Assistant nurse – a protected professional title. A study of effects on the psychosocial work environment, sick leave, work ability and health for the occupational group.

Research problem - The aim of the project is to investigate whether and how the introduction of a protected title for assistant nurses affects their psychosocial work environment, health and sick leave, status and skills supply.Specific questionsHow will the nurse´s psychosocial work environment, sick leave, work ability and health be affected by the assistant nurse´s professional title being protected?What organizational changes will it mean in municipal health and social care?What changes in job content and career development and attitudes towards the profession/"status" can be seen?Data and methodThe project consists of two pars.

Part A is a qualitative interview study. Interviews are conducted with assistant nurses, who work in home care and nursing homes, on three occasions. Part B is a survey that measures data on three occasions about a year apart. The focus of the survey is on the psychosocial work environment, health, sick leave and work ability.

The questionnaire must be sent to all assistant nurses in the Gothenburg Region who have applied for a protected title. Relevance and utilizationThe project has a high relevance in relation to the needs of society.

Assistant nurses in elderly care are Sweden´s largest professional group and form the backbone of Swedish elderly care.

The fact that this working group faces challenges in the form of high sick leave, increased recruitment needs means that it is a particularly important and relevant area to highlight.

The assistant nurse has for many years been subjected to high demands and in many cases the work has relatively little control over the work.

This has been shown in previous studies to have a negative individual´s impact on health, ill health and well-being Being able to link this with the protected professional title and study whether it affects the assistant nurse´s work situation, sick leave is important and relevant.

It is also important to highlight this group from a gender perspective as approximately 90% of assistant nurses are women.

Implementation  The project is carried out over a period of three years (2024-2026) primarily by me during the time of my start-up grant but also with the help of researchers within the SOLWE research group at the University of Borås.

The research group is interdisciplinary and several researchers themselves have a professional education in the field of welfare. In addition, a consultant in communication will be involved to help secure easy communication.