Six professional standards developed by the Centre for Nursing Development of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, with the participation of the Ukrainian Red Cross, have been submitted for public discussion
The second quarter of this year marked an important milestone in the development of Professional Nursing Standards that will be implemented nationwide.
The Ukrainian Red Cross, in cooperation with the Norwegian Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, supported the Centre for Nursing Development of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine as independent partners in implementing humanitarian policy. This collaboration aims to make medical services more accessible, prevent diseases, and improve public health.
During the preparation stage, a list of labour functions for each speciality was compiled. Competences, knowledge, skills and abilities; levels of autonomy for nurses and assistants; professional qualification levels; educational requirements for each position; and opportunities for professional growth were also defined. Throughout this process, participation rates and the quality of responses were continuously monitored, participants were kept informed and motivated, and experts from various fields were engaged.
The VIII All-Ukrainian Nursing Forum, held in May, provided a platform for nurses from across Ukraine to share best practices and discuss the standards with the practitioner community. Expert teams have since incorporated these developments into their work.
The expert groups have now presented the final drafts to representatives of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. The draft standards are available for public discussion on the Ministry’s website.
It is worth noting that pilot nursing standards have been prepared in the following areas:
- Wound care
- Palliative care
- Rehabilitation
- General practice – family medicine
- Senior nurse
- Home-based care
The next step is to approve the draft professional standards and implement them across Ukraine. Expert groups tasked with developing the above professional standards are scheduled to begin their work in August this year.
Thanks to the cooperation of healthcare institutions, educational establishments, professional associations and international partners, a foundation has been laid for a unified, scientifically based, and practically oriented system of professional standards that meets the current needs of Ukraine’s healthcare sector at all levels.