Authors

Laura Pazos Seoane

Position

Enfermera interna residente de Enfermería pediátrica. Hospital Virgen del Rocío. Sevilla.

Contact email: ameliepoulin84@hotmail.com

Abstract

Objective: to identify and conduct a comparison between the professional expectations of Internal Resident Nurses in their first year of the Paediatric Nursing Specialty, and the reality faced by the first class of students who have completed this specialty training in Andalusian hospitals.
Methodology: a descriptive study conducted in hospitals with authorized posts to teach the Paediatric Nursing Specialty in Andalusia. The study population was formed by two groups of residents in their first year of the Paediatric Nursing Specialty in 2013, and Paediatric Nursing specialists who had completed their training on the same year. In order to collect the information, two questionnaires were prepared and validated by an expert committee; the group of residents was asked about their expectations regarding their future specialization, and the group of specialists who had recently completed their training was asked about the reality they had faced once they had completed their training period and had returned to their work activities.
Results: in total, 44 questionnaires were sent: 33 to the group of first year residents, and 11 to the group of specialist nurses. 23 evaluations were collected, 16 from first year residents, and 7 from specialists, which represented a 48% participation by the first group and 63% by the second group. 85.7% of the Paediatric Specialists were working at the time of the study; and out of these, 71.4% were working in the Paediatric area. 100% of specialists feel they are prepared to work independently after completing their training. The major difference in the comparison between both groups was the acknowledgement of these specialists by the rest of professionals, which only reached 28% vs. the 57% expectations by residents.  
Conclusions: working opportunities for these specialists is promising, because their training is valued by the recruitment institutions, mostly by the National Health System. However, the perception by specialists was that users (in this case, the relatives of treated children), and non-specialist professionals still don’t acknowledge completely their competence as expert professionals in Paediatric Nursing.

Keywords:

Paediatric Nursing Specialty; Internal Resident Nurse; expectations; work recruitment

Versión en Español

Título:

Realidad frente a expectativa de los enfermeros internos residentes de la especialidad de Enfermería pediátrica