Abstract
Background: The elderly population and life expectancy has increased today and nursing care for old people includes today's care for more frail older people with limited capability due to many diseases. Health care professionals need to have a certain level of clinical competence to identify diseases and symptoms of the elderly at an early stage and to assess and give good nursing care to clients with different diseases. Nursing care in Finland is based on evidence-based nursing care and high quality, but the inspection visits by National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health did show many disproportions for the health care professionals’ clinical competence, lack of staff, and for a continuous and adequate education.
Aim: The aim of the study was to map the healthcare professionals, existing clinical competence, and decision-making skills in nursing homes in Finland and to study the association between healthcare professionals’ clinical competence and relevant background factors.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was done with 337 health care professionals in 50 nursing homes in the western part of Finland. The validated Ms. Olsen test questionnaire was used as an instrument and statistical analyses were conducted with descriptive statistics, cut-off, and correlations for clinical competence.
Results: The study shows there are gaps in the health care professionals’ clinical competence in elderly care in the western part of Finland. The Ms. Olsen test showed that only 24% of the RNs and 30% of the PNs passed the accepted score for the clinical competence test. Anyhow, almost all (98.9%) respondents evaluated themselves to have pretty good to very good clinical competence, which is a big difference from the result presented in the Ms. Olsen test. Terveysportti/Käypähoito is used on daily basis by 7.4% and weekly by 30% of the respondents. A statistically significant correlation was found between health care professionals who are Swedish native speakers, have Swedish as a working language, and their score for clinical competence. No significant correlations were found between the healthcare professionals' clinical competence and using Terveysportti/Käypähoito. Previous research argues for continuous education will enhance health care professionals’ status and clinical competence; however, the result of our study shows continuous education is not prioritized.
Aim: The aim of the study was to map the healthcare professionals, existing clinical competence, and decision-making skills in nursing homes in Finland and to study the association between healthcare professionals’ clinical competence and relevant background factors.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was done with 337 health care professionals in 50 nursing homes in the western part of Finland. The validated Ms. Olsen test questionnaire was used as an instrument and statistical analyses were conducted with descriptive statistics, cut-off, and correlations for clinical competence.
Results: The study shows there are gaps in the health care professionals’ clinical competence in elderly care in the western part of Finland. The Ms. Olsen test showed that only 24% of the RNs and 30% of the PNs passed the accepted score for the clinical competence test. Anyhow, almost all (98.9%) respondents evaluated themselves to have pretty good to very good clinical competence, which is a big difference from the result presented in the Ms. Olsen test. Terveysportti/Käypähoito is used on daily basis by 7.4% and weekly by 30% of the respondents. A statistically significant correlation was found between health care professionals who are Swedish native speakers, have Swedish as a working language, and their score for clinical competence. No significant correlations were found between the healthcare professionals' clinical competence and using Terveysportti/Käypähoito. Previous research argues for continuous education will enhance health care professionals’ status and clinical competence; however, the result of our study shows continuous education is not prioritized.
| Translated title of the contribution | Den kliniska kompetensen hos hälso- och sjukvårdspersonal är relativt låg i finländska vårdhem |
|---|---|
| Original language | Finnish |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 8 Feb 2023 |
| MoE publication type | D6 Edited professional books |