Dear EFN Members and Colleagues,
The first half of the year is now behind us. We can say that the EFN, and its members, have had a very busy agenda over the last months, monitoring the many issues and challenges facing nurses and the nursing profession at national and EU levels, like the many nurses’ strikes our members (e.g.: Cyprus, Iceland, Portugal) have been facing in their countries, for better working conditions, enough resources and support, value of their work, and better salaries.
But EFN hard work continues to gather momentum as we keep on focussing on key challenges, particularly in the areas of Education (with the publication of the EFN Competency Framework for the Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications Directive 2005/36/EC, amended by Directive 2013/55/EU); EU workforce (with the development of an EFN matrix 3+1 – including three categories of nurses (General Care Nurse, Specialist Nurse, and Advanced Nurse Practitioner) + the principles of the Healthcare Assistant (HCA); and patient safety & quality of care (including EFN survey & report on Ebola). And we know already that the second part of the year will also be very challenging with a lot of initiatives coming up.
Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all EFN Members and colleagues 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 General Secretary