Press Release
For immediate release
The European Nursing Council welcomes 2020 as International Year of the Nurse and Midwife
Brussels 11th of October 2019 – As many of you already know, the 72nd World Health Assembly in Geneva, has decreed that 2020 will be the International Year of Nurses and Midwifes. For the first time in history, the nations of the world will unite in celebration of the benefits that nursing and midwifery bring to the health of the global population. WHO does recognise their crucial role on a daily basis, that 2020 will be dedicated to highlighting the enormous sacrifices and contributions of nurses and midwives to the lives of their fellow citizens, and to ensuring that we address the shortage of these vital professions.
As the end of 2019 is coming, the European Nursing Council (ENC) is making its contribution to this global celebration for nurses and midwives by rendering public its Nursing Act and its updated and modernized Code of Ethics and Conduct. Nurses are at the heart of most health teams. We hope that in this we will contribute to the promotion of adult and child patient safety, quality care, continuous quality improvement, the conduct and utilisation of research and evidence based practice, to health policy and health systems management and delivery. ENC shall continue to spread its Nursing Act and Code of Ethics for European Nursing in order to raise the status and profile of nurses and contribute to the recognition of their work.
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About ENC:
The European Nursing Council (ENC), previously called FEPI, was established in 2004 to become the voice of nursing self-regulation towards the European institutions and the other associations representing the profession in order to protect European citizens and patients by securing excellence in nursing competences and practice, professional standards, continuous education and training and codes of conduct. Today ENC is composed of 8 professional organisations as full members and other 4 organisations with partial membership, representing nursing registered professionals concerned by EU issues.