Helsepersonells fagkompetanse i kommunehelsetjenesten

The background is an increasing number of multi-morbid patients in the municipality and a need for good professional competence to ensure health care for different patient groups. The object was to investigate factors that may affect the professional competence of health personnel and to find connections between education, age, work experience and position size, and the understanding of the work tasks in the Norwegian municipality. This is a quantitative study with a cross-sectional design conducted with 88 informants from nursing home and home care in the municipality. Results show that the competence in observing/assessing patients among health personnel in the municipality can be improved. Both education and position percentage affect this competence. Education is important for the health personnel’s assessment and coping skills within different procedures in patient treatment. Age and workplace had little significance. Professional knowledge and procedural skills are not good enough and there is a need to raise the professional competence in the municipality.