THE TEACHING ABOUT THE CARE OF THE ELDERLY IN NURSING TRAINING: THE SITUATION IN PORTUGAL

This paper aims to look at the teaching situation of the nursing undergraduate degree’s courses about eldercare in Portugal. A documentary research on the teaching programs in 39 nursing schools, 26 schools presented syllabus units related to the topic ‘eldercare’ and in eight of these schools the contents of the units were identified. Using textual analysis and from the categories we concluded that the teaching regarding eldercare for the nurse training in Portugal is focused on hospital care; it is directed to the adult/elderly/family; it explores the definitions related to the aging process; it explores community issues, legislation and research. People responsible for the design/monitoring of teaching programs should include teaching regarding eldercare in the nurse training, considering that the elder population is increasing in Portugal.

Giving voice to lifelong learning in professional nursing practice

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to uncover the meaning of lifelong learning to nurses in an Academic Health Care setting. Six female pediatric nurses were interviewed and audiotaped in response to 2 main questions of interpretation and engagement in lifelong learning with respect to their nursing practice. Four additional probing questions elicited responses of further qualities and characteristics of the meaning of lifelong learning. The emergent themes uncovered the characteristics and nature of the journey of lifelong learning. The themes evolved into parallel characteristics developing into the concepts of personal empowerment and occupational authorship. The personal empowerment concept involved processes whereby the participants overcame or removed barriers to engage in personal lifelong learning. Participants utilized personal power and internal motivators to sustain their engagement in lifelong learning. The occupational authorship concept involved participants controlling their exploration into lifelong learning through collaboration and recognition of occupational demands to be met as a professional. The remaining themes revealed a seasoning journey. This journey entailed a process of mastery through the themes of engagement discord, discovery pilgrimage, transforming, and maturation. The engagement in this journey resulted in their lifelong learning to becoming more intuitive and a part oftheir being. The overall theme uncovered from the journeys was one of a vocation described as a call to thinking critically of nursing practice. The participants responded to lifelong learning as a call to be a good nurse by using critical thinking through reflection, transformative and constructionist learning processes. This study gave voice to the meaning of lifelong learning in their nursing practice as interpreted by -ao the nurse participants.

The person inside the nurse : the professional socialization of baccalaureate nursing students

The goal ofthis research was to gain an understanding ofthe process ofprofessional socialization by accessing role meaning ofstudents engaged in a BScN program. Students from each ofthe four years and faculty members from the school ofnursing volunteered as participants. G. Kelly's (1955) Personal Construct Theory provided the framework to determine awareness and constructed meanings. A reflective tool, called LifeMapping, was adapted and utilized to relate student experiences within education that have attributed to nurse role meaning. Focus group interviews verified data interpretation. Students are informed oftheir choice to study nursing through part-time and volunteer work, secondary school cooperative placements. Descriptions reveal that choices are tested and both positive and negative aspects ofthe role observed. Bipolar images of good and bad nurses seem to be context-related. These images may establish biases in choices related to learning experiences. The person inside ofeach aspiring nurse interprets, revises and understands experiences to incorporate individual meaning into their value and belief structures. Students are aware ofchanges and descnbe them as developments that occur personally up to Year ill and role-image changes that begin in Year II. The major difficulty that students encountered was descnbed as negative attitudes towards their anticipated role. Humanistic-interactionist philosophies are echoed in student accounts of learning experiences. Growth and role development corresponds to process factors of small group, problem-base learning.

The Nurse Professional Competence (NPC) scale : self-reported competence among nursing students on the point of graduation

BACKGROUND: International organisations, e.g. WHO, stress the importance of competent registered nurses (RN) for the safety and quality of healthcare systems. Low competence among RNs has been shown to increase the morbidity and mortality of inpatients. OBJECTIVES: To investigate self-reported competence among nursing students on the point of graduation (NSPGs), using the Nurse Professional Competence (NPC) Scale, and to relate the findings to background factors. METHODS AND PARTICIPANTS: The NPC Scale consists of 88 items within eight competence areas (CAs) and two overarching themes. Questions about socio-economic background and perceived overall quality of the degree programme were added. In total, 1086 NSPGs (mean age, 28.1 [20-56]years, 87.3% women) from 11 universities/university colleges participated. RESULTS: NSPGs reported significantly higher scores for Theme I "Patient-Related Nursing" than for Theme II "Organisation and Development of Nursing Care". Younger NSPGs (20-27years) reported significantly higher scores for the CAs "Medical and Technical Care" and "Documentation and Information Technology". Female NSPGs scored significantly higher for "Value-Based Nursing". Those who had taken the nursing care programme at upper secondary school before the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programme scored significantly higher on "Nursing Care", "Medical and Technical Care", "Teaching/Learning and Support", "Legislation in Nursing and Safety Planning" and on Theme I. Working extra paid hours in healthcare alongside the BSN programme contributed to significantly higher self-reported scores for four CAs and both themes. Clinical courses within the BSN programme contributed to perceived competence to a significantly higher degree than theoretical courses (93.2% vs 87.5% of NSPGs). SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION: Mean scores reported by NSPGs were highest for the four CAs connected with patient-related nursing and lowest for CAs relating to organisation and development of nursing care. We conclude that the NPC Scale can be used to identify and measure aspects of self-reported competence among NSPGs.

Paradigms in health care and its relationship to the nursing theories: an analytical test

DANTAS, Rodrigo Assis Neves; NÓBREGA, Walkíria Gomes da; MORAIS FILHO, Luiz Alves; MACÊDO, Eurides Araújo Bezerra de ; FONSECA , Patrícia de Cássia Bezerra; ENDERS, Bertha Cruz; MENEZES, Rejane Maria Paiva de; TORRES , Gilson de Vasconcelos. Paradigms in health care and its relationship to the nursing theories: an analytical test . Revista de Enfermagem UFPE on line. v.4,n.2, p.16-24.abr/jun. 2010. Disponível em < http://www.ufpe.br/revistaenfermagem/index.php/revista>.

Survey on tuberculosis teaching in Brazilian nursing schools, 2004

OBJECTIVE: To characterise tuberculosis (TB) teaching in Brazilian nursing schools by state and region and its theoretical and practical contents. METHODOLOGY: In an educational research survey in 2004, 347 nursing schools were identified. Questionnaires were posted to faculties providing training in TB. Data were compiled in a database with a view to descriptive result analysis. Replies to the questionnaire were received by 32% of the nursing schools contacted. RESULTS: Undergraduate TB teaching is heterogeneous. For training in theory, the principle teaching method is through classes in 102 (91.9%) nursing schools. Practical TB teaching is carried out at the primary care level (89.2%). Teachers update their knowledge through events and internet; little reference is made to manuals. The time devoted to practical TB teaching ranges from 10 to 20 hours, although this is not always included in student training. CONCLUSION: Teaching in TB should go beyond the traditional model that focuses only on biological aspects. It should introduce tools that lead to permanent behavioural change, such as a more human approach and social and psychological aspects, such as living conditions, habits and customs. It should involve new partners, such as families, communities and other health professionals, and identify obstacles within the university. © 2006 The Union.

Planning nursing teaching: Educational purposes and clinical competence

Thinking about nursing education implies articulating this issue with the expressions of theoretical frameworks, from the perspective of a pedagogical aspect that includes both constructivism and competencies. The objective was to characterize, from a longitudinal view, the construction of care competencies that exist in the teaching plans of nursing undergraduate programs. This exploratory-descriptive study used a qualitative approach. Documentary analysis was performed on the nine teaching plans of undergraduate care subjects. The ethical-legal aspects were guaranteed, so that data was collected only after the study had been approved by the Research Ethics Committee. The data evidenced a curriculum organization centered on subjects, maintaining internal rationales that seem to resist summative organizations. Signs emerge of hardly substantial links between any previous knowledge and the strengthening of critical judgment and clinical reasoning. As proposed, the study contributed with reconsiderations for the teachinglearning process and showed the influence of constructivism on the proposal of clinical competencies.

Meaning of the Systematization of Nursing Care for nurse managers

OBJETIVO:Compreender o significado que os enfermeiros gerentes atribuem à sistematização da assistência de enfermagem, desenvolvido em seu cotidiano de trabalho.MÉTODOS:Método fenomenológico, referencial da estrutura do fenômeno situado. Os sujeitos foram treze enfermeiros, gerentes de um hospital universitário. A análise incluiu transcrição e leituras dos depoimentos visando a essência por meio da tematização, interpretação e a síntese do fenômeno.RESULTADOS:As categorias temáticas foram: recursos humanos na realização da sistematização da assistência de enfermagem; sua relevância para o trabalho do enfermeiro; dificuldades na sua implementação; capacitação para a sua realização.CONCLUSÃO:O significado que os enfermeiros gerentes atribuem à sistematização da assistência de enfermagem relacionam-se aos aspectos legais da prática profissional, ao trabalho em equipe, ao dimensionamento adequado de recursos humanos.

Professional Master's degree in Nursing: knowledge production and challenges

OBJETIVO:analisar a produção do conhecimento gerada pelos programas de mestrado profissional em enfermagem e refletir sobre suas perspectivas para a área.MÉTODO:estudo descritivo e analítico. Foram incluídos dados das dissertações de três instituições de ensino que titularam alunos em programas de mestrado profissional em enfermagem entre 2006 e 2012.RESULTADOS:a maioria dos 127 trabalhos de conclusão analisados se desenvolveu no contexto hospitalar; houve tendência de concentração nas áreas organizacional e assistencial, nas linhas de pesquisa processo de cuidar e gerenciamento e predomínio de estudos qualitativos. Há diversidade de produtos resultantes dos trabalhos de conclusão: avaliação de serviços/programas de saúde e geração de processos, protocolos assistenciais ou de ensino.CONCLUSÃO:os programas de mestrado profissional em enfermagem, em fase de consolidação, têm produção recente, em desenvolvimento, havendo lacuna na geração de tecnologias duras e inovação. São fundamentais para o desenvolvimento das práticas profissionais inovadoras que articulem o setor saúde e a educação.

The identification of the pillars of education in the class comprehensiveness in healthcare

The objective of the present study was to verify, based on the analysis of student portfolio narratives, if the four pillars of education were approached in the class "Comprehensiveness in health care", part of the integrated curriculum of the Baccalaureate in Nursing Program of the University of Sao Paulo at Ribeirao Preto College of Nursing. A qualitative, documental study was performed using 46 portfolios constructed during the classes. Data collection was performed using an assessment tool that contained items addressing cognitive and affective dimensions. The data were submitted to thematic categorical analysis using the pillars of education as predefined categories. The results show that the pillars of education were, apparently, included in the class. Despite the present study findings, no evidence was found that the expected competencies were actually discussed among students and faculty, according to the records regarding the evaluations of each pedagogical cycle of the studied class.

LEISURE AND MENTAL HEALTH IN PEOPLE WITH HYPERTENSION: CONVERGENCE IN HEALTH EDUCATION

People with hypertension constantly deal with issues related to mental health due to the psychosocial determinants of this illness, and leisure is an important control strategy. The objective of this study was to promote health education to a group of hypertensive patients, through research-action, based on critical-social pedagogy, and taking into consideration the participants' perception of leisure. Educational activities were conducted and, following, an evaluation was performed regarding the subjects' opinion about the impact of leisure on their lives and mental health. The group perceived leisure as a coping strategy for loneliness and also as a late development of independence; it was also regarded as a means of socialization and as a promotion of mental health. These perceptions revealed two themes: aging, leisure, and chronic disease; and knowledge and leisure experiences. Educational actions, such as group dynamics and discussions, were planned considering these themes with the purpose of providing the necessary conditions for socializing and exchanging experiences.

THE ACHIEVEMENT OF EXCELLENCE IN BRAZILIAN PROGRAMS OF POST-GRADUATION STRICTO SENSU WITH A DOCTORATE IN NURSING

This study aimed to identify how the graduate programs in nursing stricto sensu evaluated by the Nursing field at Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel, in the triennium 2007-2009, achieved excellence - grade 6. Descriptive exploratory study of nature documentary, which examined the data of Reports Indicators of these Programs at the site of the Coordination cited, in 2010. We analyzed 99 chips of 33 programs for the triennium 2007 to 2009, grouped in sub-clauses of Social and item categories for grades 6/7. Presents the indicators of excellence of Americans and Brazilians Programs, the results of the triennial assessment relating to sub-items of item 5 and the description of program performance specified for the grade 6. It follows that the excellence of Programs has been gradually achieved, with performance in certain categories as those required by international standards, overcoming the obstacles to the achievement of excellence in all its fullness.

The production of critical-reflexive narratives and their effect on nursing students' portfolios

The objective of this study is to analyze the process of producing reflexive narratives on nursing students' portfolios. This qualitative study performed an analysis of the portfolios of the class discipline Health Promotion in Primary Education, taught in the fourth semester of the Nursing Licensure Course. Results showed an initial predominance of descriptive records, with the incipient approach of theoretical aspects associated with the aspects regarding their experience. Further, in the group and experience discussions, there were narratives containing more critical and reflexive elements, with justifications for the described actions and the relationships with the theoretical-practical aspects studied in the class and in the course. In conclusion, there is a process of producing critical-reflexive narratives in portfolios that could include a summarized description, using common sense and idealization which allows for including the differences and the theoretical review.

Simultaneous implementation of the Bachelor, Masters and PhD degrees in nursing in the Universidad Jaume I. Castellón de la Plana, Spain

We present an experience in Nursing Education, accredited and implemented under the Spanish University System Reform in a Public University (Jaume I, Castellón) which had no previous nursing studies. The academics offered included all three educational levels (Bachelor, Master's and Doctorate), with an integrated theoretical-practical-clinical teaching methodology for the Bachelor Degree, competence acquisition in research in the Master's degree, and a doctorate formed by lines of research in the field of Nursing. Studies are accredited by the National Agency for Quality Assessment, which were authorized by the Spanish Ministry of Education and implanted between 2009 and 2011.