Today, 26 November, is the Practical Nurses’ Day. The day is dedicated to recognising the essential work done by practical nurses and their invaluable contribution to society. The day also serves to remind policymakers throughout Europe of the promises made during the pandemic. The working conditions and wages of healthcare professionals must improve.
The European Council of Practical Nurses (EPN) will also convene in Helsinki on 25–26 November for the assembly of the council’s board. The two-day assembly will deal with current topics in practical nursing and compare practices in each country.
“Similar problems are on the rise in the healthcare sector everywhere in Europe and the world,” says Harri Järvelin, the Vice-Chair of the Finnish Union of Practical Nurses (SuPer). “The economy is challenging, and the nursing sector’s employee attraction and retention is weakening.”
The assembly will also focus on questions of profession standing, the number of personnel at workplaces, and the continued development of further education and career paths for practical nurses.
EPN is an organisation for European practical nurses founded in 1980. Its members are practical nurses’ associations from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Luxembourg and Finland. EPN aims to build cooperation between practical nurses in its member countries and promote shared education goals and other professional objectives.
SuPer is represented at the assembly by Vice-Chair Harri Järvelin and Member of the Board Jaana Dalén. The EPN Council is chaired by Ann Georgsson from the Swedish Kommunal.
Practical Nurses’ Day differs from the National Day for Practical Nurses celebrated in Finland on 27 January each year. The national celebration in Finland was set for January because of the date of founding for the Finnish Nurses’ Aide Association, the predecessor of SuPer, in 1948.
“We celebrate both the national and international dates because we want to thank all practical nurses for the vital work they do around the world,” says Harri Järvelin.