By joining the European Union in 2013 Republic of Croatia has got the opportunity to integrate with other member states in various aspects of society including health care and nursing. Nursing care has been an essential part of a health care system carried out by nurses. Organisation of nursing care in Croatia and other member states is being carried out on every level of a health care system. This paper analyzes recent professional and scientific literature and legislation in Croatia and the EU. Review of the organisation and the state of nursing care in Croatia and other member states in the EU is based on reports and studies of nursing care. Nurses account for 46% of health care employees in Croatia. In 2014 a total of 35 033 nurses was employed in Croatia. 60% of them were employed in clinical institutions, while around 20% worked in primary health care. This paper reviews the organisation of health care and nursing system in eight EU member states. By analyzing nursing staff figures in the EU 28, Croatia takes the 22nd place with 526 nurses per 100 000 population. Since the average number of nurses in the EU 28 is 801 per 100 000 population, Croatia lies below the majority of EU member states according to that indicator. Great Britain, Poland, Lithuania and Austria have comparable numbers of nursing staff as Croatia, while Croatia has a relatively smaller number of nursing staff as compared to most neighbouring countries. Efficient, sustainable and quality health care system requires the resolution of nursing staff problems. The biggest problems in the organisation of nursing care in most EU member states as well as in Croatia are the shortage of nursing staff, increased needs for special nursing care, dissatisfaction with working conditions and low wages.