Background

Developments in society and healthcare have resulted in the need for a different mix of nurses’ knowledge, skills and conduct. Many general hospitals and university medical centres have therefore implemented differentiated and function-oriented nursing practice, through pilot studies, for example. Differentiated practice entails more than simply distinguishing between nurses who have completed vocational programmes, in-service training or higher professional education (in Dutch: MBO, in-service or HBO level). It also involves the deployment of specialised nurses, nurses with a Master’s degree, and nurse practitioners. It raises questions such as what is it worth and how can deploying nurses in a differentiated fashion best be realised? Long-term scientific research is needed across a range of hospitals in order to gain a clear picture, and RN2Blend has been set up in order to achieve this.

The aim of RN2Blend

RN2Blend aims to demonstrate:

• what changes might occur in nursing practice and professional development at various levels of training and experience, and with various competencies. 
• what effect task differentiation has on nurses, such as job satisfaction and the quality of nursing care. 

Consortium

RN2Blend was set up in late 2019 and commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS). The research study is being conducted by a consortium from the Dutch Hospital Association (NVZ) and the Netherlands Federation of University Medical Centres (NFU), together with researchers from Radboud University Medical Centre, Erasmus University, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Fontys, and the Spaarne Hospital. 

Do you have any questions about the research? Contact the project team.