TDuring a visit by the General Union of Nurses of Belgium to V&VN on Thursday, March 28, there was more than enough material for discussion. There are many differences, but certainly also similarities. “We face the same challenges: a growing demand for care in an increasingly tight labor market.”
With the Easter weekend approaching, V&VN chairman Bianca Buurman received the chocolate Easter bunny that the Belgian delegation had brought with a big smile. She warmly welcomed colleagues from Belgium to the V&VN headquarters.
The General Union of Nurses of Belgium (AUVB) is the federal umbrella organization of forty (regional) professional organizations for nurses, each with their own specialty. Unlike V&VN, the AUVB has no individual members, but only the professional organizations for nurses are members. The AUVB therefore represents the 140,000 nurses working in Belgium.
Four representatives from the AUVB traveled to Utrecht on Thursday, March 28, to exchange knowledge, experiences and working methods with V&VN. Perhaps the AUVB and V&VN can strengthen each other and cooperation will be possible in the future.
The chairman of the AUVB, Marc Koninckx, association coordinator Wouter Decat, and two (retired) nurses were full of questions about how nurses have organized themselves in the Netherlands. How did V&VN come about and what lessons has our professional association learned since its founding? What is our vision on training, modular training, lifelong learning? How are (re)registrations organised? Can V&VN advise on the organizational form, membership structure, advocacy? How does V&VN see the future of the professional association, healthcare and nursing?
V&VN chairman Bianca Buurman answered all questions in detail and in turn wanted to know more about the organization of care and nursing in our southern neighbors.
Tags: Belgian colleagues VVN
