[Primary nursing care. The abilities of nursing staff]

The purpose of this study was to examine the requirements of primary nursing and to find out whether the test group had the abilities to meet these requirements. Questionnaires were delivered in order to find out how informed on primary nursing the group was and what was the nursing philosophy of its members. As a test group was used a clinic of internal disease of a university hospital. The group included all nurses (N = 177). Only 118 (67%) nurses returned the questionnaires. The questionnaire that was used to collect data consisted of multiple-choice questions as well as open ones. The results of the study indicate that the test group has knowledge of primary nursing. In addition the members of the group are familiar with the concept of fields of responsibility, decision making and reporting in writing. Their nursing philosophy contains elements that are identical with the philosophy of primary nursing. Since the results are relatively affirmative and homogeneous, it is possible, that the clinic could implement primary nursing.