Every year the annual European Patient’s Right Day is celebrated on April 18 – learn about the importance of this for patient care and what it means to the nursing community.

Patients are at the cornerstone of healthcare, and nurses are the healthcare professionals that are at the bedsides of patients 24/7 as and when needed. In light of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, nurses are at the frontline with patients who need them, doing their absolute best to maximise patient care.

The European Federation of Nurses celebrated the day and has expressed its support for European policies for patients.

Did you know that the European Federation of Nurses is an Editorial Advisory Board Member for Health Europa? Find out more about the EFN today.

Supporting European policies

The European Federation of Nurses (EFN) is committed to support and advocate for European policies that benefit patients and place them at the centre of healthcare systems as co-owners.

In other topics, such as the ongoing digitalisation of healthcare, patients’ team-up with the nursing profession to be co-designers and co-creators of all new healthcare innovations being designed and implemented.

The EFN is active in the topic of patient care and empowerment and has published a position paper.

Empowering patients and citizens are part of nurses’ curricula in the EU. These tasks are well acknowledged in the Article 31 of EU Directive 2013/55/EU (the Directive regulating the nursing profession) in which patient empowerment and support to individuals needing care are specifically mentioned.

The EFN’s Secretary General, Paul De Raeve, recorded a video message supporting European patients in cooperation with the Active Citizenship Network.