The development of family nursing science in Finland has been led by dedicated faculty at the School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere for over 20 years. Family issues are the central focus of research and teaching with an emphasis on family health, well-being, and family health care nursing across the lifespan. The program of research at the University of Tampere began with descriptive studies and, over time, has included instrument development, theory formulation and testing, and intervention studies using a variety of research methods.
Despite this intensive work, family-focused health care in Finland needs to become even more visible. Stronger collaboration is needed between researchers, educational institutions, managers, and practicing professionals. Research and teaching collaboration within the European Union and with the Nordic countries is ongoing and will strengthen the strong foundation of family nursing science in Finland that already exists.
