Competences and professional characteristics of reflective neonatal nurses

Abstract

Reflective neonatal nurses are needed to meet the real-life demands of neonatal nursing practice. As part of a doctoral study to develop a model for the education of reflective neonatal nurses in a South African context, the competences and professional characteristics expected of them were presented. A qualitative explorative approach was followed to explore and describe the attributes of neonatal nursing practice and what it demands from reflective neonatal nurses, to synthesise the expected outcomes of their education. The competences expected from reflective neonatal nurses were described in terms of foundational, reflexive and practical competences related to neonatal patients, neonatal nursing environment, family-centred care, multi-professional teamwork, and professional nursing practice (including managerial aspects, ethico-legal aspects, and professional and personal outcomes). The professional characteristics expected of them were described in terms of value-system and world-perception, self-perception and emotional status, and interaction with their outer world. These competences and professional characteristics were validated by experts in the field.