Nurse’s Clinical Skill Utilisation: An Opinion from Public Health Institutions

Abstract

Background: Nurses are the backbone of health care systems worldwide. In India the assessment of existing
knowledge of nursing workforce and the utilization of skills is not evaluated and properly used to ensure
good quality in health care.
Method: Using the Delphi technique a survey was developed and sent to nurses. Self- rating method (on a
likert scale) were used in order to operationalize the personal skills.
Results: Almost half (48%) of the participants have a Bachelor degree. Out of this 27.2% qualified for a
higher education (e.g. Master in related subject). Most nurses (56% in sample were females) are permanent
employed working as staff nurse or nursing officers in the public sector. Among the participants 20% have
sufficient teaching experience between 1 to 3 years. Self-rating of skills was high in almost all topics.
Conclusion: Having attained higher education most of the participants remain working as staff nurses.
The good self-rating of participants underlines their ability to take over much higher positions and
responsibilities. Moreover, teaching experience is hardly acknowledged by institutions since teaching staff
is usually recruited from outside. The study suggests that a majority of the population has an interest to work
in rural area .Better work conditions are needed in order to gain workforce in this areas.
Skills should effectively utilized in areas of administration, management, research and education, with a
proper distribution to rural and urban areas in order to ensure a good health care system in India.