The first half of the year is now behind us. We all had a very busy policy agenda over the last months, monitoring the many issues and challenges facing nurses at national and EU level, including the nurses leaving massively the profession post-covid.
Europe’s health systems are in the midst of a nursing workforce crisis. Poor working conditions, low pay, high workloads and lack of career opportunities are impacting the wellbeing and satisfaction of nurses across Europe. The ageing workforce, poor mental health support and challenges for attracting and retaining young people into the profession are also part of this equation. It is time to act to investing in nurses and the health workforce. It is time to improve nurses’ working conditions, their salary and their work-life balance. Only by doing this we will be able to retain the current nurses and to attract young generation to the profession.
At EU level the EFN is targeting EU policies on violence against nurses/women, digitalisation, education, patient safety and quality of care, workforce, aiming to supporting frontline nurses and ensuring their expertise and voice is heard by the EU Institutions. Nurses need Europe, Europe needs nurses !
The EFN will continue to drive to address all these issues with the objective to improve nurses’ working conditions and protect and enhance the health and well-being of patients and citizens.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a relaxing summer holiday. Enjoy it to the fullest and take time to recharge your batteries to face the upcoming challenges.
Paul De Raeve
EFN Secretary General