The Estonian Nurses Union is the largest professional and trade union in the field of nursing in Estonia. The mission of the Union is to promote people-centred change in healthcare.

We strive to have enough well-trained nurses, specialist nurses and professional care workers to ensure the accessibility of healthcare services everywhere in Estonia. It is very important for us that the division of labour among healthcare workers is reasonable, corresponds to their training, offers opportunities for development and maintains the health of the team members. 

We base our activities on four core values: professionalism, care, a people-centred approach and cooperation. 

The daily work of the Estonian Nurses Union is managed by a six-member board, which includes the president, vice president and heads of the four regions. The work of the board is directed by a council that includes up to 25 members.

The Union includes seven professional associations: the mental health nursing association, the clinical nursing association, the health nursing association, the intensive care nursing association, the dental nursing association, the care worker association and the student nurses’ association.

The purpose of the associations is to develop their field both within the association and at the national level. The associations organise training, discussions, and more for their members. The members of the associations represent the Union as experts in national developments, in working groups for treatment guides, etc. 

The Estonian Nurses Union takes part in the activities of the International Council of Nurses and the European Federation of Nurses Associations.

The non-profit Estonian Nurses Union was founded in 1998. The Union is the legal successor organisation of the Estonian Nurses Association, which was founded in 1923.

The international cooperation of the Estonian Nurses Union is overseen by Vice President Gerli Liivet, gerli.liivet@ena.ee.