Nursing Related Issues
EFN Members joined the Health First Europe event on Healthcare Associated Infections, in the European Parliament (18 10 2007)
“Examples of best practice need to be assessed and communicated effectively and their urgent adoption actively encouraged”, Mary Banotti, Honorary President of Health First Europe.
On 17 October 2007, Health First Europe, of which EFN is an active member, held an event in the European Parliament, focusing on Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs).
According to the European Commission’s First European Communicable Disease Epidemiological Report (2007), there are approximately three million healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) which cause around 50,000 deaths in the European Union each year, and one in ten patients who receive hospital treatment acquire a HCAI. Linked to the shortage and mobility of nurses and the importance of patient safety, any action requires co-ordinated pan-European leadership and a stakeholder approach by which NGOs are actively involved in policy-making.
EFN brought nurses from across the EU to the European Parliament to share their experiences in tackling HCAIs with the EU healthcare decision-makers and to make sure an EU-wide effective strategy is put in place for effective surveillance and understanding of HCAIs, early detection and preventive measures, Continuous Professional Development about HCAIs for healthcare providers and increased use of innovative technologies and services designed to reduce the likelihood of infection.
