No L 176/8 Official Journal of the European Communities . 15.7.77 COUNCIL DIRECTIVE of 27 June 1977 concerning the coordination of provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in respect of the activities of nurses responsible for general care (77/453/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular-Articles 49, 57, 66 and 235 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parlia- ment (') Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (), . Whereas, with- a view to achieving the mutual recog- nition of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications of nurses responsible for general care laid down in Council Directive 77/452/EEC (®), the comparable nature of training courses in the Member States enables coordination in this field to be confined to the requirement that minimum stan- dards be observed, which then leaves the Member States freedom of organization as regards teaching: Whereas the coordination envisaged by this Directive does not exclude any subsequent coordination; Whereas the coordination envisaged by this Directive covers the professional training of nurses responsible for general care; whereas, as far as training is con- cerned, most Member States do not at present distinguish between nurses who pursue their ac- tivities as employed persons and those who are selt-employed; whereas for this reason and in order to encourage as far as possible the free movement of professional persons within the Community, it appears necessary to extend the application of this Directive to emploved nurses, () OJ No C 65, 5. 6. 1970, p. 12. ) O] No C 108, 26. 8. 1970, p. 23. (®) See page 1 of this Official Journal. HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: Article 1 1. Member States shall make the award of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of the formal quali- fications of nurses responsible for general care as specified in Article 3. of Directive 77/452/EEC subject to passing an examination which guarantees that during ‘his training period the person concerned has’ acquired: (a) adequate knowledge of the sciences on which general nursing is based, including sufficient understanding of : the structure, physiological functions and behaviour of healthy. and sick persons, and of-the relationship between the state of health and the physical and social environment of the human-being; (b) sufficient knowledge of the naturc and ethics of the profession and of the general principles of health and nursing; (¢c) adequate clinical experience; such experience, which should be selected for its training value, should be gained under the supervision of qualified nursing staff and in places where the number of qualified staff and equipment are appropriate for the nursing care of the patients; (d) the ability to participate in the practical training of health personnel and experience of working with such personnel; (e) experience of working with members of other professions in the health sector. 2. The training referred to in paragraph 1 shall include at least: (a) a general school education of 10 years' duration attested by a diploma, certificate or other formal qualification awarded by the competent auth- orities or bodies in a Member State, or a certificate resulting from a qualifying examination of an equivalent standard for entrance to a nurses’ training school;