title: [Roles and competences of nurses with postgraduate master degree in nursing science in everyday practice. Multicentre descriptive survey].
abstract: Roles and competences of nurses with postgraduate master degree in nursing science in everyday practice. Multicentre descriptive survey.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Few information are available on the role and activities of Italian nurses with Laurea Magistrale (postgraduate master degree in nursing science).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the implementation of the advanced competences acquired after Laurea Magistrale by nurses, as well as changes in their professional career.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicenter descriptive study on 7 consecutive cohorts (from 2004/2005 to 2011/2012) of nurses of 3 universities of northern Italy was conducted. Data on managerial, teaching, research and clinical competences and changes in the professional role were collected with semi-structured questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  232/285 graduates completed the questionnaire; 216 (88.8%) used their managerial competences, 178 (76.7%) educational competences, 122 (52.6%) clinical competences and 115 (49.5%) research competences. Eigthy graduates (34.4%) changed their professional roles, occupying managerial positions (from 89 to 212, +123, 14.5%) and in the education field (from 33 to 44 +11, 4.8%) while the number of nurses with a clinical role decreased (from 110 to 65, -45, -19.4%). The role changes occured mainly after three years from graduation (p = 0.006) with significant differences across areas (p = 0.018).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Until recently the main field of occupation of Laureati magistrali was in management but the changing needs of the organizations require a major focus on the clinical competences. The characteristics of contexts that favour or prevent the implementation of the new compentences and the upgrade of the roles should be studied.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dante
authors.forename: Elisa Maria
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Occoffer
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miniussi
authors.forename: Helga
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Margetic
authors.forename: Alvisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palese
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Saiani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D024802:Nurse's Role; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires