Social and healthcare personnel’s self-reported competence in small and medium-sized companies in preparation for simulation coaching

Purpose: The paper describes staff’s self-rated theoretical, practical and interaction competence in 20 social and healthcare companies. The study draws from a research and development project run jointly by two educational institutions and a health technology development center. The results can be used to develop the content of a multiprofessional simulation coaching intervention.Data and methods: Data were collected in the autumn of 2017 using an online survey software. The quantitative data were analyzed using the SPSS for Windows version 23 and the qualitative data using inductive content analysis. The response rate was 96% (n = 125). This article presents the quantitative results.Results: Respondents found that they were competent in interaction, in identifying their clients’ needs, in attending to client safety and in supporting clients’ psychosocial and physical function. Their ratings were lower for issues pertaining to severe disability, for encountering aggressive behavior and for some aspects of digitalization.Conclusions: The most important development needs involved making better use of digital tools and remote counseling, enhancing information technology competence and learning to encounter aggressive behavior.