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 The
European Nursing Module (ENM) Network was founded in 1994 with the
Inaugural Meeting held in Lewes, Sussex, United Kingdom. This initial
meeting brought together a group of individuals representing educational
institutions which offered basic nurse education programmes leading
to the right to practice nursing in their specific country. Some
of these programmes were based in hospitals and some in educational
institutions.
The principle behind the Network was to develop a Module, which
could be accessed by student nurses studying within those programmes.
If appropriate, the Module would be validated by the individual
institutions' appropriate validating body as an elective part of
their basic nursing programme. Students would then have the opportunity,
within that Module, for an exchange with
another member institution, allowing experience of a health
care system within another European country and of the social and
cultural nursing issues within that country.
The Module was developed over a period of three years, with specified
learning aims and outcomes agreed by all
members of the Network. Exchange of students within the Module began
in 1997. Most students fund themselves, though some have limited
assistance from their institution. Some institutions are able to
offer some support to exchange students (such as accommodation)and
the Network may award some grants towards the cost of student exchange.
The international interest for this exchange programme has increased
and to date there are 26 member institutions in the Network from
13 European countries. "European" is used here in its
widest sense, as not all countries involved are members of the European
Union. Formal membership is limited to three institutions from any
one country to allow the widest variation in experiences for student
exchange without the Network growing to an unworkable size.
Each institution signs a Multilateral Memorandum
of Co-operation with each other institution agreeing in principle
to promote international co-operation and detailing the proposals
and regulations for the European Nursing Module. In addition, members
may choose to sign a Bilateral Memorandum of Co-operation with other
members that also covers the exchange of students, teachers and
other staff, and any other scholarly activities outside the Module
but within the Network. This gives member institutions the opportunity
to make contacts and enter other forms of exchange programmes in
addition to the European Nursing Module.
 Each
institution pays an annual subscription fee, currently £200.00
to fund the work of the Network Officers, payable in January each
year. Subscription payment is a condition of membership of the Network
and the amount is reviewed annually.
The Network holds an annual Network Management Conference in April,
hosted by one of its member institutions on a rotating basis. Institutions
send up to three delegates to this meeting and one delegate is nominated
by each institution as their formal contact member for the ENM Network.
These formal contact members make up the Steering Group of the Network.
The Steering Group holds its Annual General Meeting (AGM) during
the annual Conference, when all issues pertaining to the management
and membership of the Network are discussed and, if appropriate,
voted on. Although all Conference delegates may debate the issues,
member institutions only have one vote each, through their nominated
formal contact. Attendance at the annual Conference and the AGM
is not a condition of Network membership though attendance is expected
wherever possible. Non-attending members are expected to abide by
the decisions taken by the Steering Group in their absence.
The Network has three Officers elected by the Steering Group at
the AGM, for a period of four years. These are the Network Co-ordinator,
the Secretary and the Third Officer. The Co-ordinator and the Third
Officer must be employed by one of the member institutions. The
Co-ordinator and Secretary cannot be the formal Network contact
for their institution during their period of office, nor do they
have a vote during that time.
Activities other than those connected with the European Nursing
Module (ENM) also take place within the Network with the exchange
of basic students, post-registration students, teachers and other
staff. There are also opportunities for joint research and other
scholarly activities between members. A post-registration
ENM module is in place.
Institutions wishing to join the Network should initially contact
the Network Co-ordinator or the Network Secretary for information
on the process.
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