Making an impact at ICN Congress: nursing on the move: knowledge, innovation and vitality was the theme of the International Council of Nurses' Quadrennial Congress in Taipei, Taiwan, last month. New Zealand nurses' contributions were noteworthy.

Taipei, Taiwan, was the setting for the 23rd Quadrennial Congress of the International Council of Nurses (ICN) last month. The people of this fascinating city were enthusiastic hosts to the around 4000 nurses from more than 130 countries.

This may be because it is very important for a country that is largely shut out of international affairs to make the most of its relations with well recognised international bodies such as ICN. Some four million people live in Taipei, which is an exhilarating mixture of Chinese/ American big city living.

NZNO's team comprised president Jane O'Malley, Te Runanga chair Anne McNicol, National Student Unit chair Jacqui Bennetts, professional services manager Joy Bickley Asher and chief executive Geoff Annals. They were kept busy trying to cover numerous concurrent sessions of interest to New Zealand and with an overlapping schedule of meetings prior to the congress itself. These meetings, held over five days, were an International Center of Nursing Ethics workshop, a regulation conference and a meeting of the Council of National Representatives (CNR).

At the CNR meeting, Hiroko Minami was elected the 25th ICN president (see photo and news story, p9). The meeting also elected the new 14-member ICN board of directors, including Australian Royal College of Nursing executive director Rosemary Bryant. She was subsequently elected second vice-president. The board of directors meets between the biennial CNR meetings and acts as the CNR management committee. A number of other points of note arising through the CNR were:

* Debate on a proposed fee increase resulted in a one percent increase in 2006, one percent in 2007 and 1.5 percent in 2008.

* A number of countries belonging to the Commonwealth Nurses' Federation (CNF) approached the NZNO team appealing for us to rejoin the CNF. We explained our reasons for resigning (CNF is not responsive to member country needs; our focus on the South Pacific; our membership of ICN and the South Pacific Nurses' Forum) and met with the new CNF president Susie Kong to discuss these with her directly. While we stood firm on the decision to resign, we agreed to continue dialogue with CNF members.

* The support of NZNO to Pacific countries was acknowledged by the Cook Islands and Fiji. NZNO's contribution to tsunami-affected countries was also acknowledged.

* O'Malley and Annals presented an overview of the fair pay and safe staffing campaigns at the CNR. This was received with considerable interest and numerous requests for further information. The issues NZNO is addressing in these campaigns are common to many countries but NZNO seems to be one of very few that have gone beyond describing the problem to achieve success through an organised membership.

* O'Malley chaired a very successful CNR forum on mental health.

* Nurses from countries hit by the tsunami gave a moving account of its impact.

* An excellent report from the Student Assembly highlighted a lively discussion on the concept of cultural sensitivity and its implications for nursing practice. Participants were challenged to go beyond cultural sensitivity and move toward cultural safety, thus working to empower patients and clients.

Congress highlights

The ICN Congress took place from May 22-26. Some noteworthy points include:

* Keynote address by United Nations Special Envoy Stephen Lewis on the fight to contain HIV/AIDS and the plight, particularly of women, in this tragedy.

* ICN launched an aid project in support of children orphaned by the death of their nurse parents from HIV/AIDS. US$200 a year will support one orphan in Africa.

* The Chief Nurse of Samoa, Pelenatete Stowers, gave a keynote address on the relevance to Samoan society of the Virginia Henderson model of nursing. This was a thoughtful and straightforward presentation that brought a perspective that would resonate with most New Zealand nurses. Stowers also touched on the negative impact of World Bank and International Monetary Fund-driven public sector restructuring in the Pacific.

* The impact of neo-liberal economic reform on South American countries was also highlighted in presentations on nurses' pay and working conditions. Nurses' pay and working conditions are much worse than before the reforms; patient outcomes are much worse and large numbers of nurses are no longer working.

* Many Asian countries are facing similar problems with pay cuts, increasing use of untrained workers and deteriorating safety.

* University of Auckland professor of nursing Frances Hughes gave a keynote address on innovation: a review of literature on the characteristics and nature of innovation.

* Australian Nursing Federation secretary Jill Illife led the affirmative team in a debate for and against the value of nurse/patient ratios and, from the audience response, was clearly judged as having the superior argument.

* Swaziland, United Kingdom and Caribbean nurses' associations each gave a presentation on campaigns to raise the profile and build the power of nurses in their countries, with many parallels and lessons for NZNO.

Further reports from the ICN congress, including Annal's presentation to the regulation conference on a new model of professional regulation, will be published in subsequent issues of Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand.