The population in Finland is aging rather fast. The number of the people in working life is decreasing. For that reason, there is a huge lack of nurses in Finland. Finnish authorities are recruiting nurses round the world. The level of health care professionalism and the professional criteria in different jobs vary remarkable lot from country to country.
Cultural differences, in language, religion, and the training of nurses coming from different countries vary a lot. Surveys concerning competence provide a clear information about the professional’s actual competence and how the competence corresponds to Finnish nursing criteria.
At the beginning of the surveys of professional competences, the professionals’ previous
certificates of education and working experience in their own country will be checked.
Evaluations use written assignments and certificates related to the thematic areas. However, the best information about the person’s skills will be obtained in actual practical work. In the survey participants show their skills in workshops. Evaluation takes place throughout the survey.
The recognition of professional competence provides a good picture of a person’s actual competence. After the surveys, professionals will be ”tailored” for the necessary additional training so that they will be able to work in Finnish nursing communities as equal nurses alongside Finns. If a person already has Finnish nursing – and language skills, they can be
directed to working life.
With the help of competence surveys, skilled personnel have been quickly recruited to health care with short additional training. After the surveys, foreign nurses have mainly been instructed to acquire sufficient qualifications to be registered as Finnish nurses or practical nurses. Immigrant nurses can work as cultural interpreters between foreign patients and Finnish nurses. Thanks to nurses from different cultures, foreign patients can receive culturally sensitive care with their mother tongue.
