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28 October 2026 | Volume 21, Issue 2

Why become an N-ECCO Committee Member? Meet the new Committee Members

Written by
Simona Radice

N-ECCO Committee Chair

For nurses working in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), professional development often extends far beyond the walls of our own hospitals or clinics. N-ECCO offers an opportunity to connect with an international community of nurses who share the same goal: improving the quality of care for people living with IBD. Through education, research, networking, collaboration and the exchange of best practice, N-ECCO provides a platform where nurses can learn from one another while helping to shape the future of IBD nursing.
Committee membership takes this engagement a step further. It provides an opportunity to contribute experience and ideas, and to participate actively in educational initiatives, professional networks and collaborative projects that strengthen the nursing voice in multidisciplinary IBD care.

This year, N-ECCO welcomes two new Committee Members: Matteo Martinato and Tobias Mooslechner.

Matteo Martinato © ECCO

Meet Matteo Martinato

Matteo is joining the N-ECCO Committee, bringing with him his experience of IBD nursing and his desire to contribute to the wider European nursing community.

He has been part of the ECCO family since the beginning, having participated in the first N-ECCO meeting at the second ECCO Congress in Innsbruck, Austria, in March 2007. He served as the Italian national representative for many years and was a member of the ECCO Epidemiology Committee (EPICOM). 

He is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Padua, where he teaches bioethics and research methodology. His research focuses on IBD, particularly patients' knowledge, fatigue and spiritual needs. His first research project, investigating the impact of C. difficile on IBD, was funded by the Italian IBD patients' association (AMICI), and he is currently conducting a N-ECCO grant-funded research project on IBD spiritual needs. He is also set to launch a postgraduate university course in IBD nursing in collaboration with several Italian universities. He worked for several years as a clinical nurse specialist devoted to the training and education of newly diagnosed patients, and as a research nurse in the field of IBD at the University Hospital of Padova.

Matteo's decision to become involved in N-ECCO was driven by a desire to support the international exchange of knowledge, contribute to nursing education, strengthen professional networks and research collaborations, and represent the nursing perspective in IBD care.

As he begins his term, he particularly hopes to support the development of specialist IBD nurse training in Europe and worldwide, with a view to improving care for patients and their families, starting in Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. This illustrates one of N-ECCO's strengths: committee members bring experience from different healthcare systems and professional environments, creating opportunities to learn from one another and translate shared knowledge into locally meaningful practice.

When asked what he would say to another IBD nurse considering getting involved, Matteo reflected: ”Anyone can help. Just think about what you think is need but underrepresented and how you can contribute to fostering N-ECCO”.

Tobias Mooslechner © ECCO

Meet Tobias Mooslechner

Tobias brings another perspective to the Committee, shaped by his own professional journey in IBD nursing: he has been working as a study nurse for a decade at the Medical University of Vienna, contributing to clinical research in the field of IBD. However, his understanding of the IBD nurse role goes well beyond trial procedures. Working as a clinical IBD nurse nowadays he contributes to discussions about multidisciplinary IBD care, he emphasises the importance of nurses providing long-term support and addressing issues that patients may find difficult to discuss, including nutrition, sexuality, pregnancy and the wider impact of IBD on everyday life. His perspective especially focuses on that specially trained nurses are essential to meeting the particular needs of people with IBD and supporting the wider medical team.

Tobias is currently President of CED-Nursing Austria, the Austrian professional association representing nurses specializing in IBD, which fosters nursing education with a national post-graduate program for IBD nurses. Additionally, Tobias is part of an association called DarmPlus - CED-Initiative Österreich, an interdisciplinary Austrian IBD initiative involving patients, nurses, dietitians and physicians focusing on patient education and public awareness.

His decision to join N-ECCO grew from accessing the challenges for both patients and as nurses in the treatment of IBD. Having broad experience on a national level Tobias is more than positive, that this might be fruitful internationally as well. For Tobias, Committee membership offers the possibility of contributing his own experience while at the same time learning from nurses working in different settings across Europe and beyond.

During his term, through his work on the committee, Tobias wants to contribute to promoting basic, advanced, and continuing education for specialized nurses, as well as fostering the network between nurses and thereby enhancing the exchange within this group of specialists. Sharing experiences is a key to success in the professional support of people with IBD and N-ECCO offers a perfect platform for this.

To colleagues wondering whether they should take the next step and become more involved in N-ECCO, Tobias says: “We all share a common goal: improve patient care. This however can only be achieved internationally by understanding different challenges from different areas or regions. Sharing your experience makes you a perfect candidate to help, develop and enhance research and education for nurses around the globe.”

What does N-ECCO Committee membership offer?

The experiences of N-ECCO members demonstrate that Committee Membership is a two-way process: they contribute their clinical and scientific knowledge, ideas and perspectives, but in return they also gain new professional relationships, insights into other healthcare systems and opportunities to develop skills in education, research, leadership and collaboration, from a more “European” perspective.
Joining N-ECCO has been described by previous Committee Members as an opportunity to understand how different healthcare systems approach IBD nursing, contribute to research and consensus work, propose congress topics, participate in educational activities and build connections across Europe. Others have emphasised the importance of advocacy and of sharing experience internationally, enabling nurses to improve outcomes and quality of life for people with IBD.
Matteo and Tobias’s new roles offer them the chance to continue this tradition while bringing fresh perspectives and priorities to the Committee.

Looking forward

N-ECCO depends on the energy, expertise and engagement of nurses who are willing to share their knowledge and remain curious about what they can learn from others. Getting involved can open doors to new collaborations, new ideas and new ways of strengthening IBD nursing practice.

As Matteo and Tobias embark on their journey as N-ECCO Committee Members, we eagerly anticipate their contributions. We also encourage IBD nurses across the ECCO community to engage with N-ECCO activities, share their experiences, and explore ways to get involved.

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