Registered nurses' views on nursing competence at residential facilities

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to describe registered nurses' (RNs') ways of working and their views on what competence they require, make use of and wish to develop when caring for older people at residential facilities.

Design/methodology/approach

The participants comprised 23 RNs, trained after 1993 and working at seven residential facilities. The data collection consists of group interviews during spring 2009. The group interviews were subjected to content analysis.

Findings

Three main categories and six sub‐categories were identified. The findings show that the majority of RNs work in a consultative way although they are responsible for basic care as well as advanced nursing care. They must rely on the staff's competence. They compare the residential facilities to a “mini‐hospital” and they are often frustrated by the staff's incompetence. Attitudes to research findings and to the use of evidence‐based knowledge were limited.

Research limitations/implications

RNs require extensive theoretical, technical and medical knowledge as well as knowledge related to persons with dementia conditions and psychiatric disorders and how to lead, teach and supervise.

Practical implications

Social and professional isolation influences competence development and working situation and the differences in leadership influence the quality of nursing care. RNs do not critically reflect on what knowledge they require and make use of and how to search for scientific knowledge and this will have a negative influence on the attitude to the competence.

Originality/value

There is a need of extensive and varied knowledge in evidence‐based nursing as well as in leadership and teaching to be able to work independently.

Citation

Furåker, C. and Agneta, N. (2013), "Registered nurses' views on nursing competence at residential facilities", Leadership in Health Services, Vol. 26 No. 2, pp. 135-147. https://doi.org/10.1108/17511871311319722