Lajivastaava	Varavastaava
Taina Räikkönen This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   0447858768	Ritva Ylitervo This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it 0447858775

Practical nurse

Participation is open to all young people studying for a basic degree in Social and Health Care and the vocational qualification in Practical Nursing, who have been born in 1991 or after. The vocational basic degree training refers to an education that will lead to a basic degree, or that is a preliminary training in an institute or as an apprentice. The winning competing pairs of the Semi-Finals continue on to compete in the National Skills Finals Competition.

The competition organisers reserve the right to make changes in the competition arrangements as well as in the machines and equipment.
In case of changes, information will be posted immediately at www.taitaja2011.fi
More detailed instructions will be sent to finalists along with their competition invitations.

General Description of the Category

The competition tasks of this category are based on the requirements of level 3 (on a scale of 1-3) as described in the curriculum-based training of a vocational degree. The candidates have to be able to care for, support and guide the development of people of various ages, backgrounds and life situations, and to provide support for their rehabilitation.

A practical nurse is qualified for basic level of caring, nursing and education. The training provides basic skills in supporting, guiding, nursing and rehabilitating people of different age groups and backgrounds in their various stages of life. Practical nurses can work in their home country or abroad, for example, in private homes, hospitals, children's day care, institutional care, reception, medical centres, patient transportation, different service units, industry, small and large companies, and also as entrepreneurs.

Semi-Finals:
Updated information on the Semi-Finals can be found on the Semi-Finals web page

Finals Schedule

Monday, May 2, 2011 Taking a look at the Competition Venue
Tuesday, May 3, 2011 9:00 to 17:00, Competition in Caring Day 1
Jury meeting: the Judges will meet each competition day in the morning one hour before the competition begins. The judges from the day before will be on call in case of any possible protests.

Skills requirements and focus areas in 2011

It is required in this category that the competitors master the skills learnt in the basic Vocational Qualification in Social and Health Care. The following areas will be under evaluation: supporting and guiding a person's growth and development, the areas of nursing and caring, and of supporting rehabilitation. The competition tasks are structured in a way that one task may include issues from several different study modules of the basic vocational studies of the degree.

The general areas of focus in the Taitaja 2011 competition are entrepreneurship and internationality. In addition in the category or Caring, good spirit will be emphasized.
Other important areas in the tasks are the following:
• professional interaction
• team work
• a good command of the basics of professional ethics
• aseptic working
• ergonomics
• guidance skills
• first-aid skills
• medical care
• work safety
• a good command of rehabilitative working
• taking into account the work environment

Fairness, objectivity, openness, honesty and joy of participation are important characteristics in the competition. The competition is meant to be a great opportunity to learn and develop oneself professionally. All the coaches, contestants, judges and organizers are committed to furthering these values.

Task description, the extent and performance time of the tasks

The framework of the competition tasks is formed by a category description that has been accepted by the category control group. The category description defines the most important areas of the basic degree in the competition, and the points that will be stressed in the evaluation of the tasks. The competition tasks will be modular, so that it is possible to calculate the results at the end of each competition day. The shopmaster, along with the control group, are responsible for making the competition tasks. Representatives from working life will also participate in the planning of the tasks.

The descriptions of the competition tasks will be published on the website www.taitaja2011.fi at least two months prior to the finals. The descriptions define the nature of the tasks, work stages, and the equipment and devices that will be used. The actual competition task, which will be altered by the jury about 30% in comparison to the original task description, will be given out at the venue.

On the competition day, the time given to task performances and the structure of the competition tasks change depending upon the nature and type of tasks. The competitors will not be allowed to watch performances by competitors who perform before them, but can observe other performances after finishing their own.

The competition tasks will be available in Finnish and Swedish.

Preliminary evaluation procedures

The jury will decide on the rank order of the competitors by giving points to each competitor. The World Skills based CIS point calculation system will be used in evaluation. The maximum amount of points in each category is 100. The task performances will be evaluated daily. The jury and the control group of the category together will decide on the final criteria for evaluation.

In the case of a competitor compromising his/her own safety or the safety of others, he/she may be disqualified.

The following areas will be under evaluation in 2011:

• managing the work process
• managing the task (working procedures, equipment and materials)
• managing the knowledge that the work is based on
• managing safety at work
• core skills common to all fields (learning skills, problem-solving skills, interpersonal and communication skills, cooperation skills, ethical and esthetical skills)
• common points of emphasis(internationality, sustainable development, utilizing technologies and information technology, entrepreneurship, high-quality and customer-oriented service, consumer issues, taking care of work safety and health)

Evaluation of the tasks is based on the criteria of vocational skills demonstrations. Task-specific evaluations have been made on the basis of those criteria.
In the case of a possible protest concerning task evaluations or competition arrangements, the protest will have to be made on the day of competition to the head judge in one hour after the results are announced at the latest. A protest concerning the last competition day will have to be made to the head judge within 30 minutes of the publishing of the results. The results will be published on the official notice board of the competition venue.

Number of competitors
8 pairs (16 competitors)

Judges
A team of judges, consisting of a school judge, working life judge and a head judge, will evaluate task performances and will make official task evaluations.

Size of the task venue
App. 100 m2

Devices and equipment used in the competition

A list of devices and equipment related to the tasks has been published in advance in the task descriptions. Competitors also have a chance to have a look at the competition venue beforehand.

Competitor brings to the competition

Competitors will be given work uniforms (T-shirts) that will be worn during task performances.
Competitors must have a nametag and work shoes every day of the competition.
They should also pay attention to general tidiness and appropriate dressing. It is forbidden to wear piercing jewellery in the competition due to work safety reasons.

International competitions

Caring is a category of the European and world championships. The EuroSkills and WorldSkills Competition (WSC) are organized every other year, and all the students participating in the semi-finals have a chance to apply for world championship training. For further information on the opportunity to compete internationally, contact competition category shopmaster Nina Östman ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).

Taitaja 2011 diploma

The competitors will receive a diploma of their completed performances. The diploma may be used in institutes as a basis for evaluation in vocational skills demonstrations.