Projects

This research area started in early 1990 by establishing an evaluative instrument for evaluating the competence of health care educators, in the doctoral thesis of docent Leena Salminen in 2000: Hoitotyön opettajan muotokuva; Portrait of nurse teachers – requirements for teachers evaluated, see the abstract. Since that, the instrument has been used and developed for evaluate the competence and work of health care educators.

The research is carried out in co-operation with all five Finnish universities, where nursing science is taught and where health care educators are educated. Members of the national research group:

Published doctoral dissertations

Leena Salminen. 2000. Hoitotyön opettajan muotokuva; Portrait of nurse teachers – requirements for teachers evaluated.

Publications of the research project

CURRENT PhD STUDENT

Pia Lahtinen: European health care educator education

National research group

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Leena Salminen, PhD, RN, PHN, Professor, University Lecturer
leena.kaarina.salminen@utu.fi

The research is carried out in co-operation with all five Finnish universities, where nursing science is taught and where health care educators are educated.
Members of the national research group:

• University of Turku: Leena Salminen, Professor; Helena Leino-Kilpi, Professor
• University of Kuopio: Terhi Saaranen, Docent
• University of Oulu: Maria Kääriäinen, Professor; Marjorita Sirmunen, Docent; Kristina Mikkonen, PhD
• University of Tampere: Meeri Koivula, Docent
• Åbo Akademi University: Camilla Koskinen, Docent
• University of Jyväskylä: Tuulikki Sjögren, PhD

The aim of this three phased research and innovation project is to improve and unify the nurse educator education within Europe. The purpose of the first phase of the project is to explore and describe the education and competence of nurse educators within Europe and to find out the areas with most need for improvement in nurse educator education and continuing professional education of the educators. The purpose of the second phase of the project is to develop, implement and evaluate an international nurse educator study program worth 30 ECTS. The purpose of the third phase of the research project is to form common recommendations for nurse educator education and write a handbook for nurse educators in Europe.

This research and innovation project is a European collaboration project between six countries and seven universities. The partners in the project are University of Turku and University of Eastern Finland from Finland, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Humboldt University of Berlin from Germany, The University of Edinburgh from Scotland, University of Malta from Malta, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra from Slovakia and International University of Catalunya from Spain.

The project was launched in September 2020. All the partner countries were members of the European Union at the time of the initiation of the project. EU Directive 2005/36/EC, Directive 2013/55/EU and the European Qualifications Framework (EC 2008) guide nursing education. The project is co-funded by Erasmus+ of the European Union.

» Future Recommendations for Nurse Educators

» Download Empowering Future Nurse Educators Handbook

» See project page of New Nurse Educator

The project aims at up-skilling and re-skilling the health care workforce in the cancer care setting. The consortium consists of the following partners: Turku University of Applied Sciences, Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare (THL), University of Turku, European Oncology Nursing Society, European Cancer Organisation, University of Galway, Tallinn Health Care College, Turku University Hospital, Varsinais-Suomen hyvinvointialue, Institute Oncologic “Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuta” Cluj-Napoca, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Catalan Institute of Oncology, National Cancer Control Programme Ireland, Cancer Society of Finland CSF, Health Campus Turku and FICAN West.

» See project page of DigiCanTrain

The foundation of this research project was laid in the doctoral thesis (2016) of the PI Sanna Koskinen. The starting points of this research project are a novel, evidence-based educational programme Learning with Older People Programme (LOPP) and Nursing Students’ Interest in Nursing Older People Scale (SINOPS) developed and tested in the doctoral thesis. In this research project, it is hypothesized that the involvement of older people in nursing students’ learning increases their understanding of and interest in working in older people nursing (OPN).

Nursing students are part of the future healthcare workforce; thus, being aware of their career intentions and interest in working in OPN give valuable insights to nursing education and practice. Valid and reliable instruments are needed to measure these aspects. New partnerships between older people and nursing education are also needed to meet the workforce demands in OPN due to ageing population, to strengthen professional nursing and to secure the quality of patient care for older people.

Currently, this research project consists of two parts. In the first part, new educational partnership is developed between older people in institutional care and nursing education. This study is financed by the Finnish Cultural Foundation (2016). In the second part, a shorter version of the Students’ Interest in Nursing Older People (SINOPS) instrument is developed and validated for the national and international use.

The Bachelor and Master students of Nursing Science, if you are interested in conducting your thesis related to these topics, please feel free to contact PI Sanna Koskinen smtkos@utu.fi for the exchange of thoughts about the tentative topic and supervision. Similarly, national and international scholars with similar research interests, you are welcome to make contact to discuss a possible collaboration opportunity.

Research team

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher Sanna Koskinen
smtkos@utu.fi
Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku

​Senior researchers

PhD, Professor Helena Leino-Kilpi
helena.leino-kilpi@utu.fi
Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku

PhD, Docent, University Lecturer Leena Salminen
leesalmi@utu.fi
Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku

PhD, Docent, Principal Lecturer Arja Suikkala
arja.suikkala@utu.fi
Nursing and Health Promotion, Diaconia University of Applied Sciences

​The study focuses on competence of nursing students at the point of graduation and in early years of practice in Europe. This post doc study is continuation of PhD study (Kajander-Unkuri 2015), where competence of graduating nursing students with related factors was evaluated in Finland as an outcome of nurse education. The study is an independent part of the project PROCOMPnurse (principal investigator professor Helena Leino-Kilpi, PhD) in University of Turku, Department of Nursing Science

This study will produce new knowledge about the competence during transition period from nurse education to early years of practice in Europe. The aim of this study is to evaluate the nurse competence of GNSs at the point of graduation and competence of NGNs in early years of practice in Europe and to identify factors related to nurse competence.

This study has started in 2017. There are several partners from Europe, where we are collecting the data (Czech Republic, Finland, Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain). In all these countries nurse education is guided by EU Directives (2005/36/EC and 2013/55/EU) and its competence requirements.

Head of the Programme

Satu Kajander-Unkuri
Post doc researcher
sahaka@utu.fi

Research team University of Turku, Department of Nursing Science

Researchers

• Helena Leino-Kilpi, ​Professor
• Satu Kajander-Unkuri, PhD, post-doc researcher
• Leena Salminen, Professor
• Riitta Suhonen, Professor
• Eliisa Löyttyniemi, MSc Mathematics, Biostatistician (Department of Clinical Medicine / Biostatistics)

Graduates

• Linda Hublin, MNSc
• Johanna Simon-Bellamy, MNSc
• Eija Tarri, MNSc

International research team

• Renata Zelenikova, PhD (Czech Republic)
• Alvisa Palese, PhD (Italy: Udine)
• Anna Brugnolli, PhD (Italy: Verona)
• Marilia dos Santos Rua, PhD (Portugal: Aveiro)
• Célia Simão de Oliveira, PhD (Portugal: Lisbon)
• Jana Nemcová, PhD (Slovakia)
• Laura Visiers Jiménez, PhD  (Spain: Madrid)

Other members

• Riitta Meretoja, Professor
• Liisa Kuokkanen, PhD
• Camilla Strandell-Laine, PhD

Publications

» Publications (pdf)

A Peer-reviewed scientific articles

A1 Journal article (refereed), original research

• Zeleníková R, Štureková L, Bujok P, Jarošová D, Kajander-Unkuri, S. 2024. Validity and reliability of the Czech version of the Clinical Learning Environment and Supervision (CLES) scale. Teaching and Learning in nursing, 19(1), e201–e207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.teln.2023.10.021
• Koskinen S, Brugnolli A, Fuster-Linares P, Hourican S, Istomina N, Leino-Kilpi H, Löyttyniemi E, Nemcová J, Meyer G, Simão de Oliveira C, Palese A, Rua M, Salminen L, Sveinsdóttir H, VisiersJiménez L, Zeleníková R, Kajander-Unkuri S. 2023. A successful nursing education promotes newly graduated nurses’ job satisfaction one year after graduation: A cross-sectional multi-country study. BMC Nursing 22, Article 269. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01438-y
• Zeleníková R, Gurková E, Pěrůžková R, Štureková L, Jarošová D, Kajander-Unkuri S. 2023. Selfassessed competence of final-year nursing students. Nursing Open, 10(7), 4607–4618. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1708
• Turjamaa R, Simon-Bellamy J, Salminen L, Löyttyniemi E, Kajander-Unkuri S. 2022. Graduating nursing students’ competence in nursing patients with acute coronary syndrome. Central European Journal of Nursing and Midwifery, 13 (4), 741–753. https://doi.org/10.15452/CEJNM.2022.13.0007
• Pěrůžková R, Zeleníková R, Gurková E, Kajander-Unkuri S, Štureková L, Jarošová D. 2022. Adaptation and psychometric analysis of the Czech version of the Nurse Competence Scale. Kontakt / Journal of nursing and social sciences related to health and illness, 24(4), 264–272. https://doi.org/10.32725/kont.2022.033
• Palese A, Brugnolli, A, Achil I, Mattiussi A, Fabris S, Kajander-Unkuri S, Dimonte A, Grassetti L & Daniels M. 2022. The first COVID-19 new graduate nurses generation: Findings from an Italian cross-sectional study. BMC Nursing 21, Article 101. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-022-00885-3
• Visiers-Jiménez L, Kuokkanen L, Leino-Kilpi H, Löyttyniemi E, Turjamaa R, Brugnolli A, Gaspar F, Nemcova J, Palese A, Rua M, Zelenikova R, & Kajander-Unkuri S. 2022. Graduating nursing students’ empowerment and related factors: comparative study in six European countries. Healthcare, 10 (5), 754. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10050754
• Visiers-Jiménez L, Palese A, Brugnolli A, Cadorin L, Salminen L, Leino-Kilpi H, Löyttyniemi E, Nemcova J, Simão de Oliveira C, Rua M, Zelenikova R, & Kajander-Unkuri S. 2022. Nursing students’ self-directed learning abilities and related factors at graduation: A multi-country cross-sectional study. Nursing Open, 9 (3), 1688–1699. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1193
• Nemcová J, Hlinková E, Ovšonková A, Grendár M, Dernarová, L, Botíková A, Poliaková N, Kadu-cáková H, Slamková A, Janjechová M & Kajander-Unkuri S. 2021. Self-assessment of clinical com-petence of nursing students at Slovak universities. Zdravotnícke listy, 9 (2), 19–26.
• Visiers-Jiménez L, Suikkala A, Salminen L, Leino-Kilpi H, Löyttyniemi E, Henriques M, Jiménez Herrera MF, Nemcova J, Pedrotti D, Rua M, Tommasini C, Zeleníková R & Kajander-Unkuri S. 2021. Clinical learning environment and graduating nursing students’ competence: A multi-country cross-sectional study. Nursing & Health Sciences, 23 (2), 398–410. https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.12819
• Kajander-Unkuri S, Koskinen S, Brugnolli A, Cerezuela Torre M, Elonen I, Kielė V, Lehwaldt D, Löyttyniemi E, Nemcová J, Palese A, Rua M, Salminen L, Šateková L, Simão de Oliveira C, Stubner J, Sveinsdóttir H, Visiers-Jiménez L, & Leino-Kilpi H. 2021. The level of competence of graduating nursing students in 10 European countries – comparison between countries. Nursing Open, 8 (3), 1048–1062. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.712
• Kajander-Unkuri S, Meretoja R, Katajisto J, Leino-Kilpi H, & Suikkala A. 2020. Students’ selfassessed competence levels during nursing education continuum – a cross-sectional survey. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship 17 (1). https://doi.org/10.1515/ijnes-2019-0050
• Nemcová J, Hlinková E, Ovšonková A, Grendár M, Poliaková N, & Kajander-Unkuri S. 2020. Validation of Slovak version nurses´ competencies: Nurse competence scale. Zdravotnícke listy, 8 (3), 6–13.
• Visiers-Jiménez L, Peña Otero D, Baeza Monedero I, Recio Vivas A M, Kajander-Unkuri S, & García-Pozo A. 2019. Evaluación de competencias entre los profesionales formados en España. Validación al castellano de la escala Nursing Competence Scale. Tesela 25 (1), e12105
• Visiers-Jiménez L, Baeza Monedero I, Recio Vivas A M, Peña Otero D, Kajander-Unkuri S, & García-Pozo A. 2018. Evaluación del autoaprendizaje de los profesionales de enfermería formados en España. Validación al castellano de la versión italiana de la escala Self-rating scale of selfdirected learning (SRSSDL_ITA). Paraninfo Digital 12 (28), e151.

G Theses

G2 Master’s thesis, polytechnic Master’s thesis

• Hublin L. 2019. Sairaanhoitajaopiskelijoiden infektiontorjunnan kompetenssi. Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, Finland. http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2019120946254
• Simon-Bellamy J. 2019. Valmistuvien sairaanhoitajaopiskelijoiden tiedollinen osaaminen äkilliseen sepelvaltimotautikohtaukseen sairastuneen potilaan hoitotyössä. Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, Finland. http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2019120946262
• Tarri E. 2023. Sairaanhoitajien tutkitun tiedon hyödyntämisen osaaminen. Seurantatutkimus valmistumisvaiheesta uran ensimmäisiin vuosiin. Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, Finland.

Abstracts in national and international conferences (also symposiums, workshops etc.)

2022

• Kajander-Unkuri S, Brugnolli A, Nemcová J, Rua M, Šáteková L, Simão de Oliveira C, Palese A, Visiers-Jiménez L, Leino-Kilpi H. Competence of graduating nursing students and related factors in six European countries. 8th International Nurse Education Conference NETNEP2022; Transforming nursing and midwifery education: Leadership innovation and diversity for global healthcare impact, 19‒23.10.2022 Sitges, Espanja. Poster presentation.
• Kajander-Unkuri S. 2022. How competent are graduating nursing students in Europe? Findings from the European cross-cultural study project, COMPEUnurse. The 10th EORNA Congress. 12.-15.5.2022 Stavanger, Norway. Oral presentation.
• Kajander-Unkuri S. ja COMPEUnurse konsortio 2022. Eurooppalaisten valmistumisvaiheessa olevien sairaanhoitajaopiskelijoiden itseohjautuva oppiminen ja siihen yhteydessä olevat tekijät. The 3rd RENE-Symposium. Research in Nursing Education (RENE), Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku. 10.2.2022 Virtual meeting. Poster presentation.

2021

• Kajander-Unkuri S. 2021. Competence of nursing students in Europe, COMPEUnurse. 3IN Insights into Quality of Health Care Education. 29.9.2021 Virtual meeting. Oral presentation.
• Kajander-Unkuri S. 2021. Findings from the European cross-cultural study project, COMPEUnurse. Florence Network Annual Meeting. 21.5.2021 Virtual meeting. Oral presentation.

2020

• Kajander-Unkuri S, Brugnolli A, Nemcová J, Rua M, Šáteková L, Simão de Oliveira C, Palese A, & Visiers-Jiménez L. 2020. Viimeisen harjoittelun yhteys sairaanhoitajaopiskelijoiden kompetenssiin ja alanvaihtosuunnitelmiin – kansainvälinen vertailututkimus. HTTS2020 – 16. Kansallinen hoitotieteellinen konferenssi PERUSTUTKIMUKSESTA INNOVAATIOIHIN HOITOTIETEESSÄ. 30.9.-1.10.2020 Kuopio, Finland. Oral presentation.
• Simon-Bellamy, Salminen L, & Kajander-Unkuri S. 2020. Valmistumassa olevien sairaanhoitajaopiskelijoiden itsearvioidun kompetenssin ja ACS-tietotestin yhteys. HTTS2020 – 16. Kansallinen hoitotieteellinen konferenssi PERUSTUTKIMUKSESTA INNOVAATIOIHIN HOITOTIETEESSÄ. 30.9.-1.10.2020 Kuopio, Finland. Poster presentation.
• Simon-Bellamy, Salminen L, & Kajander-Unkuri S. 2020. Limited knowledge of ACS – results of the knowledge test. 2nd International Conference of the German Society of Nursing Science. 8.-9.5.2020 Berlin, Germany. Accepted as poster presentation [Cancelled due to the COVID19 outbreak].
• Kajander-Unkuri S, Brugnolli A, Nemcová J, Rua M, Šáteková L, Simão de Oliveira C, Palese A, Visiers-Jiménez L, & Leino-Kilpi H. 2020. Competence of graduating nursing students and related factors in six European countries. NETNEP2020. Transforming nursing and midwifery education: Leadership innovation and diversity for global healthcare impact. 26‒29.4.2020 Sitges, Barcelona, Spain. Accepted as oral presentation [Cancelled due to the COVID19 outbreak].
• Simon-Bellamy, Salminen L, & Kajander-Unkuri S. 2020. Congruence between graduating nursing students’ self-assessed nurse competence and ACS knowledge. NETNEP2020. Transforming nursing and midwifery education: Leadership innovation and diversity for global healthcare impact. 26‒29.4.2020 Sitges, Barcelona, Spain. Accepted as poster presentation [Cancelled due to the COVID19 outbreak].

2019

• Visiers-Jiménez L, Peña Otero D, García-Pozo A, Recio Vivas A M, Baeza Monedero I, & Kajander-Unkuri S 2019. Autoevaluación de competencias de los estudiantes egresados de enfermería en Europa. 20.11.2019. 23rd International Nursing Research Conference, Barcelona, Spain. Oral presentation.
• Kajander-Unkuri S 2019. Kuinka kompetentteja valmistuvat sairaanhoitajaopiskelijat ovat Euroopassa? The 2nd RENE-Symposium. Research in Nursing Education (RENE), Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku. 23.9.2019, Diaconia University of Applied Sciences (DIAK), Helsinki, Finland. Oral presentation.
• Hublin L, Salminen L, & Kajander-Unkuri S 2019. Sairaanhoitajaopiskelijoiden infektiontorjunnan kompetenssi. The 2nd RENE-Symposium. Research in Nursing Education (RENE), Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku. 23.9.2019, Diaconia University of Applied Sciences (DIAK), Helsinki, Finland. Poster presentation.
• Simon-Bellamy J, Salminen L, & Kajander-Unkuri S 2019. Valmistuvien
  sairaanhoitajaopiskelijoiden tiedollinen osaaminen äkilliseen sepelvaltimotautikohtaukseen sairastuneen potilaan hoitotyössä. The 2nd RENE-Symposium. Research in Nursing Education (RENE), Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku. 23.9.2019, Diaconia University of Applied Sciences (DIAK), Helsinki, Finland. Poster presentation.
• Kajander-Unkuri S, Meretoja R, Brugnolli A, Nemcová J, Rua M, Šáteková L, Oliveira C, Palese A, Visiers-Jiménez L, & Leino-Kilpi H 2019. How competent are graduating nursing students in Competence of nursing students in Europe, COMPEUnurse Europe? The 30th International Networking for Healthcare Education Conference NET2019. 3.–5.9.2019 Keele University, Keele, United Kingdom. Poster presentation.

2018

• Visiers-Jiménez L, García Pozo A M, Pena Otero D, Recio Vivas A M, Baeza Monedero M I, Meretoja R, & Kajander-Unkuri S 2018. Evaluación de competencias entre los professionals formadoe en espana-validación al castellano de la escala nursing competence scale. 29 Jordanas Nationales de Enfermeras Gestoras. 8.6.2018. San Sebastian, Spain. Oral presentation.
• Kajander-Unkuri S, Meretoja R, Katajisto J, Leino-Kilpi H, & Suikkala A 2018. Development of professional competence during nurse education. NETNEP2018. Research, scholarship and evaluation: ensuring nursing leadership in education, practice and healthcare. 7th International Nurse Education Conference 6-9.5.2018. Banff, Canada. Oral presentation.
• Kajander-Unkuri S, Meretoja R, Katajisto J, Leino-Kilpi H, & Suikkala A 2018. Kompetenssin kehittyminen sairaanhoitajakoulutuksen aikana. The 1st RENE-Symposium. Research in Nursing Education (RENE), Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku. 13.3.2018, Diaconia University of Applied Sciences (DIAK), Helsinki, Finland. Oral presentation.

Research in this field started in 2005, mainly by creating an instrument CompRU for evaluating the Competence in Research Utilization by graduating nursing students, in the doctoral thesis of Asta Heikkilä.

The aim of this research is

• to asses and compare in three European countries the research utilization competence of nursing students on graduation and of the nurses working in the hospitals,
• to assess the research utilization competence of the master level nursing science students in the beginning and in the final phase of their studies, and
• to explore the factors related to the research utilization competence.

Moreover, during this research project the aim is

• to test, validate and develop further the CompRU instrument (Heikkilä 2005).

This study will produce new knowledge that can be used in the development of teaching in universities, in-service training and competence management in work communities regarding the evidence-based nursing and RU. In addition, the objective is to validate and develop the web based CompRU instrument which could be systematically used to assess the research utilization competence in Finland and internationally.

In this study, we are working in the European arena: we will conduct the data collection in Finland, Poland and Slovenia in cooperation with international partners.

Language versions of the CompRU instrument: Finnish, English, Polish, Slovenian

Head of the Programme

Asta Heikkilä, PhD, RN
Researcher
asta.heikkila@utu.fi

Research team University of Turku, Department of Nursing Science

Researchers

• Asta Heikkilä, PhD, Researcher
• Helena Leino-Kilpi, PhD, Professor (emerita)
• Maija Hupli, PhD, University Lecturer
• Leena Salminen, PhD, Professor
• Jouko Katajisto, MSc, Lecturer, Statistics (Department of Mathematics and Statistics)

International research team

• Katarzyna Kwiecień-Jaguś, PhD (Department of General Nursing, Medical University of Gdańsk, Poland)
• Boris Miha Kaučič, PhD (College of Nursing in Celje, Slovenia)
• Bojana Filej, PhD (College of Nursing in Celje, Slovenia)

Publications

Journal article (refereed), original research

• Salminen L, Kaučič BM, Filej B, Leino-Kilpi H, Katajisto J, Heikkilä A. 2022. Slovenian nurses’ research utilization competence and received support from nurse managers. Pielegniarstwo XXI wieku / Nursing in the 21st Century 21(1):5–11. DOI: 10.2478/pielxxiw-2022-0002
• Heikkilä A, Kaučič BM, Filej B, Salminen L, Katajisto J, Leino-Kilpi H. 2021. Slovenian nursing students’ competence in research utilization, and the support they received during clinical practice. Cent. Eur. J. Nurs. Midwifery 12(2):376–384. DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2021.12.0013
• Heikkilä A, Kwiecień–Jaguś K, Hupli M, Kero J, Katajisto J, Salminen L, Leino-Kilpi H. 2019. Polish and Finnish nursing students’ attitudes, knowledge and skills related to research utilization. Medycyna Ogólna i Nauki o Zdrowiu [General Medicine and Health Sciences] 25(3):181–186. Doi: https://doi.org/10.26444/monz/111726
• Heikkilä A, Hupli M, Katajisto J, Leino-Kilpi H. 2019. Yliopistosairaaloiden hoitotyöntekijöiden tutkimustiedon käytön osaaminen. Tutkiva Hoitotyö 17(1):31–40.
• Heikkilä A, Hupli M, Katajisto J, Leino-Kilpi H. 2018. Finnish graduating nursing students´ research utilization competence. J Nurs Educ Pract 8(8):119–127. Doi: https://doi.org/10.5430/jnep.v8n8p119
• Heikkilä A, Hupli M, Leino-Kilpi H. 2008. Verkkokysely tutkimusaineiston keruumenetelmänä. Hoitotiede 20(2):101–110.

Theses

Doctoral dissertations

• Heikkilä A. 2005. Ammattikorkeakoulusta valmistuvien hoitotyön opiskelijoiden tutkitun tiedon käyttö [Research knowledge utilisation of polytechnic nursing students on graduation]. Annales Universitatis Turkuensis, sarja C, osa 237. Turku: Painosalama Oy. (In Finnish, with English abstract)

Master’s thesis

• Jalonen J. 2014. Puolalaisten valmistumisvaiheessa olevien sairaanhoitajaopiskelijoiden tutkitun tiedon käytön osaaminen [The knowledge of research utilization of polish nursing students]. Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, Finland.
• Huhtanen S. 2021. Hoitotieteen alkuvaiheen opiskelijoiden näyttöön perustuvan toiminnan osaaminen – tutkimustiedon käytön näkökulma. [Nursing science students’ evidence based practice competence – Research utilization perspective]. Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, Finland. (In Finnish, with English abstract). https://www.utupub.fi/handle/10024/151449
• Himmelroos T. 2023. Hoitotieteen opiskelijoiden tutkimustiedon käytön osaaminen maisteriopintojen loppuvaiheessa. [Nursing science students’ research utilization competence in the final stage of master’s studies]. Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, Finland. (In Finnish, with English abstract). https://www.utupub.fi/handle/10024/174801

Abstracts in national and international conferences (also symposiums, etc.)

• Himmelroos T, Hupli M. & Heikkilä A. 2023. Hoitotieteen opiskelijoiden tutkimustiedon käytön osaaminen. RENE2023-Symposium. Helsinki 5.10.2023. Poster presentation.
• Huhtanen S, Himmelroos T, Salminen L, Hupli M. & Heikkilä A. 2022. Competence of evidence-based activities of master level nursing science students – perspective of research utilization. 8th International Nurse Education Conference. From education to impact: Transforming nursing and midwifery education. 19-22 October 2022, Sitges, Spain. Poster presentation
• Heikkilä A, Filej, B, Leino-Kilpi H, Salminen L, Katajisto J. & Kaučič BM. Slovenian nursing student´s research utilization competence and received support in clinical practice. Accepted for NETNEP conference (2020).
• Heikkilä A. & Leino-Kilpi H. 2018. Tutkimustiedon käytön osaaminen – näyttöön perustuvan toiminnan edellytys. Ihminen keskiössä, terveydenhuollossa ja hoitotieteessä. XV Kansallinen hoitotieteellinen konferenssi 26.–27.9.2018, Vaasa. Hoitotieteiden tutkimusseura HTTS r.y. & Åbo Akademi, Enheten för vårdvetenskap, 89. Oral presentation.
• Heikkilä A, Virtanen H, Jalonen J. & Salminen L. 2018. Mittarin kääntäminen kansainvälisessä hoitotyön koulutustutkimuksessa. Ihminen keskiössä, terveydenhuollossa ja hoitotieteessä. XV Kansallinen hoitotieteellinen konferenssi 26.–27.9.2018, Vaasa. Hoitotieteiden tutkimusseura HTTS r.y. & Åbo Akademi, Enheten för vårdvetenskap, 156. Oral presentation.
• Heikkilä A, Jalonen J, Kwiecień–Jaguś K, Katajisto J, Hupli M, Salminen L. & Leino-Kilpi H. 2016. Tutkimustiedon käyttö hoitotyössä – vertaileva arviointi puolalaisten ja suomalaisten hoitotyön opiskelijoiden osaamisesta. XIV Kansallinen hoitotieteellinen konferenssi: Hoitotiede – Vahva ja Vapaa 28.–29.9.2016, Turku, 166. Poster presentation.
• Jalonen J, Heikkilä A. & Salminen L. 2015. Mittarin käännös kansainvälisessä tutkimuksessa Brislinin käännösmallia mukaillen. Vaikuttavat oppimisympäristöt terveysalalla. III terveysalan koulutuksen kansallinen konferenssi 1.- 2.6.2015. Metropolia ammattikorkeakoulu ja Turun yliopisto. Helsinki, 100–101. Poster presentation.
• Heikkilä A, Hupli M, Katajisto J. & Leino-Kilpi H. 2014. Qualifications in research knowledge utilization by the Finnish nurses working at university hospitals. The 8th International Nurse Practitioner / Advanced Practice Nursing Network Conference 18.–.20.8.2014. Helsinki, 61. Oral presentation.
• Heikkilä A, Hupli M, Katajisto J. & Leino-Kilpi H. 2014. Testing the nursing students´ knowledge in research utilization using web-based ReKnow measurement tool. Netnep 2014 – The 5th international nurse education conference. The complexities of learning and caring: Evaluating the impact of nursing and healthcare education on student learning and patient care. –.25.6.2014, Noordwijkerhout, Netherlands, [P1.02]. Poster presentation.
• Heikkilä A, Hupli M, Katajisto J. & Leino-Kilpi H. 2014. Valmistuvien hoitotyön opiskelijoiden tutkitun tiedon käytön osaaminen vuosina 2003 ja 2012. XIII Kansallinen hoitotieteellinen konferenssi, Perhe yhteiskunta ja hoitotiede 12.–. 13.6.2014 Tampere, 65. Oral presentation.
• Heikkilä A, Hupli M, Katajisto J. & Leino-Kilpi H. 2013. Qualifications in research knowledge utilization by the nursing students – Have the outcomes of evidence-based nursing education changed over a decade? 24th International Networking for Healthcare Education Conference. 3.–.5.9.2013, Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. Oral presentation.
• Heikkilä A, Hupli M, Katajisto J. & Leino-Kilpi H. 2013. Tutkitun tiedon käyttö näyttöön perustuvassa hoitotyössä – valmistuvien hoitotyön opiskelijoiden osaaminen ja oppiminen kliinisessä harjoittelussa. Vaikuttavat oppimisympäristöt terveysalalla. II terveysalan koulutuksen kansallinen konferenssi 3.–4.6.2013. Metropolia ammattikorkeakoulu ja Turun yliopisto. Helsinki, 87. Poster presentation.
• Heikkilä A. & Leino-Kilpi, H. 2007. Research knowledge utilisation of midwife students in nursing education. Suomen kätilöliitto – Finlands Barnmorskeförbund ry. Nordisk jordemor congress 4.-6.5. 2007, Åbo, Finland, 131. Poster presentation.
• Heikkilä A. 2007. Tutkimustiedon käytön oppiminen hoitotyön koulutuksessa. Sairaanhoitajapäivät 2007 – Voi hyvin, hoida hyvin. 22.–23.3.2007 Helsingin Messukeskus. Helsinki: Edita Prima Oy, 22. Oral presentation.
• Heikkilä A. 2006. Valmistuvien hoitotyön opiskelijoiden tutkimustiedon käyttö. IX kansallinen hoitotieteellinen konferenssi ”Viisas vaikuttaja” 22.–23.9.2006. Turun yliopisto, 51. Oral presentation.

Research in the field of clinical learning environment started in early 2002, mainly by creating an instrument for evaluating the quality of clinical learning environment, Clinical Learning Environment Scale CLES, in the doctoral thesis of docent Mikko Saarikoski. Since that, docent Saarikoski has continued to study the quality of learning environment. The more extensive version of the CLES+T Scale (2008) with 39 items, includes also the sub-dimension of the role of the nurse teacher. The work has been done in the University of Turku in a long-lasting cooperation with Professor Helena Leino-Kilpi. The CLES scales are translated altogether into 33 languages and have been used in over 55 countries by over 120 reserachers since 2003.

Published doctoral dissertations

• Mikko Saarikoski. 2002. Clinical learning environment and supervision. Development and validation of the CLES evaluation scale, Doctoral thesis
• Satu Kajander-Unkuri. 2015. Nurse Competence of Graduating Nursing Students, Doctoral thesis

National research group

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS
Mikko Saarikoski, PhD, RN, Docent
Helena Leino-Kilpi, PhD, RN, FEANS, Professor and chair, Nurse Director, Turku University Hospital
helena.leino-kilpi@utu.fi
Camilla Strandell-Laine, MNSc, RN, Doctoral candidate
camilla.strandell-laine@utu.fi

There is a national CLES-network for health care organizations using the CLES Scale. The network holds national meetings once a year. The leader of the CLES-network is PhD, RN, Docent Riitta Meretoja.

International CLES researcher network

The CLES researcher network has met every second year since 2008 in CLES Symposiums. The main goal of the Symposium is to offer participants a possibility to share research ideas of clinical learning environment and experiences with other researches over the world. The leader of the international CLES reserach network is MNSc, Doctoral candidate Camilla Strandell-Laine.
The 10th CLES2018 Symposium was held in Chieti, Italy, 24-25th September 2018 in cooperation with the “IPASVI” Nursing Board of Chieti and the Master in Nursing and Midwifery of Chieti University.

STUDENT-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP

The starting point of the research in the field student-patient relationship was laid in the doctoral dissertation of docent Arja Suikkala. Since that, the original Student–Patient Relationship Scale (SPR Scale) with parallel items for students and patients have been tested and used in diverse clinical settings in Finland. Within the SPR Scale, the student–patient relationship addresses three types of relationships: mechanistic, authoritative and facilitative relationships. Of these, the abridged version of the SPR scale entitled Facilitative Student–Patient Relationship (FSPR) Scale has more recently been psychometrically tested with nursing students from six European countries. The thirteen-item Facilitative Student-Patient Relationship (FSPR) Scale including two sub-scales – caring relationship and learning relationship – has altogether seven language versions. Nowadays, the FSPR Scale is being used for the purposes of collecting national benchmarking of the student-patient relationship in the wellbeing services counties across Finland.

Principal investigator

Arja Suikkala, Docent, PhD, RN, University of Turku
arja.suikkala@utu.fi

Co-investigator
Camilla Strandell-Laine, PhD, University of Turku
camilla.strandell-laine@utu.fi

Student-patient relationship publications

Suikkala A, Koskinen S, Brasaitė-Abromė I, Fuster-Linares P, Lehwaldt D, Leino-Kilpi H, Meyer G, Sveinsdóttir H, Katajisto J. 2023. Psychometric testing of the facilitative student-patient relationship scale within six European countries. Nursing Open 10 (4), 2319–2328. doi: 10.1002/nop2.1485.

Koskinen S, Leino-Kilpi H, Blöndal K, Brasaitė-Abromė I, Burke E, Fitzgerald S, Fuster P, Kielė V, Löyttyniemi E, Salminen L, Stubner J, Suikkala A. 2022. A European evaluation of the patients’ role in clinical education: A six-country cross sectional study. Nurse Education in Practice 59: 103287. doi: 10.1016/j.nepr.2022.103287.

Suikkala A, Timonen L, Leino-Kilpi H, Katajisto J, Strandell-Laine C. 2021. Healthcare student-patient relationship and the quality of the clinical learning environment – a cross-sectional study. BMC Medical Education 21 (1): 230. doi: 10.1186/s12909-021-02676-x

Suikkala A, Koskinen S, Katajisto J, Leino-Kilpi H. 2021. Congruence between nursing students’ and patients’ views of student-patient relationships. Advances in Health Sciences Education – Theory and Practice 26 (1): 79–115. doi: 10.1007/s10459-020-09972-z

Suikkala A, Leino-Kilpi H, Katajisto J. 2020. Nursing student-patient relationship – a 10-year comparison study in Finland. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship 17 (1) /j/ijnes.2020.17.issue-1/ijnes-2019-0125/ijnes-2019-0125.xml. hdoi: 10.1515/ijnes-2019-0125.

Suikkala A, Leino-Kilpi H, Katajisto J, Koskinen S. 2020. Nursing student-patient relationship and related factors-A self-assessment by nursing students. Journal of Clinical Nursing 29 (21–22): 4030–4044. doi: 10.1111/jocn.15426.

Suikkala A, Koskinen S, Leino-Kilpi H. 2018. Patients’ involvement in nursing students’ clinical education: A scoping review. International Journal of Nursing Studies 84: 40–51. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2018.04.010.

Suikkala A, Leino-Kilpi H, Katajisto J. 2009. Factors related to the nursing student-patient relationship: the patients’ perspective. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences 23 (4): 625–634. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-6712.2008.00648.x.

Suikkala A, Leino-Kilpi H, Katajisto J. 2008. Nursing student-patient relationships: a descriptive study of students’ and patients’ views. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship 5( 1): Article15. doi: 10.2202/1548-923X.1457.

Suikkala A, Leino-Kilpi H, Katajisto J. 2008. Factors related to the nursing student-patient relationship: the students’ perspective. Nurse Education Today 28 (5):539–549. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2007.09.004.

Suikkala, A. 2007. Nursing student-patient relationship and associated factors. Annales Universitatis Turkuensis D 788. Turku. http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-29-3463-8

Suikkala A, Leino-Kilpi H. 2005. Nursing student-patient relationship: experiences of students and patients. Nurse Education Today 25 (5): 344–354. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2005.03.001.

Suikkala A, Leino-Kilpi H. 2001. Nursing student-patient relationship: a review of the literature from 1984 to 1998. Journal of Advanced Nursing 33 (1): 42–50. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2648.2001.01636.x.

FACILITATIVE STUDENT-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP SCALE
© Arja Suikkala

The Facilitative Student-Patient Relationship Scale (FSPR Scale) is an instrument used for measuring student-patient relationship either from students’ or from patients’ perspective. The FSPR Scale includes 13 parallel items for students and patients and the items are rated on a five-point Likert-scale. Higher points indicate more facilitative student-patient relationship.

The FSPR Scale has been psychometrically tested with nursing students in six European countries. The FSPR Scale has shown acceptable reliability and validity to measure two dimensions of the student-patient relationship: caring relationship and learning relationship. The FSPR Scale has been developed to measure the nursing student–patient relationship, but with slight adaptations, the scale could be tested and used for other health professional students.

The FSPR Scale is available in the following languages: English, Finnish, Icelandic, German, Lithuanian, Norwegian, and Spanish.

Permission

Permission to use the Facilitative Student-Patient Relationship Scale (FSPR Scale) for non-commercial research purposes is granted by the copyright holder, docent Arja Suikkala. Modifying the wording of items or adjusting scaling options is not allowed without obtaining permission from the copyright holder. Nevertheless, the guidelines for the scale can be modified as needed for the specific sample(s) and the users have the flexibility to utilize any demographic information they wish. The ownership of any language versions of the instrument will remain with the copyright holder and a copy of the translated items should be submitted to the copyright holder.

The items of the FSPR Scale may not be re-published as a whole in any publication. All documents related to research and reporting must have appropriate source references to the FSPR Scale which are:

Suikkala A, Koskinen S, Brasaitė-Abromė I, Fuster-Linares P, Lehwaldt D, Leino-Kilpi H, Meyer G, Sveinsdóttir H, Katajisto J, ProCompNurse Consortium 2023. Psychometric testing of the facilitative student-patient relationship scale within six EUROPEAN countries. Nursing Open 10 (4), 2319–2328. doi: 10.1002/nop2.1485.

Suikkala, A. 2007. Nursing student-patient relationship and associated factors. Annales Universitatis Turkuensis D 788. Academic dissertation. Department of Nursing Science. Faculty of Medicine. University of Turku. http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-29-3463-8.

Ask permission: arja.suikkala@utu.fi

This research is started in 2016 with international cooperation. In this study, we are working in the European arena: we will conduct the data collection in Finland, Spain, Germany, Lithuania, Iceland and in Ireland. All these countries are EU members, and we have the same Directive 2005/36/EC, Directive 2013/55/EU and the European Qualifications Framework (EC 2008) guiding nursing education. In all of these countries, nursing education is on bachelor-level (general nurse=180ECTS). PROCOMPnurse has gotten funding from Academy of Finland.

The aim of this research is

1. to assess and compare the level of competence development at the transition period in Finland and five other European countries;
2. to explore individual, educational, organizational and value-based factors connected with the level of competence at the transition period, and to
3. model factors contributing high level of competence and successful begin of transition period and the nurse-career.

Moreover, during this research project aim is

1. to produce and evaluate instruments assessing competence and factors connected, both self-assessment and objective tests, and
2. to establish a cohort for follow-up studies in future, responding to the need for longitudinal studies.