Research, practice and policy each draw on different bodies of knowledge and expertise, which bear high potential for a targeted and needs-based further development of existing nursing practice. The project brought together everyday practical experience and academic nursing science findings and knowledge, and by incorporating the diverse perspectives of nursing staff, relatives, researchers and other relevant stakeholders and decision-makers. Recommendations for action were developed, taking patients’ individual needs into account and enabling the evidence-based and efficient design and further development of nursing practice in European countries. Through the joint identification of needs and the development of solution strategies, incorporating as many relevant perspectives as possible, recommendations with practical viability and legitimacy were derived. These strategies were developed for addressing current challenges for nursing staff and care facilities at both the individual and organisational level. Furthermore, relevant recommendations were made for education providers and education policy.
Demographic change in European countries is accompanied by a growing need to expand existing care infrastructure. At the same time, issues such as multilingualism and diversity are becoming increasingly significant in the care sector, presenting new challenges regarding the quality of care provision. The growing demands lead to signs of burnout, illness and a shift to other professions among care workers. This exacerbates the exisitng and likely growing shortage of care workers, meaning that patients' individual needs cannot be adequately met. Researchers in nursing science often lack the means to not only communicate research findings but also to use them as a contribution to further development of existing structures. Educational institutions and policymakers have scope for action but often face the challenge of consolidating the growing needs of different stakeholders and balancing them against each other.