Competence in critical care: what it is and how to gain it: a qualitative study from the staff's point of view

Modern theories about competence at work state that the workers' conceptions about their work and work tasks are decisive for the workers' way of carrying out their work tasks. The present study is from a larger project studying the intensive care staff's way of perceiving intensive care and their work on the unit. With the aim of clarifying a specific concept, 5 complementary interviews were conducted to ask the staff about their understanding of competence. The staff described 5 different ways of understanding competence in intensive care: ability to cooperate, being able to perceive the situation correctly, being aware of abilities and limitations, being able to act, and being able to disregard the technology, when that is the most correct way of caring for a patient. The respondents had 2 different ways of understanding competence development: a question of personal traits and a question of organizational climate. The results confirm that competence is an understanding-based concept and that personal maturity and the right kind of attitude are the most important foundations for a competent nurse in intensive care.