Efficacy of a Short Psychoeducational Group Intervention for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Risk in Patients With Severe Mental Disorder: A Randomized Trial.

Psychoeducational interventions to improve healthy habits regarding cardiovascular risk (CVR) in people with a severe mental disorder showed scarce results in the literature. In this article, we showed the results of a randomized clinical trial including 80 adult outpatients (mainly psychosis spectrum) with moderate to very high CVR. A short-term psychoeducational group intervention to improve healthy habits regarding CVR was added to their as-usual individual psychoeducational schedule. With an intention-to-treat analysis, we expected improvements in the different parameters. Baseline and 1-year follow-up included CVR factors and indexes (REGICOR, SCORE, and DORICA). Basal characteristics did not show statistically significant differences between the groups. No significant improvements in any of the variables studied were observed in the intervention enriched group compared with the control individual group. Compliance with the sessions was scarce. The satisfaction with the intervention and the acquisition of knowledge were adequate. Moreover, the benefits of both interventions were weak.

Crisis en el sector sanitario: impacto percibido en las condiciones de trabajo de las enfermeras / Crisis in the health sector: Impact on nurses’ working conditions

En un contexto de crisis económica y de políticas de reducción del déficit público, los presupuestos del Instituto Catalán de la Salud (ICS) fueron recortados en un 15,33% entre 2010 y 2014. Objetivo: Evaluar el impacto percibido de las medidas de contención del gasto sanitario en las condiciones de trabajo de las enfermeras. Método: El diseño del estudio fue descriptivo y transversal. Una muestra de 1.760 enfermeras de la provincia de Barcelona respondió un cuestionario sobre el impacto percibido de las medidas de contención del gasto sanitario implementadas en su centro de trabajo durante los primeros años de la crisis. Resultados: Entre los aspectos principales del impacto percibido por las medidas de contención del gasto, un 86,6% de las enfermeras identificaron una reducción salarial. También percibieron un aumento en los siguientes parámetros relevantes de las condiciones de trabajo: número de horas trabajadas (66,7%), ratio definitivo de pacientes atendidos (35,2%), complejidad y presión asistencial (75,3%), rotación por diversos servicios (31,5%), cambio de turno (21,4%) o ámbito (23,4%) de trabajo, precariedad laboral (58,4%) y pérdida del empleo por despido (6,6%) o no renovación del contrato (9%). Conclusiones: El impacto percibido de la crisis mostró un triple componente de signo negativo: recorte salarial, sobrecarga de trabajo e inseguridad en el empleo. Y como efecto combinado de esta múltiple tendencia se reconoció un deterioro de las condiciones de trabajo y de la calidad de vida laboral de las enfermeras

In a context of economic crisis and policies to reduce the public deficit, the budgets of the Catalan Health Institute (CHI) were cut by 15.33% between 2010 and 2014. Objective: To assess the perceived impact on nurses’ work conditions of measures to contain health spending. Method: The study design was descriptive and transversal. A sample of 1,760 nurses from the province of Barcelona answered a questionnaire on the perceived impact of health spending containment measures implemented in their workplace during the early years of the crisis. Results: Among the main aspects of the perceived impact of these measures, 86.6% of the nurses identified a pay cut and an increase in the following relevant parameters of their working conditions: number of hours worked (66.7%), final ratio of treated patients (35.2%), task complexity and workload (75.3%), rotation through various departments (31.5%), work shifts (21.4%) or work areas (23.4%), job insecurity (58.4%) and loss of employment by dismissal (6.6%) or non-renewal of contract (9%). Conclusions: The perceived impact of the crisis showed a triple negative component: Pay cut, work overload and job insecurity. As a combined effect of this multiple trend, the nurses acknowledged a deterioration in their working conditions and quality of working life

Crisis in the health sector: Impact on nurses' working conditions. / Crisis en el sector sanitario: impacto percibido en las condiciones de trabajo de las enfermeras.

In a context of economic crisis and policies to reduce the public deficit, the budgets of the Catalan Health Institute (CHI) were cut by 15.33% between 2010 and 2014. OBJECTIVE: To assess the perceived impact on nurses' work conditions of measures to contain health spending. METHOD: The study design was descriptive and transversal. A sample of 1,760 nurses from the province of Barcelona answered a questionnaire on the perceived impact of health spending containment measures implemented in their workplace during the early years of the crisis. RESULTS: Among the main aspects of the perceived impact of these measures, 86.6% of the nurses identified a pay cut and an increase in the following relevant parameters of their working conditions: number of hours worked (66.7%), final ratio of treated patients (35.2%), task complexity and workload (75.3%), rotation through various departments (31.5%), work shifts (21.4%) or work areas (23.4%), job insecurity (58.4%) and loss of employment by dismissal (6.6%) or non-renewal of contract (9%). CONCLUSIONS: The perceived impact of the crisis showed a triple negative component: Pay cut, work overload and job insecurity. As a combined effect of this multiple trend, the nurses acknowledged a deterioration in their working conditions and quality of working life.

A las puertas del cambio en la Formación Universitaria / On the verge of change in University Education

Los cambios sociales conducen a un nuevo planteamiento en la docencia universitaria. Es necesario un modelo educativo abierto para formar nuevos profesionales competentes, basado en la capacidad de aprender del alumno, de obtener información y de adaptarse a las situaciones de cambio que presenta la profesión. La planificación de programas educativos plantea nuevos roles en la función del docente y del alumno, exige cambios metodológicos en el proceso de aprendizaje, conllevando cambios en las estrategias educativas. La nuevas tecnologías de la información y comunicación son un elemento indispensable para promover el cambio, aunque no suficientes. El aprendizaje basado en problemas (ABP) ha resultado un elemento innovador en el ámbito universitario, demostrando un aumento de la motivación para aprender, potenciando el trabajo grupal, incentivando la búsqueda de información, aumentado la comprensión y la memorización del conocimiento. A su vez, el ABP pone énfasis en la interdisciplinariedad, aumenta el espíritu de colaboración del estudiante y su nivel de responsabilidad en el aprendizaje. En el ámbito de las Ciencias de la Salud, los métodos de aprendizaje son claves en el proceso formativo de profesionales competentes, dada la estrecha vinculación entre el ámbito laboral y formativo (AU)

Changes in society as a whole oblige University education to introduce changes as well. In order to train well-equipped professionals, an open educational model is necessary, based on the ability of the student to learn, to obtain information, and to adapt to the changes inside the profession. The planning of learning programs involves new roles for the teacher and new functions for the student. It requires changes in methodology and in educational strategies. The new information and communication technologies are indispensable instruments for promoting these changes, but they are not enough in isolation. Problem based learning (PBL) is an innovative instrument in the University setting, increasing students’ motivation, empowering group work, stimulating the search for information and increasing the comprehension and memorizing of knowledge. PBL also emphasizes interdisciplinary work, stressing the need to cooperate and to increase students’ responsibility for their learning. In the field of health sciences, effective learning methods are vital for the training of competent professionals due to the close connection between the educational and work environments (AU)