This study provided a comprehensive description of patient observation skills related to the three-phased patient observation process. The findings contribute to clarifying this part of the competence. The description of patient observation skills may be applied in both clinical practice and education as it may serve as a framework for orientation, ensuring clinical skills and designing learning environments. Based on this study, patient observation skills can be recommended to be included in critical care nursing education, orientation and as a part of critical care nurses' competence evaluation.

Background Observing a patient's clinical condition is an important responsibility of critical care nurses and an essential component of their competence. Critical care nurses' patient observation skills contribute to patient safety and quality of care. These observation skills have not been assessed or measured previously. Aim The aim of this study was to measure the self‐assessed level of critical care nurses' patient observation skills and to explore the factors associated with these skills. Study design This was a multicentre cross‐sectional survey conducted in Finland. Methods The sample consisted of critical care nurses working at Finnish university hospitals. The data were collected between September 2017 and January 2018 using an instrument developed for the study – Patient Observation Skills in Critical Care Nursing (visual analogue scale 0–100). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Results A total of 372 critical care nurses (49%) responded. Finnish critical care nurses assessed their patient observation skills overall as excellent. The bio‐physiological foundation was assessed as good, whereas skills in using observation methods and skills in recognizing changing clinical condition were assessed as excellent. Education for special tasks in intensive care units, information searching in scientific journals, working experience in critical care nursing and critical care nurses' perception of critical care as a preferred field of nursing were factors promoting patient observation skills. Conclusions and relevance to clinical practice The study provided a novel instrument for measuring critical care nurses' patient observation skills. The instrument may be used as an assessment tool in clinical practice and education. Developing orientation and on‐the‐job training in intensive care units are essential in assuring critical care nurses' adequate patient observation skills. Patient observation skills could be developed during nursing education by providing students with opportunities for clinical training and applying patient cases in virtual learning environments.

Background The clinical observations made by critical care nurses are vital for maintaining patient safety and making appropriate decisions in the care of patients who are critically ill. Evaluating the reliability of observations and applying analytical thinking are essential elements of patient observation. Previous studies of critical care nurses' knowledge have focused either on specific aspects of patient observation or on critical care nursing in general; therefore, the findings are not comprehensive. Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate critical care nurses' level of knowledge in patient observation and to explore the factors that are associated with it. Study design A cross‐sectional knowledge test survey with critical care nurses in Finland was used. Methods Data were collected in seven adult intensive care units in all five university hospitals in Finland between September 2017 and January 2018 by using a knowledge test (20 items) developed for this study. All critical care nurses were eligible to participate. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results Altogether, 372 nurses responded (response rate 49%). Their average scores in the knowledge test were 77% (mean 15.29/20, SD 2.41) for correct answers, 75% (mean 8.2/11, SD 1.54) in the sum‐variable “Evaluating the reliability of observation” and 79% (mean 7.08, SD 1.45) for “Analytical thinking.” A higher knowledge level was associated with education in special tasks in an intensive care unit. Conclusion The critical care nurses' knowledge level was considered to be suboptimal. There is a need for improving knowledge of patient observation among Finnish critical care nurses to ensure safe and good quality care. Relevance to clinical practice Finnish critical care nurses' knowledge of patient observation could be improved by providing specific continuing education for new nurses entering intensive care units and for experienced critical care nurses throughout their career.

Background Virtual Health and Wellbeing Living Lab Infrastructure is a Horizon 2020 project that aims to harmonize Living Lab procedures and facilitate access to European health and well-being research infrastructures. In this context, this study presents a joint research activity that will be conducted within Virtual Health and Wellbeing Living Lab Infrastructure in the transitional care domain to test and validate the harmonized Living Lab procedures and infrastructures. The collection of data from various sources (information and communications technology and clinical and patient-reported outcome measures) demonstrated the capacity to assess risk and support decisions during care transitions, but there is no harmonized way of combining this information. Objective This study primarily aims to evaluate the feasibility and benefit of collecting multichannel data across Living Labs on the topic of transitional care and to harmonize data processes and collection. In addition, the authors aim to investigate the collection and use of digital biomarkers and explore initial patterns in the data that demonstrate the potential to predict transition outcomes, such as readmissions and adverse events. Methods The current research protocol presents a multicenter, prospective, observational cohort study that will consist of three phases, running consecutively in multiple sites: a cocreation phase, a testing and simulation phase, and a transnational pilot phase. The cocreation phase aims to build a common understanding among different sites, investigate the differences in hospitalization discharge management among countries, and the willingness of different stakeholders to use technological solutions in the transitional care process. The testing and simulation phase aims to explore ways of integrating observation of a patient’s clinical condition, patient involvement, and discharge education in transitional care. The objective of the simulation phase is to evaluate the feasibility and the barriers faced by health care professionals in assessing transition readiness. Results The cocreation phase will be completed by April 2022. The testing and simulation phase will begin in September 2022 and will partially overlap with the deployment of the transnational pilot phase that will start in the same month. The data collection of the transnational pilots will be finalized by the end of June 2023. Data processing is expected to be completed by March 2024. The results will consist of guidelines and implementation pathways for large-scale studies and an analysis for identifying initial patterns in the acquired data. Conclusions The knowledge acquired through this research will lead to harmonized procedures and data collection for Living Labs that support transitions in care. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/34573