Transformation of nursing care for a sustainable future - education and task shifting

    Authors

    Keywords

    lack of health personnel, task shifting, future of nursing

    DOI

    https://doi.org/10.15836/ccar2024.653

    Full Text

    The lack of health personnel in Europe, worldwide, and our country is a negative trend that requires solutions to prevent long-term consequences. Considering the demographic and epidemiological trends from the future perspective, a multidimensional problem will likely await us. Elaboration Due to the ageing population, the proportion of diseases increases, and the proportion of technological development increases as well. This will result in a changed approach in clinical practice and, thus, increased demands regarding the work of all health professionals. There is a shortage of health personnel in all EU member states. Some countries (Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Iceland...) have implemented the so-called ‘task shifting’, increasing the availability of health services and providing solutions regarding the deficit of health professionals. (1) In these countries, non-medical health workers with higher education are significantly represented. Examples of today’s nursing practice in developed countries of Europe and the world support this. An efficient healthcare system needs the stability of available personnel with adequate skills in the right place at the right time. For example, some specific tasks are transferred from doctors to workers with bachelor’s or master’s degrees in health fields, having the specific knowledge and skills. Today, the education of nurses is experiencing the most significant changes. In many countries, education and development of specific clinical competencies in nursing lead to the transfer of certain competencies from doctors to nurses. (2) In this way, nursing is critical in specific care segments because nurses can significantly reduce the disease burden as they are the most numerous professionals.

    Literature

    1. Aithal A, Aithal PS. ABCD Analysis of Task shifting – an optimum Alternative Solution to Professional Healthcare Personnel Shortage. International Journal of Health Sciences and Pharmacy. 2017;1(2):36–51. Available at. https://doi.org/10.47992/IJHSP.2581.6411.0017
    2. Joshi R, Alim M, Kengne AP, Jan S, Maulik PK, Peiris D, et al. Task shifting for non-communicable disease management in low and middle income countries--a systematic review. PLoS One. 2014 August 14;9(8):e103754. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0103754
    Cardiologia Croatica
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    Transformation of nursing care for a sustainable future - education and task shifting

    Extended Abstract
    Issue11-12
    Published
    Pages653
    PDF via DOIhttps://doi.org/10.15836/ccar2024.653
    lack of health personnel
    task shifting
    future of nursing

    Authors

    Marica Komosar-Cvetković*ORCIDThalassoterapia Opatija, Special hospital for medical rehabilitation of heart, lung and rheumatic diseases, Opatija, Croatia
    Irena Kužet-MiokovićORCIDThalassoterapia Opatija, Special hospital for medical rehabilitation of heart, lung and rheumatic diseases, Opatija, Croatia
    Samanta VukovićORCIDThalassoterapia Opatija, Special hospital for medical rehabilitation of heart, lung and rheumatic diseases, Opatija, Croatia
    Kristina MarićORCIDThalassoterapia Opatija, Special hospital for medical rehabilitation of heart, lung and rheumatic diseases, Opatija, Croatia

    *Correspondence email: komosar.marica@gmail.com

    Full Text

    The lack of health personnel in Europe, worldwide, and our country is a negative trend that requires solutions to prevent long-term consequences. Considering the demographic and epidemiological trends from the future perspective, a multidimensional problem will likely await us. Elaboration Due to the ageing population, the proportion of diseases increases, and the proportion of technological development increases as well. This will result in a changed approach in clinical practice and, thus, increased demands regarding the work of all health professionals. There is a shortage of health personnel in all EU member states. Some countries (Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Iceland...) have implemented the so-called ‘task shifting’, increasing the availability of health services and providing solutions regarding the deficit of health professionals. (1) In these countries, non-medical health workers with higher education are significantly represented. Examples of today’s nursing practice in developed countries of Europe and the world support this. An efficient healthcare system needs the stability of available personnel with adequate skills in the right place at the right time. For example, some specific tasks are transferred from doctors to workers with bachelor’s or master’s degrees in health fields, having the specific knowledge and skills. Today, the education of nurses is experiencing the most significant changes. In many countries, education and development of specific clinical competencies in nursing lead to the transfer of certain competencies from doctors to nurses. (2) In this way, nursing is critical in specific care segments because nurses can significantly reduce the disease burden as they are the most numerous professionals.

    Literature

    1. 1.
      Aithal A, Aithal PS. ABCD Analysis of Task shifting – an optimum Alternative Solution to Professional Healthcare Personnel Shortage. International Journal of Health Sciences and Pharmacy. 2017;1(2):36–51. Available at.DOI
    2. 2.
      Joshi R, Alim M, Kengne AP, Jan S, Maulik PK, Peiris D, et al. Task shifting for non-communicable disease management in low and middle income countries--a systematic review. PLoS One. 2014 August 14;9(8):e103754.DOI