Event highlights
On 19 May, leaders in nursing and health policy, representatives of ministries of health, the European Commission, social partners and WHO/Europe gathered in Paphos, Cyprus, for the Third Meeting of the Nursing Action Focal Points.
Discussions focused on how to recruit, educate and retain the nursing workforce needed to meet growing demand. One message was clear: strengthening the nursing workforce requires more than short-term fixes – it demands sustained investment in the education pipeline and innovative approaches, such as mentorship to support the next generation.
A fragile education pipeline
New data presented at the meeting offered a sobering picture. On average, countries participating in the Nursing Action (see below) produce just 4.1 new nursing graduates per 100 active nurses each year, which is barely sufficient to sustain the workforce. In roughly half of countries, the rate falls below the threshold needed to replace an entire generation within the next decade.
This is not simply a matter of training more nurses. In several countries, fewer young people are applying to nursing programmes, some training places remain unfilled, and high non-completion rates – reaching 30–35% in some settings – further reduce the number of graduates entering the profession.
“The challenge is not only how many nurses we train, but whether the whole pipeline is functioning, from attracting students to supporting them through to graduation and into the workforce,” said Margrieta Langins, Nursing and Midwifery Policy Advisor, WHO/Europe.
Participants also reflected on the broader forces shaping the pipeline. An ageing workforce, with over 35% of nurses aged 55 or older in some settings, means that retirements will accelerate just as fewer graduates are entering the profession. While some countries rely increasingly on internationally trained nurses, this is not a sustainable long-term solution and raises ethical considerations for global health systems.
Against this backdrop, participants emphasized the importance of strengthening data systems and governance. Many countries lack integrated data on education pathways, making it difficult to track students from entry to employment. Improving this evidence base is essential for effective workforce planning.
Better data enables better decisions, but only investment and partnership deliver impact
While the challenges are significant, the meeting also highlighted promising pathways forward. A central focus was how countries can translate data into concrete policy action – expanding training capacity where needed, improving the attractiveness of nursing careers and addressing barriers, such as living costs and working conditions.
Equally important is ensuring that education systems are aligned with workforce needs. This includes strengthening collaboration between ministries of health and education, universities and professional bodies – an approach that the Nursing Action is actively promoting.
Participants agreed that improving the pipeline requires action on multiple fronts: increasing the number of training places where appropriate, boosting the attractiveness of the profession through public campaigns where there is capacity to absorb new students, reducing non-completion rates (for nursing students who do not complete their studies), and ensuring that graduates transition smoothly into employment through structured mentorship programmes.
This is where one of the most innovative elements of the Nursing Action comes into play.
Mentorship as a game changer
A key highlight of the meeting was the discussion of new mentorship modules being piloted in several countries, including Estonia, Czechia, Hungary, Italy and Malta.
These modules, set to launch more widely in September in the languages of all the participating countries and designed to be adaptable across country contexts, aim to support early-career nurses and strengthen the quality of clinical supervision and also to build confidence and reflective practice into the next generation of nurses.
The rationale is simple: the transition from education to practice is one of the most vulnerable points in a nurse’s career. Without adequate support, many new graduates leave the profession within the first few years.
Mentorship is not an add-on: it is a core part of building a sustainable workforce. If we support nurses at the start of their careers, we are far more likely to keep them in the profession. After completing the mentorship modules, early-career nurse Melisa Veberič from Slovenia shared, “At the beginning of my professional journey, I often felt uncertain and overwhelmed by the responsibility that came with working as a nurse. The programme helped me understand that these feelings are totally normal, part of the professional growth and development. Through the modules, I improved my clinical reasoning, communication skills and understanding of teamwork, reflection and safe professional practice. Today, I feel more confident, responsible and aware of the importance of the continuous learning and professional development.”
Beyond building relationships, with the modules focused on pairings of one senior nurse and one early-career nurse, is expected to contribute to stronger team dynamics, better patient outcomes and more resilient health systems.
A shared European commitment and the path forward
Throughout the meeting, there was a strong sense of shared responsibility. While each country faces its own specific challenges, the issues affecting the nursing workforce are deeply interconnected across Europe.
Speakers from the European Commission underscored that investment in health workers is not simply a sectoral issue but a cornerstone of social and economic development. Nurses, they emphasized, are fundamental to social cohesion, productivity and public trust. The Nursing Action itself was repeatedly described as a “bridge to realities” in countries, bringing together data, policy dialogue and practical solutions, such as mentorship and learning labs to drive tangible change.
The discussions in Cyprus made one thing clear: addressing Europe’s nursing workforce challenges will require sustained, coordinated action. As one participant reflected, “We have the evidence. Now the task is to turn it into action – together.”
With momentum building through the Nursing Action, there is renewed optimism that Europe can not only address current shortages but build a stronger, more resilient nursing workforce for the future.
Strengthening collaboration through the Nursing Action project
The “Nursing Action” project, launched in September 2024 and funded by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) under the EU4Health programme, aims to develop evidence-based solutions to increase the supply of nurses and improve their retention within the EU.
Working with national health authorities and nursing associations across Europe, WHO aims to retain the existing nursing workforce, and recruit more into the workforce, also by making the profession more attractive to younger generations.
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; and
- enhancing the integration of digital solutions into nursing workflows.