Research in Architecture: Looking Backward and Forward: Forty-Year Experience in Architectural Research at the Faculty of Architecture STU

The introduction of my contribution contains a brief information on the Faculty of Architecture of the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (FA STU) and the architectural research performed at this institution. Schemes and priorities of our research in architecture have changed several times since the very beginning in early 50’s. The most significant change occurred after “the velvet revolution” in 1989. Since 1990 there have been several sources to support research at universities. The significant part of my contribution is rooted in my own research experience since the time I had joined FA STU in 1975 as a young architect and researcher. The period of the 80’s is characterized by the first unintentional attempts to do “research by design” and my “scientific” achievements as by-products of my design work. Some of them resulted in the following issues: conception of mezzo-space, theory of the complex perception of architectural space and definition of basic principles of ecologically conscious architecture. Nowadays I continue my research by design within the application of so called solar envelope in urban scale with my students.

A educação continuada para a enfermagem : motivações e dificuldades

Para a compreensão do fenômeno da educação continuada na docência na graduação de enfermagem, foi desenvolvido um estudo do tipo exploratório-descritivo com abordagem quantitativa em que se buscou estudar as razões que motivam e as dificuldades dos docentes do Curso de Enfermagem da docência do ensino superior da Faculdade Aliança no desenvolvimento de sua educação continuada no município de Teresina-PI. Fizeram parte deste estudo: 24 docentes da citada instituição e com a mesma formação na graduação de enfermagem e tendo a faixa etária entre 25 a 53 anos e todos pertencentes ao curso de graduação de enfermagem, sendo que o instrumento utilizado para produção dos dados foi um questionário, em que 100% dos docentes responderam a este questionário. O mesmo foi construído e fundamentado tendo base no quadro teórico desta pesquisa, seguindo o roteiro previamente estabelecido. Os dados foram analisados e articulados ao referencial teórico a partir dos questionários aplicados nesse estudo. Constatou - se nesta pesquisa que os docentes, têm várias dificuldades na prática ao realizar sua educação continuada. Seja pela falta de tempo, liberação da instituição a qual está vinculada, pela questão financeira e por outros motivos. Portanto, ao concluir este estudo todos os objetivos foram alcançados, e que os docentes de enfermagem tenham subsídios científicos no desenvolvimento do cotidiano de sua vida profissional de modo a valorizar essas ações e reconhecer esse processo como diferencial, priorizando a aquisição de novos conhecimentos, sejam no desenvolvimento de sua educação continuada, permanente através de cursos on-line, pós-graduações (especializações), mestrado, doutorado e pós-doutorado e que possa contribuir para a melhoria de suas ações quando estiverem atuando na docência do ensino superior da graduação de enfermagem quando forem por em prática em suas aulas teóricas e práticas nos hospitais ou clínicas quando forem repassar seus conhecimentos aos seus discentes do curso de graduação de enfermagem.

O Cuidador de Enfermagem e o Cuidar em Uma Unidade de Terapia Intensiva; The Nursing Caregiver and the Caring in Intensive Care Units

There are several aggressive factors in Intensive Care Units (ICU), which reach not only patients, but the nursing caregivers, since they participate in complex procedures and death of patients. Nursing caregivers may have difficulties on their daily work routine that can influence the way of care. The goal of this study was to identify the aspects of nursing caregivers working in adult ICU. It is a describe-exploratory study with qualitative approach, developed among 21 ICU adult nursing caregivers of a school hospital in Paraná. The data were collected in May and July, 2009 by recorded and transcribed semi-structured interviews. Four categories for analysis were identified: the aspects of ICU assistance, the meaning of healthcare for the nursing caregivers, the understanding of healthcare positive aspects and disclosing the difficulties of caring. The results revealed that caring is related to some factors such as mixed feelings, the mental and physical damage caused by stress; the understanding of total caring, scientific-technique procedures, family engagement in the assistance and humanization. The positive aspects are related to the welfare due to satisfaction in the work done and recognition of work. The difficulties involved death situations, psychological and biological damages, establishing links with patients and the uncaring toward the nursing caregivers.

Qualidade de vida do cuidador de enfermagem e sua relação com o cuidar; Quality of life of the nursing caregiver and its relationship with care

Objective:To identify aspects that affect the quality of life of nursing caregivers and their relationship with care in an Intensive Care Unit for Adults (A-ICU). Methods:This was a descriptive study with qualitative approach, taking as subjects 21 professionals who constitute the nursing staff of the A-ICU of a school hospital in Maringá-PR. Unstructured interview was used as a strategy to collect data, conducted between May and June 2009. Data analysis was based on the method of content analysis. The categories identified were: overlooking improvement in quality of life related to the resources in an A-ICU; the quality of life influencing the form of care; interpersonal relationships into the health team reflecting on the quality of life and care. Results:The analysis of caregivers’ speech and the results of the observation showed that there is correlation between the aspects they consider influential in their quality of life and the way of caring for patients in an A-ICU.Conclusion: The findings indicate that, among the influential aspects, the stressful factors overlap the enhancing ones. From this perspective, dealing with caregiver’s suffering might be the starting point for the improvement in quality of care in an A-ICU.