Nurses

Aims

The aims of the Nurses Special Interest Group are to:

Provide an international professional network for nurses involved in headache care, research and service provision
Develop and share educational resources, clinical guidance, and best-practice frameworks
Produce consultation papers and position statements on optimal nurse-led and collaborative models of care
Support nursing-led research, audit, and service evaluation
Liaise with patient organisations, charities, and professional groups to promote integrated, holistic care
Contribute regularly to IHS scientific meetings and educational activities

Purpose

The IHS Headache Nurses SIG aims to improve outcomes for people living with headache disorders worldwide by strengthening the role of nurses in evidence-based care, education, research, and service development. The SIG will promote high-quality, person-centred headache care and enhance multidisciplinary collaboration.

Rationale

Nurses play an essential and increasingly complex role in headache services globally, contributing to diagnostic pathways, patient education, treatment delivery, service coordination and leads, research, and long-term management.

The IHS Nurses SIG will strengthen multidisciplinary engagement, support global workforce development, and enhance the dissemination of evidence-based nursing practice and research within the IHS community.

International Forum of Headache Nurses (IFHN)

Founded in 2012 at the International Headache Congress (EHMTIC) in London, IFHN has an established track record of delivering international education and collaboration. Current and ongoing activities include:

Regular and well-attended nursing programmes at international congresses organised by IHS, the European Headache Federation (EHF), and MTIS (see image below)
Presentation and dissemination of nurse-led research, service innovation, quality improvement projects and multidisciplinary practice
Active international engagement with nurses from Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia
International and local educational meetings hosted by specialist headache centres

The IHS Nurses SIG will be developed collaboratively with nursing groups and headache nurse leaders from across the world. IFHN will act as a coordinating and facilitating body, ensuring inclusivity, transparency, and broad international representation, while operating fully within IHS governance frameworks.