The EFN Members met in Warsaw (Poland) for the 119th EFN General Assembly, where key EU policy topics, having a huge impact on nurses and the nursing profession were discussed, as: the EU elections with a new European Commission & European Parliament in place; EFN Advanced Practice Nurse developments; Continuous Professional Development/Lifelong Learning. The EFN members discussed and approved EFN Policy Statements on ‘Co-designing the EU Health and Care Workforce Strategy’, ‘Ethical Recruitment and Empowering Domestic Nursing’, ‘Nurses’ economic power and leadership to develop circular societies’, ‘Improving frontline nurses’ time for direct patient care with digitalisation & responsible AI’.
Investing in high quality nursing care brings a trickle down of benefits which leads to healthier societies and economic prosperity, health systems resiliency, a reduction in inequalities and an increase in social justice. Next to that, post-covid, and with the nurses leaving massively the profession, it is key to invest in digital and responsible AI innovation, to support frontline nurses in gaining more time for direct patient care. The discussions and Policy Statements endorsed by the EFN Members are key to achieve the EFN policy objectives and developments, as outlined in the EFN SOLP 2021-2027, to impact the EU policy process.
The EFN also took the opportunity to collect key data on Continuous Professional Development (CPD), in the context of the challenge of transferring CPD credits across European countries; as well as on ethical recruitment, given the importance of influencing politicians to address nursing recruitment and retention issues on a national level – it is key for the EFN, to have a view on the EU best practices to influence the EU institutions with concrete outcomes/data, and to advance the EU health agenda.
The EFN members welcomed the new elected Executive Committee 2024-2026 ready to work towards advancing the nursing profession and the health policy agenda at EU level: EFN President: Aristides Chorattas (Cyprus Nurses & Midwives Association); EFN Vice-President: Patricia Marquis (Royal College of Nursing – UK); EFN Treasurer: Yves Mengal (FNIB – Belgium); and 4 Members: Zuzana Tomášková (Czech Nurses Association); Dorthe Boe Danbjørg (Danish Nurses Organisation); Tony Fitzpatrick (Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation); João Paulo Carvalho (Ordem dos Enfermeiros (Portugal)).
The next EFN General Assembly will take place in Brussels, on 10-11 April 2025.