[National survey to verify the implementation of State-Regions agreements introducing the professional profile of health social care worker and instituting a complementary training program for nursing assistants, Italy]. / Indagine nazionale sull'applicazione degli Accordi Stato-Regioni del 22 febbraio 2001 e 16 gennaio 2003 istitutivi del profilo professionale dell'operatore socio sanitario e della formazione complementare in assistenza sanitaria.

The professional profile of health social care worker (OSS) was introduced in Italy in 2001 and has become a fundamental figure in the Italian healthcare and social-health services system. However, changes have occurred in Italian health, clinical care and social realities since the OSS profile was defined. This article reports the results of a national-level study to investigate the state of application of the State-Regions Agreement of 22 February 2001, establishing the professional profile of OSS and regulating its characteristics and competencies, as that of the agreement of 16 January 2003, regulating the complementary healthcare training for nursing assistants.