Ensuring patient safety is at the core of high-quality healthcare across Europe. As healthcare systems face increasing complexity, specialist nurses play a vital role in upholding safety standards, improving care quality, and advancing evidence-based practices. Recognizing this, the European Specialist Nurses Organisation (ESNO) is taking a decisive step by establishing the Committee on Patient Safety—a collaborative platform that will bring together specialist nurses, patient organizations, policymakers, and healthcare experts to drive systemic improvements in patient safety.
The committee’s mission aligns with European Patient Safety Foundation principles, ensuring a patient-centered approach while integrating value-based healthcare into patient safety strategies. Through policy advocacy, education, and interdisciplinary collaboration, the committee will work towards embedding patient safety as a fundamental component of European healthcare governance.
committee will focus on:
• Developing a strategic framework for patient safety that incorporates best practices, regulatory standards, and innovative approaches.
• Fostering collaboration between specialist nurses, patient advocacy groups, policymakers, and healthcare institutions.
• Contributing to European policy development to ensure patient safety is a priority at all levels of governance.
• Promoting education and training on patient safety, emphasizing evidence-based practices and interdisciplinary teamwork.
• Enhancing reporting and learning systems to identify risks, analyze adverse events, and implement preventive measures.
By bringing together key stakeholders and experts, the ESNO COMMITE ON PATIENT SAFETY will serve as a driving force for patient-centered, sustainable, and high-quality healthcare across Europe.
The newly formed committee will be led by Panagiota Tsikala, who brings expertise in patient safety, nursing leadership, and healthcare innovation.
Panagiota Tsikala
Dialysis Nurse at Universitätsklinikum AKH Wien, ESNO Policy Officer (program lead)
Fatma Demir Korkmaz
Ege University, Faculty of Nursing, Izmir, Turkiye
Evangelos Latzourakis
PhD, MSc, Renal Pg Cert, BSc, RN, Lecturer, Nursing, School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Nicosia
Sara Carrodano
PhD (c), MNursSci, RN, Nursing University of Genoa and HCA, Ligurian Social Health Agency 5 La Spezia, Italy
Prof. Marta Macías
Board Member of Sociedad Española de Calidad Asistencial (SECA), Spain
Mr. Jose Luis Fernandez Ropero
"Hospital Universitario Clínico San Cecilio" in Granada, Spain