A guided year for professional recognition or "special education" in nursing is now available annually at the Akureyri Hospital. The goal of special education is that nurses get the opportunity to develop expertise in a specific clinical field of study that is useful for SAk clients. On that occasion, two nurses signed an agreement with the department heads, the education manager of SAk and the director of nursing at the end of the day to start their special education at SAk.

“This opportunity strengthens the position of nursing at SAk and enhances the overall work. We are putting even more emphasis on the advancement of expertise in nursing at the hospital, which will result in increased quality of nursing,” says Hulda Sigríður Ringsted, Director of Nursing.

Nurses in special education will receive, in consultation with the department head, up to 20% of their working time during the winter months to work towards their goals in the special education program. A two to three-person guidance committee is appointed for each student. It consists of at least one specialist in nursing, but other members may be healthcare professionals who are connected to the students' clinical focus.

The main aspects of the specialist training are clinical work, education, counselling, research, quality and development work. There is also a strong emphasis on the leadership and leadership role of nurses.

• The first part of the special education program focuses on clinical work, acquisition of expertise, education and quality work.

• The second part of the program focuses on academic work, including research and implementation of innovations in clinical practice in accordance with the best available knowledge.

It is assumed that part of the special education program is research and academic work in a broad sense, such as active participation in research in the relevant special field, submission of a thesis from a research project, preparation of a research plan, participation in the preparation of evidence-based guidelines, including quality documents and participation in the Scientology Day.