Nurses are rarely, if ever, involved in the spectrum of infection prevention and control (IPC) activities.
They are excluded or waved away from education and professional competence building: “you don’t belong here”. However, as shown during the COVID-19 pandemic, IPC is within the scope of practice and core competencies of the nursing profession.
ESNO calls for a ‘health professional domain climate change’ in tackling infections, including future pandemics, which is supported by a motivated, sustainable, and competent nursing workforce.
The ESNO Focus Group Microbial issues, has set out a range of activities in supporting nurses in gaining education for the years to come, including surveys and data collection activities, and provide guidance for health institutes in bring out the best possible quality of care aiming in reducing infections with a focus on prevention. The goals are focused on:
• Education and competence building of specialist Nurses
• Creating a sustainable ‘European professional network and beyond’
• Providing expertise opinion related to the ‘social and climate implication’ on reducing infections
This unique group of specialist nurses was formally established in January 2022, although had a prior trajectory of projects and collaborations including the development of the 4 Modules on vaccination, antimicrobial resistance, and Infection Prevention Control.
The lead group includes 8 members who share a long-term ambition, and is inclusive in terms of gender, expertise and origin across the European region.
The group is supported by extended networks and has significant formal relations with highly relevant institutions related to microbes, antimicrobial resistance and stewardship (AMR-S), vaccination, and IPC.
Jeanette Verkerk
Nurse Specialist AGZ, area of expertise urology/andrology at St. Antonius Hospital, Netherlands, PhD candidate
Enrique Castro Sanchez
Lecturer, researcher and leader in nursing involvement in infection prevention and control and antimicrobial stewardship, United Kingdom
Alessia Arcangeli
Infection Control Nurse Specialist National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Lazzaro Spallanzani, Italy
Noel Abela
Senior Practice Nurse at Mater Dei Hospital - Malta. MSc Infection Control, Malta
Tihana Gašpert
Oncology Nurse, Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, Croatia
Silvana Gastaldi
Clinical Research Assistant and Research Nurse, Verona University, Italy
Ber Oomen
Program manager and Executive Director ESNO, Netherlands
Josephine Declay
European ICU nurse, Secretary of SIZ Nursing, the Belgium critical care nurses association
Luc Gryson
Nurse Specialist in Wound management, education, ostomy and infection control. Member of the European Wound management Association and reservist Lieutenant Kolonel, Belgium Defence
