AVOTURVA – path towards safe outpatient care of psychosis

Supporting occupational safety in enhanced outpatient care for psyhosis

Duration of the project

1.2.2026 – 31.1.2028

Source of funding

The Finnish Work Environment Fund

Total funding

140 000 €

The AVOTURVA project studies and develops occupational safety and well-being in enhanced outpatient care for psychosis. The topic is studied using existing knowledge and information produced in research. Based on the collected information, a new guideline is created and piloted, with the aim of developing occupational safety and well-being in enhanced outpatient care. The new guideline supports safe and effective care, reduces regional differences, and promotes the spread of best practices.

The AVOTURVA project is implemented by the Turku University of Applied Sciences’ mental health promotion research team. The cooperation partners are the Wellbeing Services County of Southwest Finland and the HUS Group, the joint authority for Helsinki and Uusimaa. The project is funded by the Finnish Work Environment Fund.
Some research data on homeward psychiatric care has been made, but safety at work and well-being at work in enhanced out-patient care for psychosis has not been systematically examined in Finland or internationally.

In the AVOTURVA project, the first unified operating guideline of its kind in Finland is developed and piloted. Currently, there is no standardized operating guideline for intensive outpatient care in the treatment of psychosis, nor is there research evidence on occupational safety and work well-being in this context. Due to societal changes, the role of outpatient care is expanding and becoming increasingly complex. The AVOTURVA project generates research-based knowledge on these issues, and the developed guideline would enable a more standardized model across wellbeing services counties. The guideline developed within the project can also be adapted for the treatment of other psychiatric disorders.

An integrative literature review will be conducted to establish a baseline understanding of the current state of intensive outpatient care in the treatment of psychosis and the work well-being of its professionals. The review will be completed prior to the commencement of the empirical study to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the topic. Following the review, empirical data will be collected through focus group interviews, involving registered nurses recruited from units within Wellbeing Services County of Southwest Finland and the HUS Group.

Qualitative content analysis will be used to identify work-related stressors, resources, and existing practices from the perspectives of occupational safety and work well-being. Based on the findings, a multidisciplinary workshop will be organized to develop the framework of an operating model and to refine its content according to employees’ needs. The workshop will include healthcare professionals, supervisors, and experts with experience.

Using validated measurement instruments and a project-specific questionnaire, the operating model will be piloted in the participating units, and its effectiveness will be evaluated using a pre–post study design. This mixed-methods approach enables a systematic progression from literature review to pilot implementation, providing both qualitative depth and quantitative evidence in support of the project’s objectives.