Search

The root of the ecological crisis lies in an ethic of nature consumption. In order to reconstruct our cultural framework, it is necessary to cultivate another ethical approach, an ethic of care. It is the responsibility of school to encourage students to learn how to care for not only the human world, but also for the natural world. This paper is based on the hypothesis that it is possible to develop the ethical disposition to care for by practising an ethic of care in the first person. In the phenomenological-hermeneutic framework, however, it is not sufficient to practice care; students have to be engaged in pondering and interpreting their experience of caring for in order to construct for themselves the meaning of their lived experience. With this in mind, I organized a year long environmental education project for students aged 6 to 10 in a rural school which involved students not only in doing things but also in thinking about their experience. Working from a socio-constructivist perspective, I made use of discussions and reflective writing. This paper presents phenomenological research on this experience. (Contains 5 tables and 2 notes.)

The educative project MelArete proposes an interpretation of ethical education: a form of Education to Virtue Ethics in the light of the philosophy of care. Starting from the ontological assumption that care is prime in life and without it the human being cannot flourish in his/her humanity, the project is based on an interpretation of the pedagogy of care. Since the practice of care reveals to have an ethical core and that core is made of ways of being-with-the-others, the pedagogical theory of MelArete states that in order to develop a project that is in relationship with the core of life we must educate to care. Therefore, educating to care means educating to virtues. On this basis MelArete proposes activities with the aim to guide children's attention to the concepts of care and virtues. MelArete has its many references in Plato and Aristotle; besides it assumes the distinction of Ricoeur between ethics and morality. In Plato/Socrates (Alcibiades I) ethics is an educational action that allows the others to thrive in their own existential capabilities; moreover, in Aristotle's (Nicomachean Ethics) ethics searches for eudaimonia, a good quality of life. In our educational project with children, the educative methods are the following: conversations (promoting intersubjective thought), narratives (reading and writing stories about virtues), vignettes and games (stimulating ethical thinking through a playful language) and the "diary of virtues" (promoting a reflecting culture of virtues in everyday life). In this paper we present the theoretical background of the project and a summary of the pedagogical approach and application which we are testing in our research.

The work the authors are going to describe in this paper is an account of the attempt to re-establish an educational relationship with adolescent drop-outs, for whom school often represented a cage from which they either escaped or were expelled. An experimental school scheme named the Chance Project has been operating in Naples for the past three years. The idea behind it is to create a school which recognises the irrepressible way in which these boys and girls establish relationships with each other, and with school as an institution in particular. The school is therefore adapted to cope with and contain the impact. This paper focuses on those moments when school seemed to turn into a zoo, when the students obstinately tried to be seen and provoke an impact upon someone else. And sometimes, at different rates and in different ways varying from case to case, something happened which made the teacher feel that he or she had managed to establish contact with the teenager. Here, the authors will look briefly at the characteristics of the Chance Project in order to highlight the resources invested in it by various institutions. Discussed are three case studies taken from everyday practice within the Chance school. The stories of these young people will be introduced by Amalia, who has been their teacher and reference tutor. Simonetta will make a brief comment after each of the cases described. The authors hope that despite their diversity, these stories reveal how important it has been for these teenagers to feel that there was someone to bear their clashes without succumbing or giving up the possibility of searching for a meaning. (Contains 8 notes.)

papastavrou e., efstathiou g., tsangari h., suhonen r., leino-kilpi h., patiraki e., karlou c., balogh z., palese a., tomietto m., jarosova d. & merkouris a. (2011) A cross-cultural study of the concept of caring through behaviours: patients' and nurses' perspectives in six different EU countries. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(5), 1026-1037. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of an international study of patients' and nurses' perceptions of nurse caring behaviours. Background. Current economic constraints on healthcare systems, demand to increase the quality of care and the incorporation of the consumers' perspective into care, have created a need to develop a clear understanding of nursing behaviours which convey caring. Patients in different areas of the world report different expectations of nurses' caring actions when compared to nurses' views. Method. A descriptive comparative survey design was used to analyse a sample of surgical patients ( n = 1659) and their nurses ( n = 1195) in 88 wards of 34 hospitals in Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Hungary and Italy. Data were collected in autumn 2009 using the Caring Behaviours Inventory-24. Nurses' and patients' responses were compared using both inferential and descriptive statistics. Results. Independent samples t-tests showed important differences between nurses' and patients' views. Although both groups perceived knowledge and skill as being the most important sub-scale, the nurses' responses were higher compared to patients ( P < 0·05) with important differences in the 'assurance of human presence' ( P < 0·001) and the 'respectful deference to others' ( P < 0·001) sub-scales. Cross-country comparisons showed important differences between the nurses' ( F = 24·199, P < 0·001) and patients' views on caring ( F = 26·945, P < 0·001). Conclusions. Important differences were observed between patient-nurse perceptions in the participating countries. The results form a foundation for future research into the development of a common international perspective about caring behaviours between patients and their nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observing and studying the caregiver phenomenon means, above all, analysing female migration, which is a particular characteristic of Italian immigration. In this paper, we examine and describe the informal caregiver phenomenon in Italy, emphasising the role these women play in the family-based welfare system. We describe the phenomenon, or care work, to analyse the role of the caregiver (as resource and as user) in the Italian welfare system. We argue that these women care workers are isolated from the rest of the Italian community and are not sufficiently integrated within the Italian welfare system. Their presence has transformed the Italian welfare system. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: To describe the development of a community-based mental health service, the patterns of care provided by this new service established in 1978 and its costs. Method: The South-Verona Psychiatric Case Register, the South-Verona Outcome Project and studies designed to assess costs provided process and outcome data. Results: This paper summarizes descriptive statistics as well as the results of some evaluative studies conducted over the last 25 years in Verona, Italy. It reports patterns of care provided over the years by this new, comprehensive community-based service, targeted to the severely mentally ill but available also to all other residents in the area who need mental health care. Conclusion: Developing community-based mental health care requires a series of coordinated actions that need to be pursued over a long period of time. Service evaluation, including costs assessment, is an important part of this exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Throughout a European Erasmus + project, fifteen Italian nurses attended a 5-day seminar on complementary therapies in order to improve their knowledge and integrate it safely into oncology nursing care. Aims. This article describes a pilot-study, inspired by the project experience, on implementation of nurses delivered massage in four Italian hospitals. Methods. Nurses massaged patients over a four-month period, following a protocol. A mixed-method approach was used to gather quantitative data (30-item Therapy Impact Questionnaire - TIQ) and qualitative data (questionnaire for patients and nurses created ad-hoc). Data were collected before and after each massage session by a student nurse or a non-massaging nurse. Results. A convenience group of patients (48) was treated and 171 massage sessions were performed. Patients belonged to different units: oncology ward, general medicine and palliative. TIQ data analysis confirmed a significative reduction of physical and psychological symptoms after the massage sessions (P=0.001). Post treatments patients' interviews highlighted a general level of relaxation (50 %) and an experienced sense of wellbeing (22%). A reduction of symptoms (13.5 %) was also described, in terms of: relief, reduced anxiety, less pain, normalized breathing pattern. Conclusion. This pilot-study has helped to consider the possibility of nurse delivered massage integration within clinical practice. Moreover, nurses' positive and rewarding experience was highlighted too. Results achieved could be considered as a useful reflection for future more structured ad robust research projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim and objective: To test the psychometric properties of the nursing students' version of the 24‐item Caring Behaviours Inventory. Background: Caring is at the heart of nursing and should also be a core value in nursing education. Caring can be manifested through measurable behaviours. The Caring Behaviors Inventory is a valid and reliable measure of nurses' caring behaviours in clinical settings. It has already been used among nursing students, but it needs more psychometric testing. Design: Cross‐sectional validation study. Method: The questionnaire was filled in by 300 undergraduate nursing students at two Italian universities in May 2016. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted using Mplus maximum likelihood with GEOMIN oblique rotation. A multifaceted approach was used to evaluate the model fit. The STROBE checklist for cross‐sectional studies was followed. Results: Four dimensions were identified: "being with," "doing with competence," "responding to individual needs" and "providing effective care." Adequate fit indices and high reliability of the factors were found. Correlations between factors were positive and significant. Conclusion: This study makes it possible to use the same tool to compare the caring practices perceived by students, nurses and patients. Further studies with bigger samples could be stratified to investigate the associations between caring levels and student characteristics. The Caring Behaviors Inventory can be used to call attention to caring in nursing education, helping to make this concept less elusive. Relevance to clinical practice: The effective self‐assessment of nursing students' caring behaviours offers opportunities for reflection on their caring practice. This could improve the caring level of their behaviours in clinical practice and help them to become caring nurses in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examines the unique contributions of the caregiving system to predicting adolescent behavioral problems as well as examining the interplay between the caregiving systems in both parents. Two hundred and sixty six, adolescents (147 females and 119 males; aged 11-19) and their parents completed measure of socio-emotional problems and caregiving representations, respectively. Maternal mental representation of caregiving-self was a significant predictor for internalizing and externalizing problems. The inclusion of paternal mental representations of caregiving-other in the model increased the variance only for externalizing problems. Our findings confirm that mental representations based on inability to perceive others as deserving help, and negative self-perception of abilities and skills to give help predict socio-emotional problems in their adolescents. The implications of the findings for future theoretical and empirical development of research in this field are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although respect and human presence are frequently reported in nursing literature, these are poorly defined within a nursing context. The aim of this study was to examine the differences, if any, in the perceived frequency of respect and human presence in the clinical care, between nurses and patients. A convenience sample of 1537 patients and 1148 nurses from six European countries (Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Hungary and Italy) participated in this study during autumn 2009. The six-point Likert-type Caring Behaviours Inventory-24 questionnaire was used for gathering appropriate data. The findings showed statistically significant differences of nurses’ and patients’ perception of frequency on respect and human presence. These findings provide a better understanding of caring behaviours that convey respect and assurance of human presence to persons behind the patients and may contribute to close gaps in knowledge regarding patients’ expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose: Theoretically, patient satisfaction is correlated with nursing care, but there is not sufficient evidence to support it. The aim of this study was to address three research questions: (a) What is the correlation between caring as perceived by patients and patient satisfaction? (b) Are there differences across various countries on the correlation on caring as perceived by patients and patient satisfaction? (c) Do caring behaviors affect patient satisfaction? Design: A multicenter correlational design was adopted involving surgical patients from six European countries: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Greece, Finland, Hungary, and Italy. Methods: A convenience sample of 1,565 patients was recruited in autumn 2009. The short version of the Caring Behaviours Inventory (CBI; 24 items) and Patient Satisfaction Scale (PSS; 11 items) were used. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, as well as correlation analysis and stepwise multiple regression, to examine relations between caring behaviors and patient satisfaction. Findings: According to the patients involved, nurses performed caring behaviors between very frequently (score = 5) and always (score = 6). Patient satisfaction with nursing care was also high, between satisfied (score = 3) and very satisfied (score = 4). A positive correlation emerged between CBI and PPS ( r= 0.66, p < .01) ranging between countries from 0.27 to 0.85 (Czech Republic r= 0.27, Cyprus r= 0.76, Finland r= 0.71, Greece r= 0.85, Hungary r= 0.63, and Italy r= 0.45 [ p < .01]). Among the CBI dimensions, 'connectedness' mainly explains patient satisfaction ( R2= 0.404, p < .001), followed by 'assurance' ( R2= 0.032, p < .001) and 'respectful' ( R2= 0.005, p < .001). Conclusions: Caring behaviors enacted by nurses determine a consistent proportion of patient satisfaction. This association between them suggests several implications for nursing education, practice, and management. Clinical Relevance: The results may be utilized by policymakers, nurse ward managers, nurse educators, and clinical nurses as a background for taking appropriate measures to improve nursing care provided, thereby enhancing patient satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social capital theorists acknowledge that caring networks operating within and above all across households lie at the heart of families and communities. They also see these networks and family bonds as generally declining in contemporary society due to individualisation. However, there seems to be little empirical evidence documenting these processes in detail, particularly with regards to minority ethnic and transnational families. This article explicitly addresses reciprocal relationships in ethnic minority families, focusing on different forms of care circulating within transcultural and intergenerational family and kin networks. By doing so, this discussion reveals many nuances of family life and the processes by which cultural norms, values, attitudes and behaviour are transmitted, transformed and maintained across generations and geographical distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ITMS telecardiology network started in April 1995. Over nine years, about 7000 peripheral medical users (mainly general practitioners), who were experienced in using transtelephonic electrocardiography and who were spread throughout Italy, conducted teleconsultations with the Telecardiology Centre. A total of 106,942 patients were evaluated. Teleconsultation was carried out for non-cardiac symptoms or routine control for 30,444 patients (28%) and for symptoms suggestive of heart disease for 76,498 (72%). After teleconsultation, 61,908 patients (58%) were reported to have no heart disease, 27,947 patients (26%) had their drug dose adjusted and remained at home, 11,503 patients (11%) were sent to their cardiologist for further investigations and 5584 patients (5%) were urgently hospitalized. Among the hospitalized patients, the echocardiogram demonstrated an ST-elevation coronary syndrome in 1785 patients (32%), a non-ST-elevation coronary syndrome in 2236 (40%) and a life-threatening arrhythmia in 1354 (24%). Telecardiology improves the decision making of general practitioners, avoids unnecessary hospitalizations, reduces the time before treatment in cardiac emergencies, rationalizes health-care costs and promotes home care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study set out: (1) to describe resource utilization patterns among four groups of HIV-infected patients at different stages of the disease, and (2) to estimate the direct hospital costs of HIV/AIDS care among these patients in Italy. It is a multi-centre, prospective observational study conducted between August 1997 and July 1998. The 483 patients, enrolled in five infectious diseases departments located in different areas of Italy, were stratified into four groups according to their CD4+ lymphocyte cell count and status of AIDS Defining Illness (ADI) at enrolment. Average direct hospital costs (L = Italian Lire, 1997 exchange rate US$ 1 = 1,704 Italian Lire) were L.23,725,584 (US$ 13,923.5), L.15,208,287 (US$ 8,925.1), L.11,942,761 (US$ 7,008.7) and L.7,660,942 (US$ 4,495.9) for the four groups of patients. More than 80% of patients in the first group and about 65% of patients in the second group received highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The proportion of patients receiving HAART in the third and fourth group increased from 37.1% to 56.5% and from 15.3% to 31.5%. The number of hospital days observed in this study was much lower than previously published numbers in Italy. These results may indicate a shift of costs from hospitalisation to outpatient care and ARV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]