The 114th EFN General Assembly was held successfully.
EFN Members welcomed the EU Commissioner for Jobs & Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, and exchanged views on the OSH strategic Framework, specifically concerning health professionals, and on the follow up of the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive IV agreement, notably on the hazardous medicinal drugs. The EU Commissioner paid the attention on the healthcare sector and on the vital role play by nurses to ensure the ecosystems resilience.
In a constantly changing and evolving nursing society, they play a central role in achieving optimal health outcomes. In this context, it is essential to invest in the retraining of the nursing workforce and in education, especially as part of the continuous development of the European Care Strategy.
During two pandemic years, nurses have demonstrated their vital role in running healthcare with tireless commitment and professionalism. Now another challenge to face. With the war in Ukraine, the EFN and ICN have been collaborating closely to support the nurses in Ukraine, and its neighbouring countries’ members’ Associations helping the refugees, the Ukrainian nurses’ still in Ukraine and those who have left the country. The EFN Members got a clear insight on how the EFN and ICN provide concrete support and which initiatives at local, national, EU and international levels have been put in place to support those fleeing the war. “The Ukraine War has turned around peoples’ life and frontline nurses work in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, and as such EFN and ICN have turned around their focus and priorities consequently. Howard Catton and Paul De Raeve have worked very closely to find ways to support EFN members in these very difficult times”, said EFN President, Elizabeth Adams.
During the assembly, EFN members discussed and approved 3 key Policy Statement as part of EFN Strategic and Operational Lobby Plan 2021-2027 :
- Advanced Practice Nursing
- Building and Sustaining a Resilient Nursing Workforce
- Nursing Planetary Health
Nurses are best placed to deliver safe, high-quality, effective and efficient health services and make health ecosystems more resilient. Positioning nursing more central to health policy and technology design and ensuring that nurses can use their skills, including eskills, to their full capacity, can lead to improved citizens health and well-being, enabling the achievement of a resilient healthcare ecosystem. EFN, representing 3 million nurses in EU and 6 million in Europe, continues to support them through its lobby activity at EU level.