems – working at the frontline of care, 24/7, at the bedside with the patient, and provided the evidence that nurses’ competencies are central to the well-functioning of the healthcare systems in the EU.
Therefore, it is key that when co-creating a new Future for Europe that politicians and policymakers grasp the frontline reality, pushing for health policies that are fit-for-purpose. Building a resilient EU nursing workforce should be a priority, especially now the National Recovery Plans are submitted and discussed. The EFN urges the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council to co-design health policies that are fit-for-purpose.
Today, 2021 Europe’s Day, the EFN would like to remind the EU Institutions and health stakeholders that the nursing workforce is in the privileged position to serve as a bridge between EU citizens and policy-makers, ensuring that new EU policies and laws address frontline needs and fulfil their expectations. For that mission to succeed, the many challenges the nursing workforce is currently facing, should be addressed immediately. The most urgent topics are the composition of the health and nursing workforce and making sure there are safe staffing levels. To assist the European Union and National Governments with these, the EFN, though its membership, has compiled an EFN Workforce Matrix 3+1, which needs to be grounded in EU legislation to manage future health disasters. This Matrix is based on EU realities and the available research evidence collected. Within this workforce discussion, the Article 31 of the Directive 2013/55/EU and the EFN Competency Framework, describing the competencies required for nurses responsible for general care, stay the foundation of our legal protection and liability.
Furthermore, COVID-19 has shown that we urgently need to focus on the implementation of the European Social Pillar, with specific reference to the wages of the nurses, the education of the nurses, to make sure nurses stay in the profession and can contribute to reaching better health outcomes, especially in long-term care, community care.
Health has been ignored as the subsidiarity principle keeps on pushing out health from the political agenda, but crisis situations in the EU have shown now several times the importance of EU health when developing a new Future for Europe.
The EFN and its members continue their utmost endeavours and commitment to ensure that the European project is a success for the European nurses, patients, and citizens.