On behalf of the European Association of Urology Nurses (EAUN), it is my pleasure to invite you to attend the 9th International Meeting of Urological Nurses.  In support of our goal to continually upgrade the nursing skills of our members, the EAUN meeting will be held in conjunction with the 23nd Annual EAU Congress from 26 - 29 March 2008 in Milan, Italy.

Last year the EAUN annual meeting attracted over 240 participants in Berlin, providing strong proof of the growing interest among professional nurses in Europe not only to hone their skills but also share their knowledge with colleagues from more than 25 countries in and outside the region. And to improve standards of urological nursing care, we have lined up state-of-the-art lectures, symposia on various topics, discussions on clinical practices and optional visits to a Milan Hospital, among other activities.

This year we grouped the sessions on incontinence issues on Thursday and on urological cancers on Friday to make it easier for participants to also visit the Milan hospital and the exhibition. On Wednesday, we will introduce our latest “Good Practices in Health Care booklet” which is on Condom Catheters (sponsored by Hollister Europe Ltd.). An interesting new session this year is the “EAUN Nursing Research Competition”. In this session 6 nominees will discuss their research plans with an experienced board and get feedback. The best plan will receive €2,500. The conference will end with the annual general assembly and awards session. However, this year there will be 4 prizes instead of 3. This year we also have a new rule: if you are not present to receive your prize, it will automatically go to the next best poster of oral abstract!

For the first time the meeting will be held in the renowned Italian city of Milan. The congress venue, Milano Convention Centre (MIC), built in 2002 and known as the largest of its kind in Italy, offers premium congress facilities and is easily accessible by public transport. Milan’s historic district, the famed cathedral, La Scala Theatre, Sforza's Castle and the world's top fashion addresses are all easily accessible from the MIC complex. Congress participants will not only have the convenience but will also have the chance to experience Milan's vibrant city life.

As your host I hope you will join us in Milan to learn from experts and share your urological knowledge with others during the sessions. Only by working together can we really improve the standards of practice in urological nursing care throughout Europe.

See you in Milan 2008!

 

 

 

 Bente Thoft Jensen
EAUN Chair