Nursing Research Center NRC
At the Nursing Research Center (NRC), our goal is to promote nursing and health science research and the utilization of its results for the benefit of the patient.

The NRC supports HUS’s nursing and health science research in many different ways.
Here at the NRC
- We offer opportunities for research work for HUS personnel working on their doctoral thesis and post-doctoral research.
- We enable the implementation of nursing development projects based on research in different HUS units.
- We strengthen the expertise of the nursing staff in evidence-based operations.
- We offer consultancy assistance in the planning and implementation of research and research development projects.
- We compile nursing guidelines, which develops research-based nursing.
- We are responsible for the implementation and evaluation of HUS health sciences research program.
Magnet Hospital project
The assessment the effectiveness of nursing is an important part of our activities. For our part, we support the HUS departments seeking Magnet Hospital status in achieving the criteria for research activities. The status can be obtained when the quality of care is excellent and meets the quality criteria.
Read more about the Magnet Hospital project here.
News and events
Research publications in the field of nursing and health sciences in HUS
Aittovaara A, Kylmä J, Rauta S, Meriö A, Junttila K, Paavilainen E, Haapa T. Uusien työntekijöiden kokemukset perehdytyksestä ja sen aikaisesta oppimisesta leikkaus- ja teho-osastoilla: laadullinen tutkimus. Tutkiva hoitotyö 2022;20(1):20-29. Linkki tiivistelmään(opens in new window, links to another website)
Cavonius-Rintahaka D, Roos M, Gillberg C, Billstedt E, Aho AL. Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Dialogical Family Guidance with Ordinary Clinical Treatment for Families with a Child with Neurodevelopmental Disorders(opens in new window, links to another website).
Adv Neurodev Disord 2022;6:36-52.
Elliott R, Axelin A, Richards KC, Vahlberg T, Ritmala-Castren M. Sensitivity and specificity of proposed Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire cut-off scores for good quality sleep during an ICU stay(opens in new window, links to another website).
JCN 2022; Early View.
Heikkilä A, Kotila J, Junttila K. Validation of the Helsinki University Hospital prevent pressure Injury Risk Assessment Tool: a prospective observational study.(opens in new window, links to another website)
BMC Nursing 2022, 21:18.
Holstein R, Mäkinen M, Castrén M, Kaartinen J. Utilization of Prognostic Biomarker Soluble Urokinase Plasminogen Activator Receptor in the Emergency Department: a Tool for Safe and More Efficient Decision-making(opens in new window, links to another website).
BMI 2022;17:1-7.
Jokiniemi K, Heikkilä A, Meriläinen M, Junttila K, Peltokoski J, Tervo-Heikkinen T, Mattila E, Mikkonen S. Advanced Practice Role Delineation Within Finland: A Comparative Descriptive Study(opens in new window, links to another website).
JAN 2022;78(6);1665-1675.
Kaarlela V, Mikkonen K, Pohjamies N, Ruuskanen S, Kääriäinen M, Kuivila H-M, Haapa T. Competence of clinical nurse educators in university hospitals: a cross-sectional study(opens in new window, links to another website).
Nordic Journal of Nursing Research 2022;42(4):195–202.
Karikoski E, Junttila K, Järvinen M, Sarkola T, Blomqvist M. Parental perceptions and experiences of an oral health care promotion intervention for children with congenital heart defects(opens in new window, links to another website).
International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Health & Well-being 2022;17:1.
Lemetti T, Pakarinen A, Salminen L, Virtanen H, Haapa T. Instruments assessing nurse educator's competence: A scoping review(opens in new window, links to another website).
Nursing Open 2022;00:1– 18.
Lojander J, Axelin A, Bergman P, Niela-Vilén H. Maternal perceptions of breastfeeding support in a birth hospital before and after designation to the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative: A quasi-experimental study(opens in new window, links to another website).
Midwifery 2022;110, 103350.
Melender H-L, Hökkä M, Kaakinen P, Lehto J, Hirvonen O. Palliative-care nurses' and physicians' descriptions of the competencies needed in their working units(opens in new window, links to another website).
International Journal of Palliative Nursing 2022;28:38-50.
Melender H-L. Partnership in nursing for implementing a clinical guideline into nursing practice(opens in new window, links to another website).
Nurse Educator 2022;47:pE93.
Metsäranta K, Anttila M, Pajamäki T, Holappa H, Välimäki M. Web messaging among young people in online services: A descriptive mixed-methods study(opens in new window, links to another website).
Digital Health 2022;8.
Mustonen S, Salanterä S, Junttila K. 2022. Nurse engagement in a Finnish tertiary-level university hospital: a descriptive cross-sectional survey. Hoitotiede 2022;34(3):169-182.
Niinihuhta M, Häggman-Laitila A. A systematic review of the relationships between nurse leaders' leadership styles and nurses' work-related well-being(opens in new window, links to another website).
International Journal of Nursing Practice 2022;28:e13040.
Niinihuhta M, Terkamo-Moisio A, Kvist T, Häggman-Laitila A. A comprehensive evaluation of factors affecting nurse leaders' work-related well-being(opens in new window, links to another website).
Leadership in Health Services 2022;35:460-474.
Pohjamies N, Mikkonen K, Kääriäinen M, Haapa T. Development and psychometric testing of the preceptors’ orientation competence instrument (POCI)(opens in new window, links to another website).
Nurse Education in Practice 2022;64, 103445:1–9.
Pohjamies N, Haapa T, Kääriäinen M, Mikkonen K. Nurse preceptors’ orientation competence and associated factors: a cross-sectional study(opens in new window, links to another website).
J Adv Nurs 2022;78:4123–4134.
Poikajärvi S, Rauta S, Salanterä S, Junttila K. Delirium in a surgical context from a nursing perspective: A hybrid concept analysis.(opens in new window, links to another website)
Int J Nurs Stud Adv 2022;4:100103.
Primeau C, Marttinen F, Ejlskov Pedersen CC. The status of forensic radiography in the Nordic Countries: Results from the 2020 IAFR questionnaire(opens in new window, links to another website).
Forensic Imaging 2022;29:200502.
Ritmala-Castrén M, Axelin A, Richards KC, Mitchell ML, Vahlberg T, Leino-Kilpi H. Investigating the construct and concurrent validity of the Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire with intensive care unit patients and home sleepers(opens in new window, links to another website).
Australian Critical Care 2022;35(2):130-135.
Rosenström T, Tuisku K, Suvisaari J, Pukkala E, Junttila K, Haravuori H, Elovainio M, Haapa T, Jylhä P, Laukkala T. Healthcare workers' heterogeneous mental-health responses to prolonging Covid-19 pandemic: A full year of monthly follow up in Finland(opens in new window, links to another website).
BMC Psychiatry 2022;22:724.
Tervo-Heikkinen T, Heikkilä A, Koivunen M, Kortteisto T, Peltokoski J, Salmela S, Sankelo M, Ylitörmänen T, Junttila K. Pressure injury prevalence and incidence in acute inpatient care and related risk factors - a cross-sectional national study(opens in new window, links to another website).
Int Wound J 2022;19:919-931.