About NNF

The Nordic Nurses’ Federation (NNF) objectives and field of work

The Nordic Nurses’ Federation (NNF) is a cooperative organization which embodies six member associations across the Nordics. The NNF discusses areas of common interest regarding the profession and public policy. The NNF represents more than 320,000 nurses and collaborates actively on behalf of its members. The organization’s area of focus include:

  • Development of nurses’ competences and functional area
  • Improvement and maintenance of a high quality of nursing services
  • Appreciation of the nursing profession represented by appropriate wages and working conditions
  • Influence on decision making regarding development of health care and health care policies
  • Coordination of the associated member organizations’ efforts in Nordic European and international fora


The NNF’s history

The Nordic Nurses’ Federation (NNF) has a long history. The idea of a Nordic cooperation emerged already in 1912 during the International Council of Nurses (ICN) congress in Cologne. However, the establishment of the Nordic collaboration project was delayed due to the First World War and became a reality in 1920 when the first congress was held in Copenhagen. During the first couple of years, the collaboration included only the Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish association of nurses. In 1923, the Icelandic association of nurses becomes an associated member of the NNF. The Faroese association of nurses joins the collaboration in 1998.

In the beginning, the NNF focused primarily on training of nurses in the Nordic countries. Nurses across the Nordics battled for a three-year long formal education. In the 1950s, the NNF initiated the first discussions regarding nursing sciences, and it later became the key issue for NNF. Consequently, the NNF started publishing the research journal “Vård i Norden” in the fall of 1981. Since 2014, the journal has been published by Vårdförbundet in cooperation with the Swedish Sjuksköterskeförening.

Today, the NNF holds board meetings at least twice a year. The discussions at the meetings include national and international matters of importance to the organisations’ members.

Ethical guidelines for nursing research in the Nordic countries

The board members

The Nordic Nurses’ Federation (NNF) is a collaboration between nurses organizations in the Nordic countries. The board of the NNF includes: