Authors

1Juana Argomaniz Alutiz, 2Mª Ángeles Cidoncha Moreno, 1Jesús Martín Bezos

Position

¹Diplomada/o en Enfermería. Profesora/or de la EUE de Vitoria-Gasteiz. ²Diplomada en Enfermería. Supervisora del Hospital Santiago Apóstol de Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Contact address

EUE de Vitoria-Gasteiz. C/ José Achótegui, s/n. 01009 Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Contact email: vrparalj@vc.ehu.es

Abstract

The presence of nursing professionals in different social settings or social areas such as patient associations and patient relatives associations is looked upon as a research area for the development of the professional role.

Objectives: to determine the knowledge that the associations have with regards to what the nursing professional can provide them, to know the existence of nursing professionals in the said associations and to identify the most common problems in each association, evaluating whether or not these problems would be the competence of such professionals.

Material and Methods: cross-sectioned descriptive study. Sample: 27 associations of the city of Vitoria. Data compiled from interviews and a self-developed survey administered to the representatives of the associations.

Results: fifteen associations are not aware of what the nurse can provide and ten do not consider it necessary to have a nurse as part of their staff. Only two associations have nurses under contract. The most important problems have to do with psychological support and social integration.

Conclusions: very little participation of nursing professionals in the associations is observed. The image that the nurse is more involved in technical issues prevails. Professionals from other areas are performing duties that should be the responsibility of the nurse.

Keywords:

patient associations; nursing competenceprofessional settings

Versión en Español

Título:

Nuevos ámbitos para la práctica enfermera