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The attitudes of parents involved in the process of inclusion are of paramount importance. The aim of this study was to examine parents' attitudes towards the constructs associated with pre-school inclusion with two goals, which were related to construct dimensions and differences in parents' attitudes regarding whether or not they have a child with SEN. Among 296 parents, selected by the cluster sampling technique, 202 parents with children in classrooms in Slovenian Carinthia (85 had a child with SEN) participated in this study. Fifty items were used to measure parents' attitudes and their openness to the inclusion of children. The results showed that parents of children with SEN are more open to inclusion, perceived positive social effects and benefits for children with and without SEN and had fewer negative feelings about the inclusion effects on children without SEN, than parents of children without SEN. Research results suggest the importance of contributing to parents of children without SEN in achieving successful inclusion.

For successful work in the classroom, it is important to create a positive climate and to involve students actively in the process of learning. The presented research focused on how the students perceived the classroom climate, and on their interest in the contents of the subject Science, Engineering and Technology (STE). 92 primary school sixth- and seventh-grade students had been included in research. Two groups are established, one from a class using mainly frontal teaching methods (control group) and another, expert group from a class using an innovative teaching/learning methods mainly as problem and research-based learning and participatory learning supported with information communication technology. To measure the classroom climate and the students' interest, a survey with 54 statements was used. The results confirmed changes in the perception of classroom climate and in the popularity of contents taught in STE, in relation to the teaching methods used. It was established that innovative teaching/learning methods increase the students' interest, and help to improve classroom climate.

School leaders are a central factor of the quality of learning and teaching in schools. It is generally believed that the staff model their behaviour on leaders, which means if school leaders understand the physical school environment to be an important factor of learning, school staff (teachers and other professional staff) will also do so. To discover how school leaders assess the school environment as a factor of learning, 150 school leaders in primary education in Slovenia were invited to complete an online questionnaire. They were asked about their views regarding to what extent their school as physical environment encouraged certain factors. Fourteen listed factors were assessed on five-point numeric scales. The results show that in their school environment, school leaders assessed ecology, movement, and respect the highest, and feelings, imagination, and space the lowest. Their estimates of the assessed factors differ depending on the type of school building (new, old, renovated) only on the factors of movement, creativity, and logic and mathematics in favour of old schools. The results provide interesting information especially for school policy and everyone involved in the planning, building, or renewal of school premises.

Photosynthesis is one of the fundamental processes on Earth and it ranks among the most demanding science concepts for students, associated with a number of misconceptions. For improving students' understanding and learning outcomes the constructivist approach has proven to be one of the most effective. In this research the constructivist teaching model of photosynthesis (CTMP) was designed and its effectiveness on students' understanding was tested. Students (N=201) from Slovenian primary schools (aged 11-12 years) participated in the research. CTMP was used in the experimental group (EG), while the traditional teaching approach was used in the control group (CG). Students' learning achievements were evaluated using the paper-and-pencil tests. The test items were classified into three groups based on Bloom's taxonomy: (1) knowledge, (2) comprehension and application, and (3) analysis, synthesis, evaluation. Mann-Whitney U-test showed that the EG had better learning outcomes than the CG. Statistically significant differences were found at the highest cognitive level. The CTMP contributes to the improvement of teaching and learning of photosynthesis, fosters the development of higher-order thinking and offers opportunity for integration of the constructivist approach in science classes, which will help to increase the quality of acquired knowledge and to raise the level of scientific literacy of the population.

This paper aims to shed light on the level of social acceptance among students with learning disabilities (LD) in various secondary school vocational programs in comparison with their peers without disabilities. Our findings are based on an empirical study that comprised 417 students, of whom 85 were students with LD. Based on sociometric analyses of all participating classes, we determined that students with LD were less integrated into the classroom in comparison to their peers without LD. The results of the sociometric analysis show statistically significant differences in the sociometric position between students with LD and students without LD. While students with LD were most frequently perceived as rejected, students without LD were seen as popular or average. In addition, students with LD see themselves as less socially self-efficient compared to their peers. The results of our study mostly refer to boys, because the sample comprised 359 boys and 58 girls. We believe that pro-inclusion teachers with appropriately developed strategies for strengthening students' social skills, as well as positive attitudes and sufficient knowledge about the special needs of students can have a significant impact on the social acceptance of students with special needs in the classroom community.

The article concerns educational work with students who have learning difficulties with foreign languages in Slovenian primary schools. The aim of the research was to investigate current methodical and organisational elements of teacher's support in foreign language teaching for students (aged 9-15) with learning difficulties, according to the location of the school, being either urban or rural. A non-random sample was taken, which consisted of foreign language teachers who teach in the Slovenian primary and lower-secondary levels (N = 47). An analysis of the results showed that there were no statistically significant differences between rural and urban schools concerning teacher-support for students with learning difficulties in learning English as a foreign language. The research shows that some of the sources of support for children with learning difficulties are relatively underutilized, even though they have proven to be effective when put into inclusive practice internationally.

This study investigates primary school teachers' sense of efficacy in their work with pupils with learning, emotional, and behavioural difficulties (LEBD), both in mainstream inclusive classrooms and in special classrooms for pupils in residential treatment institutions. Using an online questionnaire survey, data were collected on teachers' self-efficacy, efficacy beliefs on their ability to teach LEBD pupils, and perceived ability to apply knowledge from different socio-pedagogical areas. Mainstream classroom teachers perceived higher efficacy in collaborating with parents of LEBD pupils, in most aspects of their ability to handle pupils' learning and behavioural problems, and in most aspects of their ability to use knowledge from different socio-pedagogical areas. Conversely, special classroom teachers perceived higher efficacy in aspects related to their pupils' engagement and comprehension of learning material, and in their classroom management ability, particularly in managing pupils' disruptive behaviour.

Purpose: Considering current debates on ecosystem services' effectiveness and the AIS/AKIS functioning, in this study we suggest a new, systemic way to evaluate extension systems (ESs). Using this model, we compared the effectiveness of ESs in three countries with essential differences but also characteristic similarities in their agricultural sectors: Greece, Italy and Slovenia.Design/methodology/approach: Initially, we defined 'extension system' as a wide range of actors integrating resources with the aim of co-producing value (not for but with) farmers. To capture the value flow within this constellation of actors we distinguished between the notion of 'value in production' -- i.e. the value embodied in service offerings -- and the value emanating when service content is used in real settings or 'value in use.'Findings: Our approach revealed that, despite their structural and organizational differences, the ES in the three countries share common problems arising from a limited focus on the issue of value in use. Practical implications: The application of a systemic approach -- seeing farmers as co-creators and not as end-users of extension services -- in the evaluation of ESs contributes to better understand the complexity of value flow within the system and can strengthen extension systems' effectiveness.Theoretical implications: The present study, by reconsidering traditional evaluation approaches and by focusing on value co-production, offers an alternative value-centric framework for the conceptualization of extension services and points out to the need for refining the evaluation criteria of ESs.Originality/value: Our work, by emphasizing the reciprocal creation of value within ESs, and by adding the concept of value in use, offers a new systems approach worth considering when evaluating ESs within different organizational and sociocultural contexts.

Background: The training of peer supporters is critical because the success of the entire peer support intervention depends on the knowledge and experience that peer supporters can share with other patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the pilot implementation of a specialist nurse-led self-management training programme for peer supporters with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with or without comorbid hypertension (HTN) at the primary healthcare level in Slovenia, in terms of feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness. Methods: A prospective pre-post interventional pilot study was conducted in two Community Health Centres (CHC) in Slovenia from May 2021 to August 2022. Purposive sampling was employed to recruit approximately 40 eligible volunteers to become trained peer supporters. A specialist nurse-led structured training lasting 15 h over a 2-month period was delivered, comprising four group and two individual sessions. The comprehensive curriculum was based on interactive verbal and visual learning experience, utilising the Diabetes Conversation Maps™. Data were collected from medical records, by clinical measurements, and using questionnaires on sociodemographic and clinical data, the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability, knowledge of T2DM and HTN, and the Appraisal of Diabetes Scale, and evaluation forms. Results: Of the 36 participants, 31 became trained peer supporters (retention rate of 86.1%). Among them, 21 (67.7%) were women, with a mean age of 63.9 years (SD 8.9). The training was evaluated as satisfactory and highly acceptable. There was a significant improvement in knowledge of T2DM (p < 0.001) and HTN (p = 0.024) among peer supporters compared to baseline. Six months post-training, there was no significant improvement in the quality of life (p = 0.066), but there was a significant decrease in body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.020) from 30.4 (SD 6.2) at baseline to 29.8 (SD 6.2). Conclusion: The pilot implementation of a specialist nurse-led self-management training for peer supporters was found to be feasible, acceptable, and effective (in the study group). It led to improvements in knowledge, maintained disease control, and promoted positive self-management behaviours among peer supporters, as evidenced by a decrease in their BMI over six months. The study emphasises the need for effective recruitment, training, and retention strategies. Trial registration: The research is part of the international research project SCUBY: Scale up diabetes and hypertension care for vulnerable people in Cambodia, Slovenia and Belgium, which is registered in ISRCTN registry (https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN41932064). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Triage is a dynamic process prioritising the patient coming to the emergency department. Caring behaviour and patient safety during the triage process are essential for ensuring a good care experience and treatment outcome. Objective: To describe triage nurses' perceptions on caring behaviors and patient safety in the triage area. Design: Strauss and Corbin's Grounded theory method was used to develop the model. Methods: The study was conducted in the emergency department in northeastern Slovenia. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection, and 19 triage nurses were selected by theoretical sampling, guided by emerging categories between November 2021 and July 2022. The data analysis was conducted according to Strauss and Corbin's coding framework. Results: The analysis of the interviews generated one category: The process of creating a caring and safe triage encounter for the patient, together with two categories that explain the key phenomenon: (1) Triage caring and (2) Safety in the triage process. Within the category "Triage caring", four subcategories were developed: (1) Assurance of triage nurses' presence, (2) Connectedness, (3) Respectful attitude, and (4) Knowledge and skills. The category Safety in the triage process consists of three identified subcategories: (1) Conception and perception of safety, (2) Factors influencing patient safety, and (3) Improving the triage safety. Conclusions: The triage nurses' perceptions about caring for the patient and his safety in the triage area show that caring and safety are inseparably linked and coincide when triaging a patient. Namely, caring for the patient means ensuring the patient's safety at the same time. Implications for the nursing field: A better understanding of the importance of triage nurses' caring behavior and patient safety emerges from the findings, highlighting the challenges faced in a busy emergency department where nurses must balance providing care and responding to patients' needs while ensuring safety. Findings in the study show that patient care and safety are inseparably linked and coincide when triaging a patient. Moreover, applying caring behaviour during triage encounter results in greater patient safety. No patient or public contribution: The study's design, evaluation of the findings, and execution did not need the involvement of patients or the general public. Participants were triage nurses working in the emergency department. Triage nurses were interviewed about their perceptions of triage nurses on caring behaviors and patient safety during triage encounter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores how the combination of the public health crisis and the authoritarian government of Janez Janša's Slovenian Democratic Party, along with its tendency to politically instrumentalize and economically devastate the media, impacted journalism during the Covid-19 pandemic. Of central concern are how journalists understand their roles in communication relating to Covid-19 and how these roles are shaped when the pandemic and trends towards democratic backsliding coincide in time. The analysis is conducted in the theoretical frameworks of crisis communication, authoritarian influences on the media, and journalistic roles, while methodologically it is based on individual interviews in which journalists reflect on their professionalism amidst the pandemic and rising authoritarian control over media. The findings show that the facilitative role revealed in existing research of media functioning during a public health crisis may be interwoven with a watchdog role challenged by authoritarian tendencies. Indeed, interviews suggested the coexistence of general journalistic roles at a time of dual crisis, when the sense of responsibility to facilitate measures to confine the spread of the disease is coupled with critical monitoring, (self)reflection, and attempts to restore professional standards in both public and private media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patient empowerment is crucial for promoting and strengthening health. We aimed to assess patient empowerment and diabetes-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). A multi-centre, cross-sectional survey was conducted among adults with T2D in urban and rural primary care settings in Slovenia between April and September 2023. The survey utilised convenience sampling and included sociodemographic and clinical data, the Diabetes Empowerment Scale (DES), and the Audit of Diabetes-Dependent QoL (ADDQoL). The study included 289 people with T2D and a mean age of 67.2 years (SD 9.2). The mean overall DES score was 3.9/5 (SD 0.4). In a multivariable linear regression model, higher empowerment was significantly associated with residing in a rural region (p = 0.034), higher education (p = 0.028), and a lack of comorbid AH (p = 0.016). The median overall ADDQoL score was −1.2 (IQR [−2.5, −0.6]). The greatest negative influence of diabetes on HRQoL was observed in the domain 'Freedom to eat', followed by 'Freedom to drink', 'Leisure activities', and 'Holidays'. Despite high empowerment among adults with T2D, the condition still imposes a personal burden. Integrated primary care models should prioritise the importance of implementing targeted interventions to enhance diabetes empowerment, address comorbidities, and improve specific aspects of QoL among individuals with T2D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Telemonitoring has been proposed as an effective method to support integrated care for older people with hypertension and type 2 diabetes. This paper examines acceptability of telemontioring, its role in supporting integrated care, and identifies scale-up barriers. Methods: A concurrent triangulation mixed-methods study, including in-depth interviews (n = 29) and quantitative acceptability tool (n = 55) was conducted among individuals who underwent a 12-month telemonitoring routine. The research was guided by the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability. Interviews were analysed using template content analysis (TCA). Results: TCA identified seven domains of acceptability, with twenty-one subthemes influencing it positively or negatively. In the quantitative survey, acceptability was high across all seven domains with an overall score of 4.4 out of 5. Urban regions showed higher acceptability than rural regions (4.5 vs. 4.3), with rural participants perceiving initial training and participation effort as significantly more burdensome than their urban counterparts. Discussion: Patients described several instances where telemonitoring supported self-management, education, treatment, and identification elements of the integrated care package. However, there were barriers that may limit its further scale-up. Conclusion: For further scale-up, it is important to screen patients for monitoring eligibility, adapt telemonitoring devices to elderly needs, combine telemonitoring with health education, involve family members, and establish follow-up programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Non-communicable diseases, such as arterial hypertension (HTN) and type-2 diabetes (T2D), pose a global public health problem. Integrated care with focus on person-centred principles aims to enhance healthcare quality and access. Previous qualitative research has identified facilitators and barriers for scaling-up integrated care, however the lack of standardized terms and measures hinder cross-country comparisons. This paper addresses these gaps by presenting a generic codebook for qualitative research on integrated care implementation for HTN and T2D. Description: The codebook serves as a tool for deductive or deductive-inductive qualitative analysis, organizing concepts and themes from qualitative data. It consists of nine first level and 39 second level themes. First level codes cover core issues; and second level codes provide detailed insights into facilitators and barriers. Discussion: This codebook is more widely applicable than previously developed tools because it includes a broader scope of stakeholders across micro, meso, and macro levels, and the themes being derived from highly diverse health systems across highand low-income countries. Conclusion: The codebook is a useful tool for implementation research on integrated care for HTN and T2D at global scale. It facilitates cross-country learning, contributing to improved implementation, scale-up and outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The patient safety culture is key to ensuring patient safety in healthcare organizations. The triage environment is inherently demanding for patient safety and is characterized by high stress, rapid decision-making, and quick action. In several countries, including Slovenia, there is a lack of studies on the patient safety culture among triage nurses. This study aimed to assess the perceptions of the patient safety culture among triage nurses. A cross-sectional survey design was used. The Emergency Medical Services-Safety Attitudes Questionnaire, distributed to triage nurses, was used to collect data. A total of 201 triage nurses participated in this study. The results revealed that the overall average perception of the patient safety culture was 57.27% (SD = 57.27), indicating that the perception of the patient safety culture among triage nurses in the emergency department was non-positive and requires improvement. "Job Satisfaction" received the highest score (63.18%; SD = 17.19), while "Working Conditions" received the lowest (49.91%; SD = 17.37). The perception of positive and negative safety culture responses was statistically significant for age (χ2 (3) = 17.750, p ≤ 0.001), education (χ2 (2) = 6.957, p = 0.031) and length of working experience (χ2 (3) = 8.875, p = 0.031). The findings emphasize the significance of improving the safety culture in relation to several areas of patient care during the triage process. This research serves as a crucial foundation for enhancing patient safety in triage, providing quality care, and reducing adverse events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterococci represent a significant part of the non-starter LAB microbiota of artisanal cheeses produced mainly from raw milk. Common approaches to safety evaluation of enterococci isolates include assessment of antimicrobial resistance and virulence potential. Hence, a collection of 47 (n = 22, Serbia; n = 25, Slovenia) dairy enterococcal isolates, of which E. faecalis (n = 28), E. faecium (n = 11), E. durans (n = 5), E. casseliflavus (n = 2), and E. gallinarum (n = 1), was analyzed. The susceptibility to 12 antimicrobials was tested using a broth microdilution method, and the presence of the selected antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes was investigated using PCR. Isolates were resistant to tetracycline (TET) (25.5%), erythromycin (ERY) (17.0%), gentamycin and chloramphenicol (CHL) (∼6%). No resistance to ampicillin (AMP), ciprofloxacin (CIP), daptomycin (DAP), linezolid (LZD), teicoplanin (TEI), tigecycline (TGC) and vancomycin (VAN) was detected. Among all the resistance determinants analyzed, ermB gene was detected most frequently. All 10 virulence genes analyzed were detected with a distribution of cpd (72.3%), cob and ccf (70.2%), gelE (68.1%), hyl (59.6%), agg (53.2%) and esp (46.8%). The genes encoding cytolysin (cylA, cylM and cylB) were amplified to a lesser extent (21.3%, 21.3% and 12.8%, respectively). However, due to the limited number of enterococci isolates analyzed in the present study, further studies are still required in order to better document the safety status of dairy enterococci. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social skills of students with special needs play a very important role in their successful integration into inclusive learning environments. The aim of present empirical research was to establish whether students with learning disabilities (LD) attending grades 7-9 of regular primary school in Slovenia experience difficulties in social skills compared to their peers without LD. The following measuring instruments were used: the "Questionnaire about Interpersonal Difficulties for Adolescents," the "Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents" and the "Self-Concept Scale." The basic research findings indicated statistically significant structural differences between the students with LD and their peers. The two groups differ in terms of difficulties in social interaction. Students with LD experience more difficulties. Statistically significant differences between the groups also appeared in tension and inhibition in social contact and social anxiety, as well as in the area of self-concept: students with LD are more anxious and reserved in social contacts.

The COVID‐19 pandemic caused much disruption in many global sectors, including education where schools were closed in most countries and children had to learn remotely from home. This was particularly challenging for children with special learning needs and disabilities, often already somewhat marginalized, as they were more likely to be left behind and less able to adapt easily to remote online learning. This study inquired into the experiences of 67 parents from Slovenia and 15 parents from Canada who helped their children with special learning needs or disabilities learn remotely. Parents in both countries identified several specific advantages and disadvantages to learning remotely from home. The Slovenian children spent more hours per day at their lessons and attended more lessons than the Canadian children. Both samples of parents received some support from their schools, although the Slovenia parents perceived these as more satisfactory. This study provides a unique opportunity to study the effects of remote learning during a prolonged crisis situation, and it provides valuable lessons for how both families and school personnel can work to improve the potential educational experiences of students who are required to learn remotely. A 12‐point framework for planning for future emergencies is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper identifies the commonalities and differences within non-traditional learning methods regarding virtual and real-world environments. The non-traditional learning methods in real-world have been introduced within the following courses: Process Balances, Process Calculation, and Process Synthesis, and within the virtual environment through the European funded Lifelong Learning Programme project at the University of Maribor. The results, based on qualitative research in both environments show the appropriateness of non-traditional learning methods in comparison with traditional ones, although collaborative learning in both environments causes several frustration based on conflicts (personal or disagreements during the learning phase), influencing the efficiency of the learning process. This presents opportunities for improving and overcome emerging barriers by fostering motivation and interactivity. (Contains 1 table.)

Numerous studies show that a successful implementation of inclusion of children with special needs (SN) largely depends on the teachers' positive attitude towards it. The empirical research that is presented in the main part of the article analyses attitudes of a representative sample of Slovene teachers (n = 1360) regarding four domains of impact (impact of inclusion on pupils with SN, on peers, on teachers and on the classroom environment). In this, we controlled the role of the following two relevant characteristics of the sample: the category of SN (physical impairments, mild intellectual disabilities, learning difficulties and behavioural/emotional disorders) and the category of professional expertise of teachers in working with pupils with SN. We applied the "Impact of Inclusion Questionnaire". The results show that teachers' attitudes towards inclusion are determined by the type of SN the integrated pupils have. In the case of pupils with physical impairments, teachers expressed the highest level of consent and the lowest in the case of pupils with behavioural and emotional disorders. Our study shows that besides the type of SN, teachers' professional expertise in working with pupils with SN is another important factor that determines the level of agreement with inclusion. It turned out that the teachers who had taken part in different forms of education and training had a more positive attitude towards all domains of impact. (Contains 28 tables and 1 note.)

This research examined some characteristics of the learning habits of students with special needs and those without them in programmes of short-term vocational education in five areas: motivation, learning and learning techniques, emotional, social and the area of self-evaluation. The research sample consisted of 140 students from different secondary schools. The "Questionnaire on the Learning Habits of Adolescents" was used for the purpose of the study. The differences between the means from individual learning habit scales, between the students with special needs or without them, were discovered by one-way analysis of variance. Basic findings of empirical research emphasise that there exist statistically significant differences between the students with special needs and the students without special needs in four areas of learning habits. Among the findings causing concern in connection with learning habits, we would like to underscore the fact that students with special needs are perceived as less efficient at and less competent in coping with learning and work tasks. These students are not familiar with effective methods and strategies for successful learning, which leads to the feelings of frustration and helplessness in case of failure. In order to cultivate an effective and supportive educational environment for students with special needs, short-term vocational schools should develop learning/teaching models that provide a potentially powerful alternative to traditionally directed teaching approaches. (Contains 5 tables.)

This study investigates the classroom climate in two settings of the 6th-grade class (a setting of children with special needs and a setting without children with special needs), focusing on aspects of satisfaction and cohesiveness on one side and friction, competitiveness and difficulties on the other. The study results indicate the existence of both positive and negative consequences of the integration of hearing-impaired pupils. Heterogeneity achieved by the presence of children with special needs included positive benefits for all pupils in the mainstream classroom and helped to prevent friction and a competitive atmosphere, and provided opportunities for accepting exceptionalities, and developing social skills, ethical values and empathic abilities among school peers. On the other hand was concern related to difficulties of cognition, the only dimension on which comparative settings statistically and significantly differed concerning the classroom climate with integrated pupils. (Contains 4 tables.)

Background: Integrated care involves good coordination, networking, and communication within health care services and externally between providers and patients or informal caregivers. It affects the quality of services, is more cost-effective, and contributes to greater satisfaction among individuals and providers of integrated care. In our study, we examined the implementation and understanding of integrated care from the perspective of providers - the health care team - and gained insights into the current situation. Methods: Eight focus groups were conducted with health care teams, involving a total of 48 health care professionals, including family physicians, registered nurses, practice nurses, community nurses, and registered nurses working in a health education center. Prior to conducting the focus groups, a thematic guide was developed based on the literature and contextual knowledge with the main themes of the integrated care package. The analysis was conducted using the NVivo program. Results: We identified 12 main themes with 49 subthemes. Health care professionals highlighted good accessibility and the method of diagnostic screening integrated with preventive examinations as positive aspects of the current system of integrated care in Slovenia. They mentioned the good cooperation within the team, with the involvement of registered nurses and community nurses being a particular advantage. Complaints were made about the high workload and the lack of workforce. They feel that patients do not take the disease seriously enough and that patients as teachers could be useful. Conclusion: Primary care teams described the importance of implementing integrated care for diabetes and hypertension patients at four levels: Patient, community, care providers, and state. Primary care teams also recognized the importance of including more professionals from different health care settings on their team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ljubljana University in Slovenia is developing its first baccalaureate nursing curriculum within the framework of the World Health Organization's health for all initiative. The eight-year delay in implementation is due to opposition from the health care system and the absence of precise procedures for curriculum validation. (SK)

Introduction: Research on models of integrated health care for hypertension and diabetes is one of the priority issues in the world. There is a lack of knowledge about how integrated care is implemented in practice. Our study assessed its implementation in six areas: identification of patients, treatment, health education, self-management support, structured collaboration and organisation of care. Methods: This was a mixed methods study based on a triangulation method using quantitative and qualitative data. It took place in different types of primary health care organisations, in one urban and two rural regions of Slovenia. The main instrument for data collection was the Integrated Care Package (ICP) Grid, assessed through four methods: 1) a document analysis (of a current health policy and available protocols; 2) observation of the infrastructure of health centres, organisation of work, patient flow, interaction of patients with health professionals; 3) interview with key informants and 4) review of medical documentation of selected patients. Results: The implementation of the integrated care in Slovenia was assessed with the overall ICP score of 3.7 points (out of 5 possible points). The element Identification was almost fully implemented, while the element Self-management support was weakly implemented. Discussion: The implementation of the integrated care of patients with diabetes and/ or hypertension in Slovenian primary health care organisations achieved high levels of implementation. However, some week points were identified. Conclusion: Integrated care of the chronic patients in Slovenia is already provided at high levels, but the area of self-management support could be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livestock‐associated methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA‐MRSA) represents a concern in both human and veterinary medicine. The aim of this study was to investigate potential LA‐MRSA transmission between animals and humans in rural settings. To this aim, a study was designed to include 14 farms in Slovenia, which were selected on the basis of a farmer (initial patient) with confirmed LA‐MRSA infection and regular animal contacts. On all farms, the initial patients, their household members, animals and barn environment were analysed for the presence of LA‐MRSA. In addition, the epidemiologically linked hospital‐related LA‐MRSA isolates were included to investigate possible nosocomial transmissions. On five farms, LA‐MRSA was discovered both in animals and in humans. In total, 49 LA‐MRSA isolates of different origins underwent whole‐genome sequencing, antimicrobial susceptibility testing and spa typing. All 49 isolates belonged to the sequence type 398 (ST398), spa types t011 and t034, and harboured staphylococcal chromosomal cassette mec Vc. High levels of concordance between resistance phenotypes and genotypes were observed. No transmission pairs between animals and initial patients were discovered. However, several isolates originating from farm animals and other household members formed clusters with pairwise distances of ≤14 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), indicating recent transmission events. In addition, three closely related isolates (0 SNP) form hospitalized patients were observed, indicating a possible nosocomial transmission. Two hospital‐related isolates harboured the immune evasion cluster genes, which are associated with adaptation to the human host; however, these two isolates differed in >30 SNPs from the remaining isolates. Characteristics of LA‐MRSA from Slovenia reflect those observed previously in other European studies. Immune evasion cluster‐positive LA‐MRSA ST398 suggests its re‐adaptation to the human host and calls for a closer monitoring of such emerging LA‐MRSA lineages, in addition to monitoring and preventing the introduction of LA‐MRSA from farms to hospitals where transmission is highly plausible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the validity of the Warwick‐Edinburgh Mental Well‐being Scale used for measuring mental well‐being. Background: Nursing students' mental well‐being is often poor due to various academic and personal stressors. Nursing students are involved in clinical practice and are facing birth, death, health, diseases and other stressful situations. They may be exposed to higher levels of stress than students from other study programmes. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted among nursing students in Slovenia. We performed a 6‐step analysis of the psychometric properties of the Warwick‐Edinburgh Mental Well‐being Scale. Moreover, content validity of the scale was assessed. Results: The scale formed a unidimensional scale with good homogeneity (H < 0.40) and reliability (α = 0.91; β = 0.87; λ = 0.92; ω = 0.91). The confirmatory factor analysis suggested that the WEMWBS was suitable for use as a single scale (RMSEA = 0.085, CFI = 0.907; TLI = 0.891) and measures one construct, mental well‐being. I‐CVI is acceptable for all 14 items, kappa coefficient was excellent, and S‐CVI was assessed as acceptable. Conclusions: The Slovenian version of the scale achieved good validity and reliability in a sample of nursing students and is recommended for future usage. Implications for Nursing Management: The validated questionnaire can be used by nurse managers to assess nursing students' mental well‐being during their clinical placement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Palliative care is aimed at improving the quality of life of an individual with chronic noncommunicable disease and their care partners. Limitations in the provision of palliative care are mainly lack of knowledge and experience by nurses, fear of treating palliative persons, loss of control over treatment and fear of providing poor‐quality palliative care to persons and care partners. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the perception, knowledge and attitudes of palliative care by nurses who use palliative care approaches in practice, as well as the difference in perception, knowledge and attitudes of palliative care between nurses in Slovenia and Finland. Methods: We conducted a cross‐sectional descriptive study. The survey included 440 nurses in clinical environments in Slovenia and Finland with a completed bachelor, master or doctoral level of education. Results: We found statistically significant differences between both countries in the perception of palliative care. Differences between the two countries in the knowledge of palliative care were not confirmed. We confirmed statistically significant differences between both countries in the attitudes of palliative nursing care. Conclusion: Early person‐centred palliative care is an important part of the holistic and integrative treatment of a person who has a disease with disturbing symptoms. For such an approach, it is important to educate nurses about knowledge, expectations, values and beliefs in developing a concept of person‐centred palliative care to improve quality of life. The better perception, knowledge and attitudes of palliative care by nurses may help persons to improve and raise their quality of life, as well as diminish stress in their care partners and improve quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a comparative analysis of two different care systems, childcare and eldercare, in Slovenia, an Eastern-European post-transition country, with a dual-breadwinner full-time employment regime, a relatively low level of migration and a fast growing share of the 65+ population. The analysis shows that both care systems follow two different kinds of logic of egalitarianism, which means that the national care regime is internally diversified. While care for children is public, universally accessible and defamilialistic, care for the elderly follows the principles of marketization, economy-based inequality in access and familialization. Such policies also have different implications for care mobilities: while childcare demands daily transfers between multi-local sites of care, which remained confined within the state borders, eldercare increasingly demands cross-border care loops. The comparison of both care systems along with the empirical evidence on the presence/absence of migrant care workers in care support the thesis that cross-border care mobilities emerge at points where the state with its policies is failing to adequately meet care needs of the citizens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing availability of data stored in electronic health records brings substantial opportunities for advancing patient care and population health. This is, however, fundamentally dependant on the completeness and quality of data in these electronic health records. We sought to use electronic health record data to populate a risk prediction model for identifying patients with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus. We, however, found substantial (up to 90%) amounts of missing data in some healthcare centres. Attempts at imputing for these missing data or using reduced dataset by removing incomplete records resulted in a major deterioration in the performance of the prediction model. This case study illustrates the substantial wasted opportunities resulting from incomplete records by simulation of missing and incomplete records in predictive modelling process. Government and professional bodies need to prioritise efforts to address these data shortcomings in order to ensure that electronic health record data are maximally exploited for patient and population benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental well-being is a key for successful and productive living of each individual. An imbalance can occur due to various stressors and environmental factors. Due to academic pressures, distance from home and financial burden, nursing students often meet with mental health problems. The objective of this study was to determine the mental well-being of nursing students in Slovenia and Northern Ireland, and to compare the results obtained. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. The survey was carried out in 2017 among nursing students in Slovenia and Northern Ireland using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale. The study included 90 students from Slovenia and 109 from Northern Ireland. Nursing students in both countries reported average level of mental well-being. Nursing students in Slovenia have significantly higher (p < 0.001) level of mental well-being than nursing students in Northern Ireland. There are some areas that demand special attention by nurse educators to support the mental well-being of students and the impact of this on their education. Further research needs to be undertaken to find out how to improve students' mental well-being and identify factors that are influencing mental well-being of nursing students. • Limited research has been undertaken into the mental well-being of nursing students. • Nursing students in Slovenia scored higher level of mental well-being than nursing students in Northern Ireland. • More nursing students in Slovenia have felt above average mental well-being than in Northern Ireland. • Research must be done to find out which factors have influence on nursing students' well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of antimicrobial-resistant and virulent enterococci is a major public health concern. While enterococci are commonly found in food of animal origin, the knowledge on their zoonotic potential is limited. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the antimicrobial susceptibility and virulence traits of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium isolates from human clinical specimens and retail red meat in Slovenia. A total of 242 isolates were investigated: 101 from humans (71 E. faecalis, 30 E. faecium) and 141 from fresh beef and pork (120 E. faecalis, 21 E. faecium). The susceptibility to 12 antimicrobials was tested using a broth microdilution method, and the presence of seven common virulence genes was investigated using PCR. In both species, the distribution of several resistance phenotypes and virulence genes was disparate for isolates of different origin. All isolates were susceptible to daptomycin, linezolid, teicoplanin, and vancomycin. In both species, the susceptibility to antimicrobials was strongly associated with a food origin and the multidrug resistance, observed in 29.6% of E. faecalis and 73.3% E. faecium clinical isolates, with a clinical origin (Fisher's exact test). Among meat isolates, in total 66.0% of E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates were susceptible to all antimicrobials tested and 32.6% were resistant to either one or two antimicrobials. In E. faecalis, several virulence genes were significantly associated with a clinical origin; the most common (31.0%) gene pattern included all the tested genes except hyl. In meat isolates, the virulence genes were detected in E. faecalis only and the most common pattern included ace, efaA, and gelE (32.5%), of which gelE showed a statistically significant association with a clinical origin. These results emphasize the importance of E. faecalis in red meat as a reservoir of virulence genes involved in its persistence and human infections with reported severe outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To measure the perceptions of caring between Slovene and Russian members of nursing teams and compare the results with earlier findings in other European Union countries. Method: A cross-sectional study that included nurses and nursing assistants in Slovenia (n = 294) and Russia (n = 531). Data were collected using the 25-item Caring Dimensions Inventory. Results: The most endorsed item for Slovene and Russian members of nursing teams was an item related to medication administration. All items that were endorsed by Russian participants were also endorsed by Slovenian participants; however, they ascribed a different level of importance to individual aspects of caring. Discussion: Compared with other European Union countries, such as the United Kingdom and Spain, Slovenian and Russian members of nursing teams endorsed more technical aspects of nursing duties as caring, suggesting cultural differences and previous influences of the biomedical model on nursing education and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For almost a decade, the number of Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Infantis-positive broiler flocks has been steadily increasing in Slovenia, doubling the number of positive holdings in only a few years. Since multidrug resistant S. Infantis isolates are highly prevalent in the broiler meat industry and may represent a public health concern through the food chain, we aimed to investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility, genetic diversity, and biofilm-forming ability of S. Infantis from Slovenian broiler flocks. A total of 87 S. Infantis strains isolated from broiler faeces in the period between 2007 and 2013 were studied. The samples originated from 41 farms which were subcontractors of three major food business operators and from two autonomously operating holdings (farms). Isolates were phenotypically tested for their susceptibility to 14 antimicrobials from nine classes by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration with the microdilution method. Only 8% of the isolates were susceptible to all of the antimicrobial agents tested, while 88.5% of the isolates were multidrug resistant, with the most common resistance pattern CipNxSSuT (65.5%) followed by CipNxSuT (17.2%). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) divided the strains into five clusters (A-E) comprising 16 distinct XbaI PFGE profiles. Sixty-five out of 87 isolates were grouped in clusters A and B, with the predominant PFGE profiles A1 and B1 encompassing 33 and 28 isolates, respectively. A vast majority of the isolates (75/87) showed >90% PFGE profile similarity. The biofilm-forming capacity of the tested isolates, determined with crystal violet assay in polystyrene microwell plates, was generally weak. The average biofilm formation for persistent strains was higher than for presumably nonpersistent strains; however, the difference was not significant. It seems that S. Infantis persistence on broiler farms is more related to its widespread occurrence in the broiler production chain and ineffective disinfection protocols than to its ability to form biofilm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nursing clinical learning environments are particularly important for the achievement of good practice in clinical training of student nurses, and thus, for the nursing competence development. Hence, it is important to have an instrument consisting of reliable and valid criteria for assessing the clinical learning environment, applicable in different contexts, and translated in the respondents mother tongue. The goal of the present research was to test the reliability and validity of the Slovenian version of the “Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher evaluation scale”, and to compare it with the Croatian version. The data was collected between 10 March and 10 June 2015 at four Slovenian institutions, where nursing BSc study programmes are performed. The final sample consisted of 232 students (response rate 68.8%): 81.9% were females and 18.1% males, average age was 23. The translated instrument in Slovenian language resulted as reliable and valid, it reflects the expected five factors of the original version despite some minor problems in the factor structure and in test-retest. The most important difference between the Slovenian and Croatian version is in the factor structure regarding the implementation of roles in clinical learning environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Nursing in the 21st Century is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The starting point of this article is that the transition from breadwinning to involved fathering is not only a matter of changing men's identities, but is profoundly shaped by broader societal structures, among which labour markets appear as crucial. Given that in Slovenia flexibilisation of the labour markets is a salient issue, this qualitative study, based on explorative, in-depth, semistructured, individual interviews with fathers in precarious and managerial employment, analyses how insecure and flexible work arrangements shape fatherhood practices, impact on chances of being an involved father and structure gender relations. Narratives of fathers in managerial positions point to the persistence of the breadwinner model of fathering with limited participation in childcare, expressed as "weekend fatherhood," but also to a more egalitarian share of childcare, mainly among young fathers in managerial positions. Though the experiences of fathers in precarious employment point to their pronounced involvement in childcare, some cases in our sample indicate that precarious working relations can also, in a perverse way, lead to the strengthening of the breadwinner model and re-traditionalisation of gender relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Diabetes and hypertension are two of the four most common non-communicable diseases that cause death, especially in the elderly. The key to reducing premature mortality and morbidity leis in early detection and timely treatment of diseases in primary health care. Integration of many aspects of medical care is important to achieve good health outcomes. Our study includes an analysis of the different aspects of integrated care in Slovenia and the opinion of health care users and providers on the mentioned diseases. Methods: Data collection took place in 15 focus groups, 8 with health care teams and 7 with patients. A total of 48 health care professionals and 42 patients were involved. The main topics discussed were opinions about the current implementation of integrated care for people with diabetes and hypertension, with a particular focus on the barriers and facilitators to scaling up. Texts were transcribed verbatim and analysed using NVivo software. A coding tree with 12 main themes and 52 first-level subthemes was used. Results: The results show that the current system of integrated care provides good accessibility and defined diagnostic screening with integrated preventive examinations. Collaboration within the team is good, with the involvement of registered and community nurses being a particular advantage. Participants felt that patients do not take their illness seriously. Patients pointed out that access to medication and equipment, some of which they have to pay for themselves, is a barrier. They would like to see more self-management, education about type 2 diabetes and a healthy lifestyle, and more awareness through various media. They point to the overload of medical staff and too much administrative work, leaving less time for quality patient care. Participants see opportunities in networking with the local community and also see good added value in peer support, as they benefit from their own experiences. Conclusions: Both the healthcare team and patients identified accessibility, screening, electronic referrals and prescriptions as facilitators, while overburden and impersonal attitudes, work organisation, unavailability and cost of medicines and equipment, lack of information and patient empowerment were highlighted as barriers. Implications for applicability/transferability and sustainability: According to our findings, we can improve integrated care and adapt it to the needs of patients. The results of the situation analysis have led us to launch two pilot projects in which patients are empowered to take more responsibility for their own health while we provide them with professional support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To test the psychometric properties of the Slovenian version of the Person-centred Climate Questionnaire - staff version. Background Person-centredness can be a quality care indicator, but there are no valid and reliable instruments in the Slovene language aimed at exploring the person-centred care climate from a nursing staff perspective. Methods Content validity based on expert agreement was evaluated by calculating content validity indices. A cross-sectional survey design using a convenience sample of 790 nurses and nursing assistants from medical and surgical wards in 11 hospitals was used to test the construct validity and internal consistency reliability. Results The average content validity index for the scale was 0.97, all items had content validity indices higher than 0.78, showing satisfactory content validity. Three components, climate of safety, community and everydayness explained 71.22% of the variance in the data and thus confirmed scale dimensionality. Cronbach's α was acceptable for whole scale (0.90) and for subscales (0.89, 0.89 and 0.86). Conclusion The Slovene version of the Person-centred Climate Questionnaire - staff version is valid and reliable and can be further used in surgical and medical wards in hospital settings. Implication for nursing management The instrument enables further exploration of the relationships between perceived person-centredness and organisational outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of the study was to provide and contrast data on quality of life for families in Slovenia that have children with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities (IDD) and families that have children with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The sample comprised 25 families with children with IDD and 19 families with children with ASD selected from schools in several villages in Slovenia. The data were collected using the FQOLS-2006. The data analysis exploring the relationship between the two study groups (IDD and ASD) using the six measurement dimensions ( Importance, Attainment, Satisfaction, Opportunities, Initiative, Stability) showed the mean ratings for all six measurement dimensions were higher for the IDD group than for the ASD group, although both groups rated Importance quite highly. Within the nine domains examined, there were some differences between the two groups. For the two main outcome measures, Attainment and Satisfaction, the scores for Satisfaction were consistently higher for the IDD group than for the ASD group. A combination of qualitative and quantitative data revealed that two of the nine domains, Family Relationships and Community Interaction, appear to contribute positively to family quality of life for both groups in this sample, while family life relating to the other seven domains requires remediation. Data from this family quality of life study provides evidence to suggest to policy makers and service providers that there might be a substantial amount of work to be done in the future to provide appropriate and efficient support for families with children with disabilities, especially for those with ASD, so that these families can lead lives of quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to determine differences in self-determination between high school students with and without disabilities and to determine the influence of three predictors of self-determination in vocational education: gender, group and grade point average. Research was done by comparing students with the method of pairs. The results show that students with disabilities have a lower level of self-determination than their peers; significant predictors of self-determination are group and grade point average. Results reveal important fields of intervention for self-determination development, especially for students with disabilities in vocational education. This is also the first study of student self-determination in Slovenian vocational education with specific cultural and education background. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to explore whether teachers can be classified into groups according to their work orientations (job, career and calling orientation), and to examine differences between teachers of two transitional countries, Croatia and Slovenia according to their work orientation profiles. Work-life questionnaire (Wrzesniewski et al., 1997) and one item measuring job satisfaction were administered to 345 primary school subject teachers, 171 from Croatia and 176 from Slovenia. Cluster analysis identified two clusters of teachers with different work orientation profiles: intrinsically oriented (higher calling orientation/lower job/ career orientation) and extrinsically oriented teachers (lower calling orientation/ higher job/career orientation). The percentage of teachers in both countries was higher in the intrinsically oriented group but more teachers belonged to this group in the Croatian than the Slovenian sample (83% vs. 68% respectively). In both samples intrinsically oriented teachers had higher level of job satisfaction. It was concluded that transition period did not make teachers shift from the intrinsic to extrinsic work orientation neither in Slovenia nor in Croatia. Further studies are needed to explain higher percentage of intrinsically oriented teachers in Croatia. Findings from previous studies of higher job satisfaction of teachers with a calling orientation were confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Despite the subsequent tendency to focus on patient-centered integrated care of type 2 diabetes at the primary level in Slovenia, many patients with this disease are still treated sub optimally. There is an urgent need to gain a comprehensive overview of the current management strategy of this disease in order to improve it for the future - the implementation of integrated care, the costs and the perspective of the stakeholders of what to scale-up. Methods: Three sub studies were conducted. (1) The Integrated Care Package (ICP) Grid questionnaire assessed the current implementation of integrated care (identification, treatment, health education, self-management support, structured collaboration and care organization). (2) The qualitative study of 15 focus groups and 23 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders at the micro (patients and health providers), meso (organisations) and macro (national) levels identified facilitators and barriers to scaling integrated care. (3) Type 2 diabetes costs (direct from medical records and out-of-pocket from the survey) and health-related quality of life (ADS survey) were evaluated in a sample of 132 patients. Results: Implementation of integrated care using ICP Grid showed that the elements of selfmanagement and structured collaboration were weakly implemented. Stakeholders identified the organization of primary health care as a facilitator; on the other hand, true teamwork and patientcentered care were constrained by hierarchy and a very heavily skewed medical approach. The average total per capita cost of type 2 diabetes management was €601.80 per year, of which 17.4% was out-of-pocket costs. The health-related quality of life assessment using ADS survey was averagely scored 2.03 on a scale from 1 to 5 (lower number is better quality of life). Conclusions: This study allows the formulation of a new roadmap for future (self-)management of type 2 diabetes at primary level in Slovenia. The implementation of some new interventions such as patient empowerment and their self-treatment, peer support and the use of mHealth represent a possible solution to the above challenges. Implications For Applicability/Transferability, Sustainability, And Limitations: The research presented on various aspects of the management of type 2 diabetes provides a useful tool for the holistic assessment of this disease. Due to its universal design, it is easily transferable to other chronic diseases as well as to other countries with different context and can therefore facilitate cross-country studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Republic of Slovenia, the concept of inclusion was formally codified with the adoption of the P lacement of C hildren with S pecial N eeds A ct (2000, 2007), which calls for inclusive education of students with special needs in settings as close to their homes as possible. Despite numerous innovations, Slovenian legislation still maintains a dual education system. Some students with special needs are educated separately from age peers in special schools/institutions (specialization), while others attend regular schools along with age peers (inclusion). This dichotomy results from thinking that many children with special needs (especially those with intellectual disability) are not able to achieve at the standards set for their age peers, that schools have not provided adapted programs to accommodate lower expectations of academic achievement, that many Slovenian school teachers do not have suitable skills and knowledge appropriate for educating children with special needs, and that most schools lack the capacity and resources that permit teachers to focus on children with special needs. Strategies for bringing about needed changes in practice are required, and some of these key strategies include: enforce the legal provisions enabling children with special needs to receive appropriate schooling; institute prevention processes of the improper placement of children with disabilities; constitute a strategic plan for effective inclusive education of children with intellectual disability; comprehensively monitor and evaluate education practices and inform education policy-makers of findings; and involve special schools and institutions in the implementation of inclusion of students with intellectual disability in regular schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The necessity of gender equality in agriculture has been identified as a relevant political issue and incorporated into strategic documents and programmes of the EU. However, until now, not much has been examined about the actual contribution of these policy actions and programmes to the everyday life of farm women; there is a considerable gap in the data about women in farming across Europe, particularly for new member states. The article addresses this issue by focusing on the situation of gender equality on farms in Slovenia. Pertaining to two measures of The Rural Development Programme 2004–2006 – the Setting Up of Young Farmers and the Early Retirement of Farmers – the aim of the analysis is to compare the beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of these two measures at family farms in terms of their development capacities and their inclination towards gender equality. Results based on the survey data ‘Generations and Gender Relations on Slovenian Farms 2007’ revealed the above-mentioned measures did indeed reach those family farms that showed better development capacities in terms of economic and demographic conditions. However, the farms did not show significant development in terms of gender equality as examined through division of work and decision-making on family farms. The rigidity in gender statuses and roles on family farms is explained and discussed through the issue of unequal access of women to farmland ownership and agricultural education, and through persistently weak institutional support to increase political participation and power for farm women. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The pursuit of a competitive "knowledge-based society" in Slovenia has shaped a new mission of academic institutions in their transfer of knowledge to practice. These institutions are expected to link basic and applied research to the rapid transfer of their academic results to knowledge users and consumers in order to contribute to economic development. Such reasoning is also implicitly involved in the imagining of knowledge transfer to agricultural practice. The Slovenian strategy of agricultural development highlights knowledge and its transmission to practice as a key driver of increased labour productivity and competitiveness of farm holdings. However, the academic institutions of a relatively well-established network of formal and informal agricultural education have substantially reduced their transfer of knowledge to practice. What determines such a curtailed transmission of knowledge was the basic research question of the targeted- research project entitled Challenges and Needs of Agricultural Knowledge Transfer in Slovenia. This article is limited to the understandings of the functioning of knowledge transfer among the knowledge providers from the faculties and secondary schools. The results show that irrespective of the primary mission of educational institutions, i.e. the transfer of knowledge into practice, the institutions reveal two cases at either end of the spectrum: a self-contained faculty educational system and the open consortium of agricultural secondary schools. While the faculties have adopted the working strategy 'The more efficient you are as a researcher, the less concerned you are with the transfer of knowledge to practice,' the secondary schools for agriculture have cooperated on joint projects that have accelerated and improved knowledge transfer to the "real environment". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the results of a survey on the use of innovation management techniques (IMTs) with the potential to improve effectiveness of new product development (NPD), and customer satisfaction as well as about those barriers preventing their introduction in Slovene firms in the period from 2003 to 2011. The results show that small percentage of Slovene firms used IMTs. Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) was found as the most appiied IMT in Slovene firms with the highest perceived utility potential to reduce development costs and improve customer satisfaction. Results also indicate a trend towards the increasing use of fault tree analysis (RA), value analysis, target costing, and TRIZ especially during the period of 2008 to 2011 which coincides with the period of economic and financial crisis. IMT complexity, a needed coaching and training and the lack of input data for IMT usage were recognized as the main barriers to implementing IMTs in Slovene firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]