Needs assessment for a specialized training for nurses working in psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy: A focus...

Psychosomatic medicine has developed into an independent medical field over the past decades. Nurses in psychosomatic medicine perform highly specialized tasks. However, the available continuing education programs for specialization are very inconsistent.

The objective of this study was to conduct a needs assessment to identify the requirements for a specialized training for nurses working in psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy in terms of subject-specific content, as well as the underlying reasons for their needs. We expected a high demand for a specialized training in advance.

Focus groups were conducted from November 2023 to May 2024 each with at least six and no more than eight participants and with 42 participants in total.

The participants were nurses from various psychosomatic hospitals across Germany.

The focus groups were analyzed using qualitative content analysis, leading to eight main-categories. There was a strong demand for specialized training. Many reasons for the need for specialized training were discussed, including the need for professionalization, standardization and quality assurance. In addition subject-specific essential teaching content was identified as well as interprofessional and interdisciplinary needs.

The study identified a wide range of needs and reasons for the necessity of a dedicated specialized training program. A standardized specialized training for nurses working in psychosomatic medicine could facilitate interdisciplinary differentiation through its subject-specific content. It could also contribute to the formation of professional identity, quality assurance and the clarification of interprofessional roles, thereby helping to professionalize the field.