The effect of Problem-Based Learning on Care Management skills: A quasi-experimental study

OBJECTIVE

to assess the preliminary effect of Problem-Based Learning on Care Management skills.

METHOD

a quasi-experimental pre- and post-test conducted with students attending the Bachelor's Degree in Nursing offered by an educational institution. The sample was comprised by 29 (Experimental Group) and 74 (Control Group) students. The Experimental Group solved four scenarios under the Problem-Based Learning method with the 7 steps proposed by McMaster University, in a Care Management program in distance mode. The self-reporting instrument assessed the pre- and post-test Care Management skills in both groups. Mean values were obtained and descriptive and inferential statistics were performed (Student's t, paired t, linear regression).

RESULTS

the Experimental Group obtained higher scores in analytical, action-related and global skills than the Control Group (p<0.05). No differences were recorded in interpersonal skills or in use of the information. The Control presented no significant differences before and after usual teaching, whereas differences were in fact reported in the Experimental Group (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

despite the fact that there is little evidence on the development of Nursing Care Management skills, the current study shows that Problem-Based Learning is an effective and significant method in remote education.

Nursing personnel training: a pilot study on attitude change, through a workshop on ethics and humanities

Nursing has emerged as one of the main professions with a humanistic sense specialized in health care. The accent on personal development favored by training in humanities allows for questioning whether a training specifically focused on the workplace abilities enhances personal fulfilment at work. A pilot workshop on Ethics and Humanities at Work was offered in tertiary hospital to assess the influence of ethics and humanities in attitude toward work. Nineteen nurses completed the workshop; attitude towards change and attitude towards teamwork increased significantly. In this pilot study we found that the workshop influenced attitude towards change at work and teamwork. Since an attitude is made up of the cognitive, affective, and behavioral components, the change in one of these has the capacity to modify part of the others.

Intervención comunitaria para el cuidado de la salud en la comuna 7 de Santa Marta, Colombia

Los problemas sociales son considerados, una condición que afecta a un número significativamente de personas, los cuales deben ser corregidos mediante acciones colectivas, teniendo en cuenta que el barrio seleccionado para este proyecto que alberga una gran población desplazada por la violencia lo que hace que haya un incremento en el analfabetismo, pobreza, drogadicción, desnutrición, hacinamiento, violencia intrafamiliar, problemas de salud en general, situación que impide el desarrollo o el progreso de una comunidad o de uno de sus sectores. La Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia a través del Programa de Enfermería, realizó el diagnóstico de salud con énfasis en salud familiar a partir de la aplicación del censo poblacional, lo que nos sirvió como insumo para los indicadores de salud y posterior intervención en la comunidad y de esta manera, asegurando la existencia y continuidad del proyecto e inserción de la comunidad. El proyecto involucro además de la Universidad otras organizaciones cívicas, educativas y sociales del sector. Por tal razón se concibe como una experiencia participativa de la comunidad, en el cual se impartirán conocimientos éticos y morales para contribuir así con el desarrollo integral del ser mismo y por ende de la comunidad de Santa Marta.

Transitando hacia el ejercicio de autonomía y liderazgo: … «para el posicionamiento hay que luchar»

Introducción: En Chile, las enfermeras/os tienen respaldo legal para gestionar el cuidado, esto facilita el desarrollo de competencias para ejercer autonomía y liderazgo. Actualmente persisten barreras para transitar hacia un reconocimiento real de la independencia profesional. Objetivo: Develar la experiencia vivida de enfermeras con cargos en niveles de jefatura respecto al propio desarrollo para lograr el liderazgo y autonomía profesional. Metodología: Estudio cualitativo descriptivo-interpretativo, desde la trayectoria fenomenológica de Edmund Husserl. Muestreo selectivo de caso homogéneo de tres enfermeras que desempeñaban rol de jefatura en instituciones de salud, región Valparaíso, Chile. Participación consentida. Entrevista no estructurada. Análisis del discurso utilizando el modelo de liderazgo integral de Ken Wilber. Resultados: Categorías: Conciencia del líder «ser inquieta...intelectualmente». Construyendo competencias «el liderazgo se aprende». Transitando hacia el ejercicio de la autonomía y el liderazgo, “para el posicionamiento hay que luchar”. El peso de las estructuras organizacionales «tu rol es parte de un hospital». Interpretación: El eEjercicio del liderazgo y la autonomía se fundamenta en competencias actitudinales por sobre las cognitivas y técnicas. Existe mayor apoyo y reconocimiento a nivel institucional, que al interior del equipo de salud. Persisten limitaciones para lograr máxima expresión del liderazgo y autonomía, por persistencia de modelos institucionales hegemónicos, centrados en decisiones médicas y desconocimiento del rol integrado. Conclusión: El líder se mueve en un escenario dual, entre un menor reconocimiento del equipo y un creciente empoderamiento del rol autónomo y visibilidad a nivel directivo institucional.

Knowledge of responsible technical nurses on management skills: a qualitative study

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify the knowledge of responsible technical nurses in relation to the general and management skills required to perform this function. Method: Qualitative case study with 14 nurses. The semi-structured interviews were recorded and the data analyzed through the thematic content analysis. Results: Two categories stood out: Main Responsibilities for the Position of Technical Manager: Leadership, Interpersonal Relationship and Systemic view; and Developing Skills: Dissociation between Theory and Practice. Final considerations: The fact that only three skills have been recognized as necessary for the exercise of the function of technical leader and the perception of the interviewees about the dissociation between theory and practice during graduation should be explored by the teaching and health institutions, because to exercise this nurses must develop the technical-scientific, socio-educational and ethical-political skills to be able to lead the organization to positive results..

Working relationships between obstetric care staff and their managers: a critical incident analysis

Background

Malawi continues to experience critical shortages of key health technical cadres that can adequately respond to Malawi’s disease burden. Difficult working conditions contribute to low morale and frustration among health care workers. We aimed to understand how obstetric care staff perceive their working relationships with managers.

Methods

A qualitative exploratory study was conducted in health facilities in Malawi between October and December 2008. Critical Incident Analysis interviews were done in government district hospitals, faith-based health facilities, and a sample of health centres’ providing emergency obstetric care. A total of 84 service providers were interviewed. Data were analyzed using NVivo 8 software.

Results

Poor leadership styles affected working relationships between obstetric care staff and their managers. Main concerns were managers’ lack of support for staff welfare and staff performance, lack of mentorship for new staff and junior colleagues, as well as inadequate supportive supervision. All this led to frustrations, diminished motivation, lack of interest in their job and withdrawal from work, including staff seriously considering leaving their post.

Conclusions

Positive working relationships between obstetric care staff and their managers are essential for promoting staff motivation and positive work performance. However, this study revealed that staff were demotivated and undermined by transactional leadership styles and behavior, evidenced by management by exception and lack of feedback or recognition. A shift to transformational leadership in nurse-manager relationships is essential to establish good working relationships with staff. Improved providers’ job satisfaction and staff retentionare crucial to the provision of high quality care and will also ensure efficiency in health care delivery in Malawi.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12913-016-1694-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.