"Nursing professionals do not have a clear definition of their role educational, however, Education for Health (EpS) is one of their competencies. These professionals are in a privileged position to empower people in caring for and improving their health and well-being." This was the starting point of the thesis that María Pueyo has defended this course in the School of Nursing.

Its research was based on the design and validation of a new tool to measure the self-perceived skill of Education for Health of nurses in the hospital setting. The Instrument skill of Education for Health of the Nursing Professional (I-CEpSE) measures, through three scales, the knowledge, skills and personal attributes necessary for competent performance of Education for Health. "We saw the need for a valid and reliable instrument to measure skill, which would allow us to map the training needs of nurses in EpS and evaluate the effectiveness of future training programs. Something like this did not exist," explains María Pueyo. "In addition, the I-CEpSE allows us to encourage nurses' reflective internship on their learning process at skill in EpS, as well as being an incentive to become actively involved in it".

The I-CEpES is the first instrument, at international and national level, that incorporates the three competency domains (cognitive, psychomotor and affective/attitudinal), and makes it possible to identify training needs in detail in the three main areas of competency acquisition. "The tool can also be of great use at the organizational level, as the measurement of competencies is an element of core topic in the processes of improving the quality of care," explains the professor. "It will allow us to know the current status , which will make it easier to work systematically and selectively in the development of action plans focused on improving the skill". "The concept of Education for Health is very complex," acknowledges Pueyo. "The research has also made it possible to clarify the term, providing a new theoretical definition that financial aid to move towards a more precise meaning and, at the same time to build a common guide of reference letter for its use and application in the clinical internship ," he concludes.

The thesis was part of the area of research Health Promotion School of the University's Nursing Department.