On the 30th of September 2026, the Slovenian Ministry of Health will host a policy dialogue on nursing education and workforce development as part of the Nursing Action project, implemented by the WHO Regional Office for Europe in partnership with the European Commission. The event will bring together key stakeholders from nursing, healthcare, education and public institutions, as well as international experts, to discuss current challenges and opportunities for strengthening the nursing workforce in Slovenia.
The policy dialogue will focus on developing sustainable healthcare workforce policies, with a particular emphasis on the future of nursing education and how educational pathways can be adapted to the changing needs of healthcare systems.
In considering how nursing education can respond to the evolving needs of healthcare, it is also important to ask how education can better prepare future nurses for the realities of today’s working environment. This includes not only clinical knowledge and skills, but also the ability to recognise risks, promote safe and respectful workplaces, prevent violence and harassment, and respond appropriately when such situations arise. The policy dialogue therefore provides an opportunity to consider whether, and how, these competencies could be further strengthened within nursing education.
At the same time, safer working environments in healthcare cannot be achieved through education alone. Organisational practices, adequate staffing, supportive leadership, clear procedures, policy support and a strong institutional commitment to staff wellbeing are equally important. This reflects the approach of the BRAVE-WOW project, which emphasises the importance of combining individual awareness and competencies with organisational and policy measures to prevent gender-based violence and harassment and promote safer, more inclusive healthcare workplaces.
The discussions and insights emerging from the dialogue will provide valuable input for further policy reflection and also inform the Ministry of Health’s work within the BRAVE-WOW project, particularly in relation to prevention, awareness-raising, policy, education and organisational approaches to safer healthcare workplaces. By bringing together perspectives from education, healthcare, policy and international practice, the policy dialogue will contribute to efforts to develop a future-ready nursing workforce and safer, more respectful and inclusive healthcare working environments.