A new beginning: the International Federation of Nurse Anesthetists.

In 1978, two European nurse anesthetists attended the 1978 AANA Annual Meeting in Detroit. Mr. Hermi Lohnert, Switzerland, inquired about the willingness of the AANA to support international cooperation among nurse anesthetists. The AANA agreed. In 1985, the First International Symposium was held in Lucerne, Switzerland. A Second International Congress of Nurse Anesthetists was held in Amsterdam in 1988, and in June 1989, the AANA joined 10 other countries in Teufen, Switzerland, to sign the founding charter of the International Federation of Nurse Anesthetists (IFNA). At the close of the meeting, the bylaws had been adopted, officers elected and 11 countries admitted as charter members. This editorial highlights events that led to this historic meeting. It discusses the purpose and function of the IFNA and summarizes its organizational structure. Education, practice and organizational backgrounds of the founding countries precede comments regarding the future of the IFNA.