University of Andorra and Nurses College Host International Nurses Day Event on Leadership and Research

The University of Andorra (UdA) and the Official College of Nurses of Andorra (COIA) organized a full-day event on Tuesday to celebrate International Nurses Day, focusing on nurses' leadership, research contributions, and pivotal role in the country's healthcare system. Aimed at both students and professionals, the gathering aligned with the International Council of Nurses' theme: "Our nurses. Our future. Empowered nurses save lives."

Around 15 healthcare professionals presented sessions on clinical experiences, innovations, and daily realities, engaging UdA nursing students. Discussions covered body image management, nurses in the fire service, the SAAS's new corneal transplant unit, and initiatives by the NGO Jannu Ferides. Two PhD candidates outlined their research on reverse referrals and fostering leadership with critical thinking among nursing students. Speakers emphasized nurses' emotional care and multidisciplinary collaboration beyond technical tasks, highlighting their human role in patient support during vulnerable moments.

The opening featured speeches from Health Secretary of State Cristina Pérez, UdA Nursing School head Judith Garcia, COIA president Gemma Ballester, and university rector Juli Minoves. Minoves spotlighted the new University Institute for Health Research (IURS) as a key step to advance public research, scientific progress, and health innovations for better population wellbeing. Ballester paid tribute to Florence Nightingale, modern nursing's pioneer, crediting her sanitation improvements and founding of England's first university nursing school with transforming the profession. The event honors her birthday annually on May 12 to affirm nurses' essential, often underrecognized contributions.

That morning, the Andorran Health Care Service (SAAS) released a social media video showcasing nurses from various specialties. They described their routines in a personal manner, underscoring patient-centered care to ensure wellbeing, dignity, and safety.

During the afternoon, Ballester revealed that COIA's new board is pursuing nurse prescribing rights for sanitary products like dressings and ointments linked to their practice, bypassing additional medical visits. Nurses already select optimal materials such as bandages or healing creams but often require further validation. "This challenge dates back from prior boards, and we're now collaborating with the Health Ministry and CASS to advance it," she stated, adding it functions in other countries and could materialize soon as an efficiency gain, user convenience boost, and empowerment step—echoing the day's focus. The initiative starts with sanitary materials, not drugs, amid regulatory hurdles; no deadlines were given due to involvement of multiple institutions. COIA also seeks ongoing training for its over 550 members across SAAS and private entities to standardize skills and keep pace with health advancements.

COIA vice-president Isabel Vallejo rejected outdated perceptions of nurses as physician assistants, stressing their university degrees, independent duties, year-round patient links, and frequent leadership in teams. While Andorra's nurse ratio suits its scale, it falls short of WHO guidelines. UdA expects to graduate about 20 nursing students this year, with 35 new intake spots next year to bolster the workforce.

Additional COIA activities included an afternoon screening of the film *Torn de guàrdia*, depicting a nurse's full shift, followed by a collegial dinner.