Nursing and Nurse Education in Finland
Working as a Nurse in Finland
The National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira) grants the right to practise, approves training and registers healthcare professionals.
Read more at Valvira.
Tehy is a Union of Health and Social Care Professionals
Tehy represents qualified health care professionals, social workers and students of these professions in both the private and the public sectors.
Read more at Tehy.
Nurses are professional and highly qualified people
Their work, which is based on nursing science, is independent and responsible. Nurses have their patient’s needs foremost at heart. In treating the sick, they are also promoting the population’s health, preventing illnesses, treating and rehabilitating.
In Finland nurses receive their education at universities of applied sciences (also called polytechnics)
Public health nurses, midwives and paramedics also qualify through the same schooling (AMK in Finnish). The degree includes the registered nurse’s qualification. Completing the studies, consisting of 210 - 270 ECTS credits, lasts from 3.5 to 4.5 years. Registered nurses require 210 credits, public health nurses and paramedics 240, and midwives 270.
Nurses must have a thorough theoretical knowledge of both nursing and other relevant sciences
They must be able to apply this knowledge to their work in practice and have capabilities in conducting research, acquiring information and management. Nurses carry a high degree of responsibility, having to make decisions independently on many aspects of nursing. They also require an ability to tolerate stress and solve problems. They must show a particularly high degree of precision and meticulousness in their work. And, not least, they must be able to master and apply a constant stream of new technology and equipment. Continuous further education and new knowledge are essential to maintaining their professional skills.
See the Finnish Model for Expertise in Evidence-Based Health Care.
The Finnish Nurses Association
The Finnish Nurses Association is a professsional organization for registered nurses, which cover occupations like clinical nurses, teachers, students, researchers, and management. The membership in the association is voluntary.
Read more at Nurses.fi.