The European Federation of Nurses Associations (EFN) that includes 36 member countries, held its 110th General Assembly meeting in October 2019 in Athens (Greece). Although Bosnia and Herzegovina has not yet become a full member, its representatives have attended an EFN General Assembly meeting for the fourth time. This meeting was also attended by representatives of the European Nursing Students Association (ENSA).
One of the topics discussed was the need to have nurses included in the design of new digital health tools and provided with needed digital skills. Stronger focus on health outcomes, including patient experience and nursing-sensitive data, were also discussed. EFN members talked also about the infringement procedures that the European Commission has put in place against some EU countries for not being in compliance with the EU Directive 2013/55/EU.
As the European lead of the NursingNow campaign, the EFN has been actively involved in raising awareness on the importance of the nursing profession. It is particularly relevant now when the World Health Organization has declared 2020 as the year of the nurse and midwife.
The EFN was established in 1971 as the independent voice of the nursing profession, representing today more than three million nurses throughout the European Union and Europe. Its mission is to promote interests and strengthen the status and practice of the nursing profession for the benefit of the health of the citizens of the EU and Europe. The EFN Members are strongly engaged in developing further the nursing profession and committed to the same goals, positively influencing the daily practice of nurses to achieve high quality and safe patient care outcomes.