Poland – Launch event
GENEVA, Switzerland – The World Health Organisation (WHO/Europe) in partnership with the European Commission and the Polish European Union (EU) Presidency, will launch “Nursing Action”, a new EU-funded initiative designed to tackle critical shortages in the nursing workforce across the EU.
The launch event will take place on 17 January 2025 in Warsaw, Poland, as part of a day-long series of events and activities organized by the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU.
The event will include the minister of health of Poland, partners representing nurses in the European Region, and high-level representatives from WHO and the European Commission.
Why “Nursing Action”
The EU is experiencing a significant shortage of nurses, exacerbated by high demand and systemic issues. This shortage is part of a broader health workforce crisis across Europe.
Projections indicate a shortfall of approximately 18 million health-care workers globally by 2030, including nurses, as outlined in WHO workforce strategies. Many EU countries report challenges in retaining nurses, further increasing this gap.
The nursing workforce in Europe is ageing. A substantial number of nurses are approaching retirement age, with limited younger replacements entering the profession. This imbalance puts additional strain on health-care systems.
Additionally, nurses often face challenging working conditions, including long hours, high patient-to-staff ratios, and emotional strain, particularly during crises such as COVID-19. Many nurses report burnout, impacting retention rates.
With support and funding from the EU, WHO/Europe aims to galvanize concrete actions at national and regional level to address these challenges and support nurses in the EU as key to the achievement of sustainable and resilient health systems.
“Nursing Action”
The “Nursing Action” project aims to develop evidence-based solutions to increase the supply of nurses and improve their retention within the EU. By leveraging the expertise of European nursing associations and their partner organizations, the initiative will also engage policy-makers to implement necessary measures to address the nursing workforce crisis.
Working with national health authorities and nursing associations across Europe, WHO will aim to retain the existing nursing workforce, and recruit more into the workforce, also by making the profession more attractive to younger generations.
Over the course of 36 months, “Nursing Action” will pursue targeted activities tailored to the needs of individual EU Member States. Key areas of focus include:
- Developing evidence-informed strategies to improve nurse retention and recruitment;
- Scaling up mentorship programmes to support the next generation of nurses;
- Promoting measures to protect nurses’ health and well-being;
- Supporting countries in implementing safe staffing practices;
- Enhancing the integration of digital solutions into nursing workflows.
