| Abstract [eng] |
Dovilė Puščiūtė. The expression of professional competences of an advanced practice nurse in a health care team. Supervisor – prof. Natalja Istomia, consultant – junior assistant Viktorija Kielė. 59 p. Introduction. The role of the advanced practice nurse within the healthcare team is becoming increasingly important due to the growing demands of the healthcare system, the increasing complexity of patient conditions, and the need to ensure accessible and high-quality care. The competencies of an advanced practice nurse include clinical autonomy, decision-making, leadership, and the ability to coordinate team activities across various healthcare settings. The aim of the study is to examine the manifestation of the professional competencies of an advanced practice nurse within a healthcare team. The objectives were set: 1. To investigate the perception of professional competencies among advanced practice nurses in different practice areas, based on the categories of R. Meretoja’s nursing competency scale. 2. To determine how advanced practice nurses make decisions within the healthcare team, based on the categories of professional competencies. 3. To identify the factors that, in the nurses’ opinion, contribute to the development of their professional competencies when working in an interdisciplinary team. Methods and materials. The study employed an analysis of the scientific literature and qualitative research. Data were collected method via semi-structured interviews and analyzed using inductive content analysis. 11 Respondents participated in the study. Convenience sampling was used for participant selection, with the sample expanded through the snowball sampling method and recommendations from the academic community. The interviews consisted of 21 open-ended questions prepared by the author. The results revealed that among advanced practice nurses depends on the clinical context. In primary healthcare, it manifests through continuous care, prevention, and patient education. In emergency – intensive care settings, rapid clinical assessment and decision-making under time constraints are particularly important. In extreme conditions, autonomy and the ability to operate under limited resources and uncertainty become critical. The role of an advanced practice nurse within the team includes leadership, decision-making, shared responsibility, and coordination of activities. Competence development is influenced by mentorship, reflection, organizational support, and learning opportunities. Conclusions. Advanced practice nurses’ competence is a complex, context-sensitive process encompassing clinical and leadership aspects. The realization of competencies depends on both individual abilities and supportive organizational conditions. |
