[Nurses' assistants: problems and perspectives concerning the changes in the nursing profession]

The 'new' figure of the nurse-assistant is at the same time desired and feared by the nursing profession. In fact nurses could easily delegate some of their tasks and at the same time this would reduce their workload but also the number of nurses needed. The discussion on what could be delegated is still on the floor and there is urgent need of redefining the content of the work of the nurses. An open discussion also with the doctors is warranted, together with a careful analysis of how the problem has been dealt with in other countries.