Welcome to the April 2024 ICN Monthly Update!

We are pleased to offer a summary of our endeavors, achievements, and notable events from the past month. We invite you to explore the latest developments, discoveries, and highlights within our community. Thank you for choosing to stay informed and engaged with us through our Monthly Update!

Project Kesher Ukraine

ICN is partnering with Project Kesher Ukraine on a pilot initiative to supply electric bicycles for nurses working in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. Transport for nurses and other health care workers in and around the city of Kramatorsk in Donetsk region is difficult and the E-bikes will help them to overcome the travel problems and deliver care to people who would otherwise get no care at all. Read our press release here.

Protection of frontline workers

ICN called for protection and accountability for all frontline workers, including humanitarian and health workers, following the deaths of seven aid workers in Gaza.  Read the full story here.

On 3 April, the ICN CEO Howard Catton spoke at the Global Nursing Caucus webinar "Caring for a World in Crisis: Nurses Speak", highlighting how modern nurses are on the frontlines providing care and bringing hope in the midst of crises.

Patient safety

On 17-18 April, the ICN CEO presented evidence to the 6th Global Ministerial Summit on patient safety 2024 in Chile on why investing in nurses is essential to ensuring safety for patients and improving the quality of care. ICN takes this opportunity to thank Andrea Rastello Pizarro, President of the Chilean College of Nurses, and Patricia Aranis Torrico, Secretary for Labour Affairs of the NNA, who participated in the event held in Santiago de Chile on behalf of ICN.

Pandemic prevention

ICN and Public Services International (PSI) issued a joint statement expressing our alarm that the WHO International Negotiating Body’s draft treaty on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response lacks commitment to protect health workers. The statement said that the treaty should also include the suspension of intellectual property rights on pandemic products such as vaccines during a pandemic, and that equity within and between countries should be explicitly included. Read more here.

International recruitment

The ICN CEO was interviewed on the BBC World Service Focus on Africa podcast where he spoke about the detrimental effects of international nurses recruitment. Read our press release here.

EFN 118th General Assembly

The ICN CEO was invited to the EFN 118th General Assembly held in Brussels 11-12 April. This was an opportunity for him to update European colleagues on ICN activities, and to discuss with them ongoing developments and necessary advocacy actions, in particular on issues such as retention and migration.

UHC2030

The ICN President has been appointed as a co-chair of the Universal Health Coverage Steering Committee (UHC2030), along with Dr Magda Robalo, President and Co-Founder of The Institute for Global Health and Development. UHC2030 serves as a global platform where multiple stakeholders connect to influence national and international commitments toward universal health coverage. The Secretariat is co-hosted by WHO, the World Bank and OECD.

Read more about this exciting news on the ICN website here and  on the UHC2030 website here.

Board Representation

Dr José Luis Cobos-Serrano, ICN Board member and Third Vice President of the General Council of Nursing of Spain (CGE) will be representing ICN at the Rey Juan Carlos University International Nurses Day celebration on 10 May.

2024 cohort

The onboarding of the 2024 GNLI scholars is well under way. This year we have selected 34 scholars from 32 countries. Through generous donors, we are able to support 14 of the scholars to attend the program. ICN has been able to start offering support to scholars from countries who need a visa to enter Switzerland, so they are able to attend Module 2 in Geneva in October 2024. In addition, CAGI (Centre d'Accueil de la Genève Internationale) has confirmed their funding support to cover a percentage of the accommodation during the visit to Geneva for some of the  scholars who come from low-income countries.

2023 cohort

The 2023 teams are currently working on the final presentation on their regional projects. This year, 6 regional projects have been funded by ICN. The regional project presentations will take place in June, and will be divided into two groups, Group 1: PAHO/AMRO, EURO, AFRO (11-Jun-24) 1500-1630 CET and Group 2: SEARO, WPRO, EMRO (13-Jun-24) 0800-0930 CET. In addition, the GNLI alumni from the PAHO 2021 and SEARO 2022 teams will also present the outcomes of their regional projects. We will be sending invitations to WHO regional offices, ICN board members and NNA Executive Directors and Presidents to join and provide feedback to scholars during their presentations. 

Our ODENNA NNAs are currently participating in the "How to Fundraise" training course. This course equips them with essential skills in finding funders, managing funding relationships, and pitching projects effectively. The training will culminate in a Live Pitch Contest in June, where the NNAs will compete for additional funding. For more information or to participate, please contact [email protected].

Thanks to all the associations that have registered as mentors in the upcoming Nursing Association Mentorship Initiative (NAMI). We are finalizing the matches between mentor associations and ODENNA NNAs, with formal announcements and the launch of the mentorship engagement to follow soon. This step marks a significant move towards the implementation of their ODENNA projects. These activities are critical to our mission of fostering effective healthcare leadership across Africa. Stay tuned for further updates on these exciting developments.

ICN is standing in solidarity with the nurses who are serving in areas of armed conflict. Through the #NursesforPeace campaign, we have extended support to the Palestinian Nurses Association, aiding relief efforts by facilitating the procurement of essential medical supplies crucial for the work of nurses on the frontline. Additionally, #NursesforPeace is committed to extending support to the Israeli Nurses Association, offering assistance in organizing a mental health workshop tailored for nurses affected by psychological trauma.

We are pleased to announce the start of a strategic reset for the International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP) in April, led by Professor Nick Hardiker. In collaboration with representatives from the Editorial Board, ICN and SNOMED, interviews have been conducted to pave the way for a more effective governance and operational framework. Should you wish to know more about the work of ICNP please visit our website here or contact [email protected] .

GCEF programme update

We are thrilled to announce that students enrolled in the GCEF programme across Kenya, Zambia, and Eswatini have successfully concluded Term 1 and are now enjoying a well-deserved break. Meanwhile, students in Uganda are committed to wrapping up their first academic term, set to conclude in the first week of May. We extend our warmest wishes to all participants for a relaxing holiday, and we can't wait to see them back in school in May for a successful restart of academic activities!

We are currently supporting 78 girls in Eswatini, Kenya, Uganda and Zambia.  An average of USD 1500 keeps one girl in school for a year.  All donations are welcome, large and small, and donations can be made directly through ICN’s  bank account or online portal. ICN extends its sincere gratitude to the generosity of its donors who provide the resources to make this educational support programme possible, and to the nurse volunteers and local coordinators, who work hard to ensure the success of the girls’ education journey. Send us an email at [email protected] if you have any questions regarding GCEF.

See here. Watch the promotional video of why you should come along to “the happiest country in the world” for our 30th ICN Congress, 9-13 June 2025!

 125th Anniversary Conference, Romania

We will be celebrating our 125th anniversary,  21-22 October 2024, at the Palace of Parliament, Bucharest, Romania with the theme "Nursing Legacy: ICN at 125 - celebrating, recognizing and shaping our future." We hope to see many of you there!

ICN NP/APN Network Conference

The Conference programme is now available here!  Don’t forget to register for this important event which will be held 9-12 September in Aberdeen, Scotland.

International Nurses Day

In preparation for International Nurses Day, we have released a series of posters and virtual backgrounds which can be found here.  The IND report will be sent to the ICN Board, members and affiliates in advance of 12 May. We’d like to remind you that we are holding a special IND webinar on 10 May at 14:00 CET. Please register here. The President will have a recorded video message available on the website that you can share with your members.

The ICN President, Dr. Pamela Cipriano, was interviewed by Nursing Times on the topic of IND 2024.  Read the full article here.

World Health Day

On World Health Day, 7 April, we welcomed the theme “My Health, My Right” which echoes the ICN IND theme “Our Nurses. Our Future” and our work on Universal Health Coverage.  Read the full story here.

World Health Worker Week

World Health Worker Week took place earlier this month. ICN urged leaders to follow through on global commitments and invest in, protect and support the health workforce, especially women.

Springer’s APN Series

The 10th book in Springer’s APN series, “Advanced Practice Nurse Networking to Enhance Global Health”, has just been published! Edited by Melanie Rogers, Daniela Lehwaldt, Josette Roussel, and Michelle Acorn, this is the first ICN NP/APN Network publication with a SDG focus. 

Toolkit on Nurse Retention

Developed under the leadership of Leigh Chapman (Canada’s CNO, whom many of you met at Congress), the Government of Canada has developed a new toolkit on nurse retention In recognition of the acute nursing shortages across the country and internationally. As a resource created 'by nurses, for nurses', the toolkit draws on the expertise of the nursing community, evidence-based practice, and current lived experiences of front-line nurses.

Membership News

New NNA Presidents

Please join us in welcoming Lic. Claudia Moreno, President of the Argentinian Nursing Federation; Ms. Rhonda Burka, President of the Nurses Association of the Republic of Seychelles; Ms. Gemma Ballester Ventura, President of the College of Nurses and Midwives of Andorra and Mr. Fray Michelo, President of the Zambia Union of Nurses Organisation.