Operating department nurse education in Europe.

In October 1994 in Strasbourg the European Health Committee's Working party on the Role and Education of Nurses produced its draft revised version of the European 'Agreement on the Instruction and Education of Nurses'. It declared nursing to be both an art and a science that requires the understanding and application of knowledge and skills to provide the four main functions of nursing. Patient care, teaching, developing practice and acting as an expert in a multidisciplinary team are all common features expected of the operating department nurse. Just one week later at a joint meeting of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and European Chief Nurses, representing the 32 member states, Number 4 of the recommendations made by them for tackling current challenges was as follows: "Ensure that nurses and midwives have the basic and the post basic and continuing education they need to help them to become effective practitioners, teachers, managers, researchers and leaders and the opportunity to make appropriate use of their knowledge and skills" WHO & Chief Nurses, November 1994.