Nurse, field supervisor
"This profession requires extensive and versatile competence in health care. Good interaction skills and the ability to tolerate pressure and make decisions are important."
- The name is not published at the request of the interviewee.
- Nurse and field supervisor at a wellbeing services county.
- Has completed a vocational qualification in social welfare and health care at the Helsinki IV Health Care Institute and graduated as a nurse from Mikkeli University of Applied Sciences. Has also completed a master's degree in nursing at JAMK University of Applied Sciences.
- 25 years of work experience in the field.
Briefly explain what you do for a living.
I work as a field supervisor in social, health, and elderly services at a wellbeing services county. I coordinate the placement of patients in appropriate care facilities and provide administrative-technical support to professionals working in the field.
How have you ended up in the profession of your choice?
A friend of mine applied for a practical nurse's qualification, which inspired me to also get into the health care sector. Over the years, I have developed my professional skills and progressed to my current position.
Describe your typical working day or week.
I start my workday by opening nine different programmes on four screens. During the day, I answer calls about many topics, such as patient transfers and official and personnel matters. I have many different tasks, and the situations can change quickly.
What kind of work environment or working hours do you have?
I work at the office. I usually have 3–4 shifts in a week, and one shift lasts around 12 hours.
What kind of competence or qualities are required in the profession?
This profession requires extensive and versatile competence in health care. Good interaction skills and the ability to tolerate pressure and make decisions are important. Field supervisors must also be able to lead.
What is the best thing about your profession?
The best thing about my work is diversity, as every day is different.
What are the downsides of the profession or what seems challenging?
Because the shifts are long, I have to sit a lot. The work also requires constant concentration, fast reactions, and managing several things, which can be stressful.
What would you tell a person considering the profession of a nurse?
If you enjoy helping people and can cope with shift work and challenging situations, working as a nurse is very rewarding. People I work with are generally very friendly, and I can work as much as I want.
How do you see the future of your profession?
The number of nurses has decreased, and the workload has increased. I think future generations will find the nurse's work too burdensome. This could lead to a situation where the shortage of nurses becomes a serious problem in the future.