Jussi Salo, the development director at the Finnish union for practical nurses, Super, has raised serious concerns regarding the deficiency of language skills among healthcare professionals in Finland. According to Salo, addressing this issue is feasible but requires political will and financial support. He emphasizes that inadequate language proficiency could lead to critical safety risks for both clients and patients, a viewpoint supported by recent survey findings from Super that reveal language barriers often result in dangerous situations within healthcare settings.

Salo's statements echo the sentiments of nurses who were interviewed by Yle, indicating that language-related complications are a pressing concern. The issue is not only about communication but also about ensuring that all healthcare personnel can effectively contribute to patient safety. Attendo’s CEO, Virpi Holmqvist, also noted that their optimism regarding foreign caregivers learning Finnish skills quickly led to operational challenges, reflecting the mismatch between expectations and reality in language acquisition among newly arrived staff.

Moreover, educational consultant Riitta Vihunen from the Omnia education entity emphasizes the need for sufficient language training during the educational phase of healthcare professionals. Solutions to this problem are necessary to improve staffing above the theoretical understanding of language skills, ensuring that language proficiency is adequately addressed before practitioners enter the workforce. The situation calls for immediate action to enhance language education and support for foreign caregivers to avert hazards in healthcare settings.