ICN Congress 2023

The world's nurses meet in person for the first time in four years.

Leading and Learning in Post-COVID Healthcare Systems

As summer slowly gives way to autumn, I find myself reflecting on the activities of the summer. One memory that stands out is attendance at the 29th International Congress of Nurses held in Montreal in July 2023. Cohosted by the International Council of Nurses and the Canadian Nurses Association, it was an amazing opportunity to meet and learn with nurses from all over the world. It was wonderful to be able to get together in person and feel the palpable energy created by more than 6,000 delegates from 123 countries gathered together for a common purpose. Check out the videos at the following link to see what I mean: https://icncongress2023.org/.

Embedding a Global Perspective into Canadian Nursing's Policy Priorities: Observations from the International Council of Nurses' 2021 Congress

Nursing is a global profession, and the COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated just how interconnected and interdependent nursing and health systems are across jurisdictions. The International Council of Nurses (ICN) is a federation of more than 130 national nursing associations and serves as a key policy voice at the global level. Every two years, their congress brings together thousands of nurses and stakeholders to share and disseminate knowledge. Although Canadian presence has historically been strong in these global fora, there is a lack of literature that focuses on discussing the implications of these global discussions on Canadian nurses' policy and advocacy engagement. In this article, we provide a framework of key policy themes as observed during the ICN's 2021 virtual congress. We discuss how these global policy themes align with Canadian nursing, health and public policy priorities and conclude with questions to guide nurses in embedding a global perspective into their research, policy, education and practice initiatives.

[The State of the World's Nurses report analyzed by the International Council of Nurses]

Released in April 2020 by the World Health Organization, the State of the World's Nurses report marks a turning point for the profession. With a clear set of data on the numbers and composition of this professional group, it makes a compelling case for governments to no longer underfund the education, employment, leadership and practice of nurses. The report includes 10 key actions to shape the future direction of global nursing policy.

Effects of Training-for-Transformation Program on TB/MDR-TB Developed by the International Council of Nurses in China

BACKGROUND

This study evaluated the effects of the Training-for-Transformation (TFT) program on tuberculosis (TB)/multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) in China.

METHOD

Participants who received training from 2009 to 2017 (n = 230) were invited to complete an online survey using a self-designed questionnaire.

RESULTS

A total of 130 (56.5%) trainees completed the survey for a valid response rate of 70% (91 of 130). All of the participants created a schedule and offered a TFT program on TB/MDR-TB for health care providers, clients, and communities by a variety of methods that included brainstorming, group work, and role-play, in addition to lectures. The most important supporting factors to train others were related to opportunity and managers' support, and the biggest barriers were lack of space and time. Trainees also made changes to practices that influenced the way nurses worked within their institution, infection control, team cooperation, extended care, and nurses' attitudes toward patients.

CONCLUSION

The TFT program led to ongoing training provision and practical improvements, and can transform attitudes, practices, and changes in patient care. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2020;51(5):233-237.].

Should the RCN re-join the International Council of Nurses?

Emeritus Professor Alan Glasper, from the University of Southampton, discusses a new consultation by the Royal College of Nursing on whether the UK should re-join the International Council of Nurses.

[Nursing leadership and the International Council of Nurses]

The development of nursing leadership constitutes a key objective for the International Council of Nurses. This international organisation proposes numerous initiatives, notably training actions, in order to obtain positive results in this area.

[Professional ethics, an essential element of nursing practice]

The context of contemporary practice exposes nurses to a wide variety of ethical dilemmas. In 1978, nurses were granted autonomy within the scope of their therapeutic role but there was also a need for the profession to embark on a new stage by introducing a code of ethics. It was not until 2016 that the first code of ethics for nurses was published in France, 63 years after the publication of a code by the International Council of Nurses.

WHO director-general's address marks a major moment for nursing

There was a palpable sense of a profession on the move and on a mission last month, as more than 8,000 nurses from over 100 countries gathered in Barcelona for the International Council of Nurses (ICN) congress.

Nurses: A Voice to Lead

The International Council of Nurses celebrates nurses' contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Ethics of Nurse Poaching from the Developing World

Recruiting nurses from other countries is a long-standing practice. In recent years many countries in the developed world have more frequently recruited nurses from the developing world, causing an imbalance in the health services in often already impoverished countries. Despite guidelines and promises by developed countries that the practice should cease, it has largely failed to do so. A consortium of authors from countries that have experienced significant nurse poaching consider the ethical aspects behind this continuing practice.

Moral Obligations of Nurses Based on the ICN, UK, Irish and Polish Codes of Ethics for Nurses

A code of professional conduct is a collection of norms appropriate for the nursing profession and should be the point of reference for all decisions made during the care process. Codes of ethics for nurses are formulated by members of national nurses’ organizations. These codes can be considered to specify general norms that function in the relevant society, adjusting them to the character of the profession and enriching them with rules signifying the essence of nursing professionalism. The aim of this article is to present a comparative analysis of codes of ethics for nurses: the ICN’s Code of ethics for nurses, the UK’s Code of professional conduct, the Irish Code of professional conduct for each nurse and midwife, and the Polish Code of professional ethics for nurses and midwives. This analysis allows the identification of common elements in the professional ethics of nurses in these countries.

Building bridges in an uncertain world

Three months into my new role at the International Council of Nurses (ICN), it is clear that nursing is high on the agenda of big global institutions.

THE PUBLIC'S PERCEPTION OF THE STATUS AND IMAGE OF THE NURSING PROFESSION

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) defined nursing as a sphere integrating autonomous and collaborative care provided to the individual, family, and community within and outside of the care setting. Furthermore, the ICN noted that the profession comprises four major spheres of action: promoting health, preventing illness and treating patients, treating people with disabilities, and providing end-of-life care. The ICN's directives and recommendations for assimilating its Code of Ethics emphasized that the nursing staff and nursing students must understand its clauses, act according to them, discuss them with colleagues and others, and integrate its details in all spheres of action, teaching, administration, and research. Over the past half century since publishing the Code of Ethics, nursing as a care profession has developed broadly in terms of its essentials, expertise, and primarily academically. Despite the impressive growth of the profession, there is still extreme diversity in the public's perceptions and opinions of the profession and its professionals and in the knowledge of the fundamentals of its true function and spheres of engagement. The current study examines the existing knowledge among the general population regarding the nursing profession.

Give UK nursing bigger global voice by rejoining ICN, college is urged

The next chief executive of the International Council of Nurses should encourage the RCN to rejoin the organisation and ensure the UK has a greater say on nursing at a global level, a former college president believes.

ICN reiterates its call for more Ebola protection

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has repeated its call for safer working environments for nurses working in countries hit by the Ebola epidemic.

Judith Shamian, president, International Council of Nurses

Judith Shamian, RN, PhD, LLD (hon), D.Sci (hon), FAAN, is the president of the International Council of Nurses (ICN). Previous positions include immediate past president and CEO of the Victorian Order of Nurses, immediate past President of the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA), executive director of the Office of Nursing Policy at Health Canada and vice-president of nursing at Mount Sinai Hospital. She is the recipient of numerous awards including the Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 award; the Golden Jubilee Medal from the Governor General of Canada; and CNA's 2008 Centennial Award. From my mentor, colleague and friend here are some insights shared with CJNL about her current work and challenges