Care practices and approaches vary widely from country to country. Practices may also vary widely between hospitals in different countries. The same procedures are performed in completely different ways. New practices can be shared through training days or hospital visits. But how can good treatment methods or practices be shared if there is no lecture on plastic surgery at training days?
Many specialist care areas already have their own association to support professionalism by organising training days/courses and annual newsletters for their members.
The Finnish Association of Plastic Surgery Nurses was registered in June 2023, with the aim of providing a platform for plastic nurses to share their practices and methods of working. The association would act as an enabler for plastic nurses to find training and education specifically in their area of expertise and this support the professional skills of plastic nurses.
The association is still in its infancy, but we have started by forming a WhatsApp group. The group has provided a low threshold for asking questions and sharing advice and ideas. In a short time, we have already networked among the group members and know each other by name.
Hopefully, in the future, the Finnish Association of Plastic Surgery Nurses will be active enough to network with Nordic plastic nurses, and even possibly organise their own training days in the future.