Competency Gradients in Advanced Practice Nurses, Specialist Nurses, and Registered Nurses: A Multicentre Cross-Sectional Study.

(1) Background: Identifying differences in the competencies of different areas of nursing is a crucial aspect for determining the scope of practice. This would facilitate the creation of a formal structure for clinical practice in advanced and specialised services. The aims of this study are to analyse the distribution of advanced competencies in registered, specialist and advanced practice nurses in Spain, and to determine the level of complexity of the patients attended by these nurses. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was developed on registered, specialist and advanced practice nurses, all of whom completed an online survey on their perceived level of advanced competencies and their professional characteristics. (3) Results: In total, 1270 nurses completed the survey. Advanced practice nurses recorded the highest self-perceived level of competency, especially for the dimensions of evidence-based practice, autonomy, leadership and care management. (4) Conclusions: Among registered, specialist and advanced practice nurses, there are significant differences in the level of self-perceived competencies. Patients attended by advanced practice nurses presented the highest levels of complexity. Understanding these differences could facilitate the creation of a regulatory framework for clinical practice in advanced and specialized services.

Emotional Intelligence and Perceived Health Related to Expressed Compassion Fatigue: A Study in Health Sector at Regional Level.

Background: The work of health professionals often involves physical as well as psychological strain. They constantly deal with traumatic situations of pain and suffering, which destabilize the sense of well-being. Compassion fatigue is a feeling that appears in these cases and is related to other variables such as burnout or emotional drain. Aims: The principal aim of this project was to deepen the analysis of compassion fatigue and how it could be explained through the relationship with other constructs such as emotional intelligence and perceived health. Methods: This work followed the STROBE checklist for cross-sectional studies. In this study 1,521 nurses (M age = 47.32; SD = 8.44) participated. The responses reported by the nurses were analyzed by classifying them as high or low compassion fatigue and the differences of both groups were analyzed for the variables of emotional intelligence, perceived health and quality of professional life. Results: It was obtained significant differences for all factors except for emotional intelligence factor. A linear regression analysis showed both emotional intelligence and perceived health helped to explain (12%) compassion fatigue. Conclusion: This study provides light on comprehending the conception of compassion fatigue. It highlights the importance of intervention programs that improve the quality of professional life.

Impact of the patient-nurse ratio on health outcomes in public hospitals of the Andalusian Health Service. Ecological study.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the patient-nurse ratio and its association with health outcomes in public hospitals of the Andalusian Health Service (SAS). METHOD: Cross-sectional ecological study carried out in adult units of 26 Andalusian public hospitals. Data on structure (beds, type of unit, nursing control), management (average stay, index of use of stays, complexity index) and nursing staff were collected. They were extracted from official sources: CMBDA, SAS/Health Council (CS) publications and specific respondents to Nursing Directorates. The patient-nurse ratio was calculated and related to 19 indicators of hospital quality, safety, and mortality. Measures of central tendency and Spearman's correlation coefficient were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: A response was obtained from 100% of the Andalusian hospitals. The average patient-nurse ratio in the three shifts was lower in hospitals with a broader portfolio of services-regional scope (11.6), followed by those with a medium portfolio-specialties (12.7) and hospitals with a basic portfolio-county (13.5). By type of unit, the medical units were 11.8 (SD = 1.8) lower than the surgical ones 13.5 (SD = 2.7). Significant differences were only found in medical units of regional hospitals 10.5 (SD = 1.4) and district hospitals 13.03 (SD = 1.46) (p = .001). In critical care, the ratio was greater than 2 patients per nurse in the three groups. When relating the ratio to health outcomes, 5 significant associations were found: pressure ulcers (p = .005), prevalence of nosocomial infections (p = .036), postoperative sepsis (p = .022), zero bacteraemia verification (p = .045) and mortality from heart failure (p = .004). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate a high patient-nurse ratio in adult hospitalization units and that there is a positive association between the patient-nurse ratio and worse results related to nursing care.

[Nurses in the approach to frailty. Reflective analysis on the importance of nursing care in frail elderly.] / Profesionales de enfermería en el abordaje de la fragilidad. Análisis reflexivo sobre la importancia de los cuidados en la atención a la persona mayor frágil.

At present, the definition of frailty provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), which incorporates the concepts of intrinsic capacity and functional capacity, as well as the increasing prevalence of these situations in elderly people, reflect the need to develop intervention strategies in the different health systems to prevent and address frailty. This article analyzes the implication of the nursing role, as well as its framework of action and specific competencies for the prevention and addressing of the health needs related to the frail elderly person.This role is developed through the systematic use of comprehensive assessment, existence of nursing diagnoses related to frailty and its risks and the interventions and outcome criteria related to the care of the frail elderly person. Specifically, this article expose the actions and competences of nurses who carry out their activity in primary care and in the community context, in care programs for the elderly and home care, which involve both the frail elderly person and the people who care for them.

En la actualidad, una mayor unanimidad con la definición de la fragilidad, aportada por la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS), que incorporan los conceptos de capacidad intrínseca (CI) y capacidad funcional (CF), así como la cada vez mayor prevalencia de estas situaciones en la población mayor, reflejan la necesidad de desarrollar estrategias de intervención en los diferentes sistemas sanitarios para prevenir y abordar la fragilidad. En este artículo se analiza la implicación del rol del enfermero, así como su marco de actuación y competencias específicas para la prevención y abordaje de las necesidades y problemas de salud relacionados con la persona mayor frágil, a través del uso sistemático de la valoración integral, la existencia de diagnósticos enfermeros relativos a la fragilidad y sus riesgos y de las intervenciones y criterios de resultados vinculados a los cuidados de la persona mayor frágil. Especialmente, se exponen las actuaciones y competencias de los enfermeros que desarrollan su actividad en atención primaria y el contexto comunitario, en los programas de atención al mayor y atención domiciliaria, que implican tanto a la persona mayor frágil como a las personas que los cuidan.

[Health Exam for Adults Over 65 program in Andalusia: descriptive study of participants.] / Programa examen de salud para personas mayores de 65 años en Andalucía: estudio descriptivo de participantes.

OBJECTIVE: The Health Exam for Adults Over 65 (EdS65+) is a health promotion program delivered in Primary Care (PC) settings in Andalusia. It seeks early detection of frailty and implementation of person-centered biopsychosocial intervention plans. The aim of the study was to describe the characteristics and functional capacity of the participating population, as well as the interventions carried out. METHODS: The sample consists of EdS65+ participants between May 2018 and February 2020 (203,077 individuals). Sociodemographic variables, functional capacity and implemented interventions were collected. Descriptive statistics were obtained and significance tests were performed to measure the sample representativeness and to detect statistically significant differences in the study variables according to sex, age or degree of urbanization. RESULTS: Functional capacity screening results were as follows: autonomous individuals accounted for 61.8%, 22.5% were dependent, 8.2% were pre-fragile, 4.8% were frail and 2.6% were categorized with low dependency. The prevalence of frailty ranged from 1.8% in persons aged 65-69 years to 7.7% in 80-84 years, with overall prevalence of 6.8% in women and 2.1% in men. In the frail population, a basic assessment was performed in 45.4% of cases, health promotion counseling in 55.2%, and prescription of a physical activity program in 43.3% of cases. A total of 19.6% of participants had one or more follow-ups and of these, 13.7% had two or more. CONCLUSIONS: EdS65+ is a unique program in Europe in terms of its long-term implementation and large-scale application in Primary Care services. Hence, the results presented in this study are valuable in growing the knowledge base around frailty and the design and implementation of actions aimed at proactive health promotion and disease prevention.

OBJETIVO: El Examen de Salud para mayores de 65 años (EdS65+) es un programa de promoción de la salud contextualizado en la Atención Primaria (AP) de Andalucía. Busca detectar precozmente la fragilidad y determinar planes de intervención biopsicosociales centrados en la persona. El objetivo del estudio fue describir las características y la capacidad funcional de la población participante, así como las intervenciones realizadas. METODOS: Muestra formada por participantes en EdS65+ entre mayo 2018 y febrero 2020 (203.077 personas). Se recogieron variables sociodemográficas, de capacidad funcional e intervenciones realizadas. Se obtuvieron estadísticos descriptivos y se realizaron pruebas de significación para medir la representatividad de la muestra y detectar diferencias estadísticamente significativas de las variables de estudio según sexo, edad o grado de urbanización. RESULTADOS: Las personas autónomas representaron el 61,8%, seguido del 22,5% de dependientes, 8,2% prefrágiles, 4,8% frágiles y 2,6% con baja dependencia. La prevalencia de fragilidad fue desde el 1,8% en personas de 65-69 años al 7,7% en 80-84 años, del 6,8% en mujeres y del 2,1% en hombres. En población frágil se realizó una valoración básica en el 45,4%, asesoramiento en promoción de la salud en el 55,2% y prescripción de un programa de actividad física en el 43,3%. Un 19,6% tuvo uno o más seguimientos y, de ellos, un 13,7% tuvo dos o más. CONCLUSIONES: El EdS65+ es un programa único en Europa en cuanto a su implementación a largo plazo y su aplicación a gran escala en los servicios de Atención Primaria, lo que hace que los resultados presentados en este estudio aporten gran valor al conocimiento de la fragilidad y al diseño y puesta en marcha de actuaciones dirigidas a la promoción proactiva de la salud y la prevención de la enfermedad.

Impact of the patient-nurse ratio on health outcomes in public hospitals of the Andalusian Health Service. Ecological Study. / Impacto de la ratio paciente-enfermera en los resultados de salud en los hospitales públicos del Servicio Andaluz de Salud. Estudio ecológico.

AIM: To analyse the patient-nurse ratio and its association with health outcomes in public hospitals of the Andalusian Health Service (SAS). METHOD: Cross-sectional ecological study carried out in adult units of 26 Andalusian public hospitals. Data on structure (beds, type of unit, nursing control), management (average stay, index of use of stays, complexity index) and nursing staff were collected. They were extracted from official sources: CMBDA, SAS/Health Council (CS) publications and specific respondents to Nursing Directorates. The patient-nurse ratio was calculated and related to 19 indicators of hospital quality, safety, and mortality. Measures of central tendency and Spearman's correlation coefficient were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: A response was obtained from 100% of the Andalusian hospitals. The average patient-nurse ratio in the three shifts was lower in hospitals with a broader portfolio of services-regional scope (11.6), followed by those with a medium portfolio-specialties (12.7) and hospitals with a basic portfolio- county (13.5). By type of unit, the medical units were 11.8 (SD=1.8) lower than the surgical ones 13.5 (SD=2.7). Significant differences were only found in medical units of regional hospitals 10.5 (SD=1.4) and district hospitals 13.03 (SD=1.46) (p=.001). In critical care, the ratio was greater than 2 patients per nurse in the three groups. When relating the ratio to health outcomes, 5 significant associations were found: pressure ulcers (p=.005), prevalence of nosocomial infections (p=.036), postoperative sepsis (p=.022), zero bacteraemia verification (p=.045) and mortality from heart failure (p=.004). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate a high patient-nurse ratio in adult hospitalization units and that there is a positive association between the patient-nurse ratio and worse results related to nursing care.

The implementation of the Mental Health Nursing Specialty in Andalusia. A community approach. / La implantación de la especialidad de Enfermería de Salud Mental en Andalucía desde un enfoque comunitario.

Health systems have a responsibility to respond to the new health needs of the population, which are characterized by factors such as aging, chronicity and/or dependency situations and which requires quality and specialized care adapted to different areas where care is provided, care offered by trained and increasingly qualified professionals to improve the health outcomes of the caregivers. In 2016, in Andalusia the regulatory framework by which is created the statutory professional category of nurse/specialists is published, including the specialty of Mental Health Nursing in the Andalusian Health Service. In the field of Mental Health, the development of this normative framework and the definition and occupation of positions, will allow the health system to combine the role of nurse specialist nurses with that of nurses who provide general care, registered nurses, in order to advance in the best response to the health needs of citizens in this area of care. The development of the specialty will be an added value both to improve the health outcomes of people with mental health problems, and to improve the quality of care, efficiency and sustainability of health systems.

Competences of specialist nurses and advanced practice nurses. / Competencias en enfermeras Especialistas y en Enfermeras de Práctica Avanzada.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the distribution of advanced competences in specialist nurses and advanced practice nurses and to evaluate their association with some characteristics of their professional profile. METHOD: Multicentre analytical cross-sectional study. Nurses who worked as advanced practice nurses and specialist nurses were included. Their level of perceived advanced competences was measured, as well as sociodemographic and professional characterization variables. RESULTS: A total of 277 nurses participated (149 practised as advanced practice nurses and 128 as specialists), with an average of 13.88 (11.05) years as a specialist and 10.48 (5.32) years as an advanced practice nurse. In the sample, 28.8% had a master's or doctorate level qualification, 50.2% worked in Primary Care, 24.9% in hospitals and 22.7% in Mental Health. The self-perceived global level was high in the different competences, the lowest dimensions being research, evidence-based practice, quality and safety management and leadership and consulting. The advanced practice nurses obtained a higher level of competence globally and in the dimensions of leadership and consulting, interprofessional relations, care management, and health promotion. There were no differences based on experience or possession of a master's degree or doctorate. In the advanced practice nurses, the practice context did not influence competence levels, although in the specialist nurses it did, in favour of those practicing in Mental Health. CONCLUSIONS: Specialist and advanced practice nurses have different competences that should be adequately managed for the development of advanced and specialist nursing services.

Competential development of nurses in the public health system of Andalucía. / Desarrollo competencial de las enfermeras en el sistema sanitario público de Andalucía.

The socio-demographic and epidemiological changes of our environment are characterized by an increase in aging, chronic illness, comorbidities and with it, a progressive escalation of the demand for care. These new demands and expectations of citizenship are accompanied by an evolution of health systems (technological advances, complexity of the healthcare network, limited resources), the need to develop new roles and competence in care, together with the opportunity that full academic development implies: Nursing undergraduate and posgraduate degrees. This is why, at present, it is necessary to reorient care models in order to achieve health care for more agile, efficient and better quality care processes, adapted to the needs and expectations of citizens and to the sustainability of health systems. The Public Health System of Andalusia (SSPA) has developed, in recent decades, different nursing roles that include new competences, with the aim of responding to the needs of citizens. The objective of this article is to present how the competences development framework of nurses has been configured in the SSPA, which also integrates advanced skills in care and advanced practice profiles (Clinical Nurse Specialists and Advanced practice nurses).

[Health care based on cooperation between professionals and affected people]. / La atención sanitaria basada en la cooperación entre profesionales y personas afectadas.

The purpose of this article is to support the need for a change of care, based on cooperation between those who provide care and those who receive it. This article develops the decisive factors for change: the investee cooperation, the reference in case management, the concept of recovery and terminal care, the reduction of suffering and the value of change reflected in the 'win-win'. In each of them a questioning of the current situation, a methodological analysis and an input of tools and consequences of the change is made. To conclude, the article incorporates the 'itinerary of shared care' as a resource and one of the ways to bring these changes to the reality of day-to-day care.

Design and validation of the INICIARE instrument, for the assessment of dependency level in acutely ill hospitalised patients.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to establish the validity and reliability of an instrument (Inventario del NIvel de Cuidados mediante IndicAdores de clasificación de Resultados de Enfermería) used to assess the dependency level in acutely hospitalised patients. This instrument is novel, and it is based on the Nursing Outcomes Classification. BACKGROUND: Multiple existing instruments for needs assessment have been poorly validated and based predominately on interventions. Standardised Nursing Languages offer an ideal framework to develop nursing sensitive instruments. DESIGN: A cross-sectional validation study in two acute care hospitals in Spain. METHODS: This study was implemented in two phases. First, the research team developed the instrument to be validated. In the second phase, the validation process was performed by experts, and the data analysis was conducted to establish the psychometric properties of the instrument. RESULTS: Seven hundred and sixty-one patient ratings performed by nurses were collected during the course of the research study. Data analysis yielded a Cronbach's alpha of 0·91. An exploratory factorial analysis identified three factors (Physiological, Instrumental and Cognitive-behavioural), which explained 74% of the variance. CONCLUSIONS: Inventario del NIvel de Cuidados mediante IndicAdores de clasificación de Resultados de Enfermería was demonstrated to be a valid and reliable instrument based on its use in acutely hospitalised patients to assess the level of dependency. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Inventario del NIvel de Cuidados mediante IndicAdores de clasificación de Resultados de Enfermería can be used as an assessment tool in hospitalised patients during the nursing process throughout the entire hospitalisation period. It contributes information to support decisions on nursing diagnoses, interventions and outcomes. It also enables data codification in large databases.

[Personalizing nursing care. An action research approach]. / La Investigación Acción Participativa.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the nursing care personalization process in hospitalization units. METHODS: An action research was performed at hospitalization units selected by a convenience sample which guaranteed to carry it out. This process took five phases: approach and awareness, induction, interaction, implementation, and systematization. RESULTS: 18 units started the personalization process but 2 did not finish it. A synthesis of the most relevant results from each phase is presented, including the arguments to make professionals participate in this action research, qualities needed to provide a humanized care, difficulties and facilities, targets, strategies and evaluation of this nursing care personalization process. CONCLUSION: Action research let professionals improved the personalization of the nursing care they provide at their hospitalization units, from strategies adapted to their particular contexts so as to advance to the targets they expected.