Specialist nurse programme launched in Malta

A pilot programme to standardise the level of multiple sclerosis nursing across the EU was launched on Friday 11 May.

Health Minister Joseph Cassar said that specialist nurses offer unparalleled high-quality care and support for patients and their families. “However, in the area of MS, the role lacks the recognition it deserves across Europe. Malta is honoured to be taking the lead in the recognition and unification of MS Nurses in Europe. This further demonstrates Malta’s commitment to providing the best possible care for persons with this chronic and disabling disease which affects over people in our country,” Cassar said.

Over 20 expert nurses from across Europe including four nurses from Malta will test the first and only MS nurse Continuing Medical Education (CME) accredited nurse programme called MS Nurse PROfessional. This programme will ultimately result in a professional qualification.

The nurses will also evaluate the first MS Nurse Consensus Paper, entitled ‘Moving Towards the Pan-European Unification and Recognition of MS Nurses’ which articulates the paramount role MS nurses play in patient care.

MS Nurse PROfessional and Consensus Paper resulted from findings from the largest survey of MS nurses across Europe, MS-NEED (Multiple Sclerosis-Nurse Empowering Education): European Survey, which highlighted almost a quarter of nurses who felt they have not received adequate training and education to support them in their day-to-day role in treating MS.

The MS-NEED initiative is led by the European MS Platform (EMSP) in collaboration with the International Organisation of MS Nurses (IOMSN) and Rehabilitation in MS (RIMS).

The MS-NEED initiative supports the European Commission Directive which establishes the rules for mutual recognition of qualifications when professionals want to provide their services or establish themselves in another Member State.

MS Nurse PROfessional and accompanying Consensus Paper support the European Commission’s Modernising the Professional Qualifications Directive (2005/36/EC), which aims to ensure alignment of healthcare practices across Europe.

European Commissioner for Health and Consumer policy said Europe’s ability to provide high quality healthcare to its citizens relies on well trained and committed health professionals. “The unification of training for nurses in multiple sclerosis care, through a quantifiable skills-based programme is important to improve care for people living with MS and their families”

MS Nurse PROfessional comprises several core educational modules, which will be accessible online in multiple languages once launched later this year. It will be accredited by the United Kingdom Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and co-endorsed by various Universities across Europe as well as being endorsed by the European Association for Neuroscience Nurses.

The Moving Towards the Pan-European Unification and Recognition of MS Nurses Consensus Paper will be endorsed by patient and professional bodies across Europe. A further pilot to test the curriculum in a local language in a larger country will take place later this year in Spain.