[Qualification requirements for the re-delegation of medical activities to nursing professionals (with extended competencies)]

Abstract

Background: For many years, the redistribution of tasks and thus a transfer of medical activities to nursing professionals with extended competencies has been discussed in Germany and is currently being regulated by the federal government.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to record the opinions of GPs and nurses on the qualification requirements for possible delegable and substitutable medical activities to nurses using the example of outpatient dementia care.

Method: In the context of a quantitative survey, the qualification requirements for the delegation of 30 different activities to nurses were collected from primary care physicians and nurses. A total of 1,634 questionnaires was distributed. The response rate was 28.0 % (primary care physicians: n=225, and nursing specialists: n=232). The analyses were carried out descriptively using SPSS software (version 25, IBM Corp., 2017).

Results: 45.1% of the respondents said they needed additional qualification prior to such a task transfer. This need primarily relates to further training (37.3%). Those seeking a university education (36.2%), will either pursue a Bachelor's (15.6%) or a Master's degree (20.6%) to obtain the necessary qualification.

Conclusion: The results of this study can help define the activity profiles of academically qualified nursing professionals and inform the development of curricula for their university education. Furthermore, they will support the further development of the legal framework.

Keywords: Aufgabenneuverteilung; Aufgabenteilung; Bachelor; Delegation; Master; Medical activities; Nursing; Pflege; Qualification; Qualifikation; Redistribution of tasks; Substitution; Task sharing; Ärztliche Tätigkeiten.