Focus of Scientific Research and Development are as follows:

• Conducting high-quality scientific research in intra- and inter-disciplinary collaboration at national and international levels.
• Investigating clinical questions based on the needs of the speciality and applying research results to develop person-centered, sustainable, and innovative primary care services.
• Engaging end-users (primary care specialists, primary health care institutions, patients) to achieve effectiveness in the field of research and development.
• Collaborating with various stakeholders like the Health Insurance Fund and the Ministry of Social Affairs for evidence-based professional development.
• Involving master’s students in health sciences to conduct scientific research in the field of primary health care.
• Making the results of the completed scientific research accessible to primary care specialists, stakeholders, decision-makers, and the public through the ETTH-UR website.

Ongoing Applied Research

• Self-Evaluated Competence and Development Needs of Family Nurses, and Family Doctors’ Expectations Regarding Family Nurses’ Development Needs in Estonian Primary Health Care, and the Development of New Learning and Tools for Patient Counselling. Research period: January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2026. Additional information: ETIS.

Central Research and Development Topics:

• Self-Evaluated Competence and Development Needs of Family Nurses in Estonian Primary Health Care – Survey Study. Approval: Ethics Committee for Human Research at the University of Tartu, protocol no. 393/T-13, October 4, 2024. Research period: October 2024 to April 2025. Researchers: Sirje Sammul (responsible), Gerli Mõts, Haide Laurson.
• Family Doctors’ Expectations regarding Family Nurses in Estonian Primary Health Care – Qualitative Study. Research period: January 2025 to December 2025.
• Psychometric Evaluation of the Chronic Disease Self-Efficacy Scale – Estonian Version with 33 Questions for Patients with Hypertension and Type 2 Diabetes. Research period: October 2024 to June 2025. Researchers: Haide Laurson, Evelyn Joost, Merje Lehtmets, Sirje Sammul (responsible).
• E-learning Tool for Family Nursing in the Comprehensive Assessment and Intervention for Adult Patients with Hypertension and Type 2 Diabetes. Research period: November 2024 to August 2025. Researchers: Marika Rosin, Janely Toomsalu, Martina Peda, Sirje Sammul (responsible).

Student Thesis Related to the Research Group

Bachelor’s Level Nursing Program Theses:

• Cheliin-Carmen Jürgen: “Background Factors of Family Nurse’s Self-Evaluated Competence and the Benefits of Analyzing Development Needs for Professional Self-Development.”

Master’s Level Health Sciences Program Theses:

1. Marili Lipp: “Experiences, Expectations, and Needs of Newly Graduated Family Nurses for Family Nurse Work: A Qualitative Study Based on Family Nurses Working in Southern Estonia.” Supervisor is Sirje Sammul
2. Anastassia Jasevitš: “Family Nurses’ Self-Evaluated Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes in Analyzing and Counseling Nutritional Information Using the NUTCOMP Scale Among Adults Diagnosed with Hypertension in Estonia.” Supervisor is Sirje Sammul
3. Tuuli Kossal: Topic to be determined (context of primary health care, systematic literature review). Supervisor is Sirje Sammul
4. Natalja Hirvi: Topic to be determined (related to applied research, qualitative study among family doctors). Supervisors are Reet Urban and Sirje Sammul
5. Marili Suits: Topic to be determined (school health care). Supervisor is Sirje Sammul
6. Kadi-Liis Roosimaa: Topic to be determined (family nursing). Supervisor is Sirje Sammul

Contact: Sirje Sammul, PhD: Senior Lecturer at Tartu Health Care College (sirjesammul@nooruse.ee)