OSS: who is it and what does it do?

Over the past two years, it has become increasingly clear how important it is for a country to be able to count on an adequate number of qualified healthcare professionals. The positions advertised by universities in this sector are increasingly numerous. The applications submitted, however, vary from region to region. In some, such as Veneto or Friuli Venezia Giulia, there has been a slight drop in applications. In Campania, in 2021, there was a 5% increase. In Italy, there are currently 22 recognized healthcare professions, the most famous of which, in addition to the strictly medical ones, are physiotherapy, obstetrics, speech therapy and pharmacy.

As the average age and responsibilities and tasks of nursing care increase, a new figure has emerged to support healthcare professions: theSocial Health Worker, better known as Oss.

The main tasks of a social health worker

This figure was officially established in 2002 within the law on nursing emergency. Unlike other professions, there is no job description; the text of the law only provides a general description of the figure. The task of each region is to establish in detail the tasks and training of the same. In this article, we will see what the main tasks of this auxiliary figure are, what the main differences are from nursing staff and how to recognize an Oss within a hospital.

The social health worker has the task of assisting people affected by mental or social distress. In most cases they deal with providing support to non-self-sufficient elderly people, in the daily needs of life and sociality.

The main tasks of an operator are:

hygienic - sanitary: assist or provide for the patient's normal personal hygiene activities. Administration of meals and assistance with basic motor activity. Always under the supervision and direction of nurses, OSS can take care of the administration of natural therapies, the application of basic dressings and the sterilization of medical instruments and devices.

social: the operator has the task of supporting social activities in the living environment. For example, within school facilities, he or she helps the student with disabilities to access classrooms and services and promotes integration into the school environment. The Oss, contributing to the social well-being of the person, also provides basic emotional and psychological support. The importance of this dimension, in the case of people with physical disabilities, is often underestimated; finding comfort and support is also fundamental for those with physical disabilities.

organizational: Recording and organizing hygiene and sanitation activities in consultation with the ward nurse. Participating in ward staff meetings.

Difference between Oss and nurses

The nurse is a health professional registered with a professional body in possession of a qualifying university degree and responsible for nursing care. To become a nurse, it is currently necessary to obtain a degree in Nursing (legislative decree 30 December 1992, n.502 and subsequent amendments). To start working as an Oss, however, a degree is required qualification certificate after completing 300 hours of complementary training modules, of which at least half are internships. The role requires autonomous management of the planning of assistance activities. The social-health worker, on the other hand, is a figure exclusively in support of assistance. From a legal point of view, therefore, it is the nurse who is responsible for the organization and assignment of assistance tasks to the Oss staff.

Oss clothing: how to recognize it inside a healthcare facility

 The healthcare worker, just like doctors and nurses and all workers in the field, is required to wear a medical clothing adequate. The uniform includes a tunic and a pair of trousers. There is no substantial difference between the Oss uniform and the nurse's uniform. The tunics are usually short-sleeved because the wrist area is the one most subject to getting dirty during normal tasks and the trousers have pockets. It is very important that the uniform has pockets and that it is washable at high temperatures, resisting industrial disinfection and cleaning processes. As for the colour of the social health worker's uniform, it varies based on the facility in which they work. As for nurses, soft colours and pastel shades are always recommended. The standard Oss uniform is white but coloured variants are increasingly used. Inside a hospital we can recognise an Oss first of all because they wear a uniform and a tag that shows their name and job description. In most healthcare centres, Oss have uniforms of a specific colour, different from those of nurses; in this case it will be easy to immediately recognise who to contact for the hygiene and daily personal care needs of a patient.

Why become a social health worker?

 More and more young people are choosing to pursue a career in the healthcare field. Why prefer the Oss to other figures? The profession of Oss is recommended for those who have a sincere interest in daily care activities, who want to be an important 360-degree support for people with physical or mental discomfort and who, at the same time, are not interested in the strictly medical or therapeutic aspect. Being a social health worker is certainly very challenging from a psychological and emotional point of view, in addition to requiring manual skills and excellent knowledge of good hygiene and health practices. In the case of bedridden patients, for example, it is necessary to know how to perform correct mobilization and what protocols are required to avoid secondary pathologies related to the condition, such as bedsores. Among the professions in the health sector, that of Oss is certainly the one that is most suitable for professional reconversion after the age of 30, since it is possible to practice the profession by attending a specific course that certifies the qualification. It is certainly rarer for people after that age to choose to undertake university courses.