Vážené kolegyně, vážení kolegové, studentky a studenti,
dovolte mi popřát vám klidné prožití vánočních svátků a do nového roku přeji nám všem především pevné zdraví a hodně radosti. Ať nám odpočinkový sváteční čas strávený v kruhu svých blízkých dodá potřebnou sílu pro nové osobní, pracovní a studijní úspěchy v roce 2025.
Ivana Chloubová
Nové termíny konání talentových přijímacích zkoušek z tělesné výchovy pro bakalářský studijní program Zdravotnické záchranářství jsou stanoveny na 11. a 17. května 2022. Prezence uchazečů proběhne v obou těchto termínech od 7:30 hodin před budovou plaveckého stadionu na Sokolském ostrově v Českých Budějovicích. Původní termín 3. května byl zrušen. Uchazeči dostanou všechny potřebné informace v mailu od studijního oddělení ZSF JU.
Opatření děkanky je ZDE:
Four academic staff members from Nepal spent a week-long educational stay at the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of South Bohemia (FHSS USB) starting from May 15th, where they enjoyed a rich programme filled with lectures and excursions. The visiting instructors work at Kathmandu University and Dhulikhel Hospital in Kathmandu, which form a unified entity. They delivered lectures to students from the General Nursing, Midwifery, and Physiotherapy study programmes. They also visited the hospital in České Budějovice and the spa town of Třeboň. "This is the final mobility within the Erasmus+ program - KA107 - credit mobility project 2020-2023,"explained Ing. Jana Ředinová from the Office for International Relations at FHSS USB. Colleagues from FHSS USB visited Nepal last November as part of the same programme.
The field of General Nursing was represented by three women: Sulekha Shrestha, Subasna Shrestha, and Geeta Kamal Shrestha. They teach at the university and work at the hospital as Head Nurse, Senior Operating Room Nurse, and Midwife, respectively. Doc. PhDr. Marie Trešlová, Ph.D., from the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery, and Emergency Care said: "They visited us with specific goals – to improve the Midwifery study programme and to establish a sterilization department for the operating theatres in their hospital. That's why we organized a tour of the hospital in České Budějovice, where that department is at an excellent level."
She clarified that in Nepal midwifery is a one-year specialization within the field of general nursing. The aim is to make both professions independent, like the European education system. The Nepalese educators showed great interest in exploring the faculty’s Simulation Centre for Healthcare Disciplines. They were guided through the Centre by the Vice-Dean for International Relations and the Head of the Centre, Mgr. František Dolák, Ph.D. They were impressed, curious, and keen to try out various aspects. Govinda Mani, who lectures on physiotherapy, became familiar with a completely modern form of education at our faculty – the new classroom for simulation-based learning of anatomy and physiology. He delivered lectures to future physiotherapists, visited the Physiotherapy Centre, and explored the spa town of Třeboň, where our students undergo practical training.
Mgr. Zlatana Midžić and Mgr. Pavel Bluďovský, language teachers from the Institute of the Humanities and Helping Professions of the FHSS USB, spent the week from 18 April 2022 at Atlantic Language School in Galway, Ireland. During the stay they met with the management of the school and assisted in various English courses. These courses included general B2 and C1 level classes, an academic writing and presentation course with Sarah Toomey, a preparatory course for the IELTS exam, and a workshop for teachers participating in job shadowing with Olive Waldron.
The main objective of the trip was to learn about the teaching methods and approaches at Atlantic Language. Pavel Bluďovský said: “We gained experience with teaching methods which might be useful for the foreign language classes at our faculty – especially some internet tools. Another benefit was the contacts we forged with teachers who might be interested in taking part in reciprocal mobility.”
Visiting a new English-speaking country provided our colleagues with a unique opportunity to discover Irish culture and gain experience with local English dialects. They made valuable contacts with Atlantic Language School students, teachers, and academics. They also gained experience in teaching multinational groups and the implementation of a ‘non-paper environment’. Several excursions were included in their stay, and naturally, the promotion of the FHSS USB to foreign students and teachers.
A nine-member group of teachers from Wolfson Academic Nursing School (WANS) in Israel spent a week at the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences USB. Colleagues from the Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Urgent Care of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences USB presented the focus of our faculty and its research activities to them. They also guided the guests through the Simulation Centre for Health Professions, and accompanied them to České Budějovice hospital, which closely cooperates with our faculty. The visitors stayed from Monday to Friday. Upon departure, they expressed their gratitude and outlined some of their plans inspired by the visit.
The meeting took place as part of international credit mobility, which belongs to the Erasmus+ programme and is aimed at strengthening scientific research cooperation. The Vice Dean for Science and Research, Prof. Valérie Tóthová, Ph.D., the Director of the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery and Emergency Care of the FHSS USB said: "We see great possibilities in joint research projects with WANS, which could also lead to interesting publications." Since 2013, Prof. Tóthová has been collaborating with the former Director of WANS, Dr. Sara Nissi, within the European Association of Transcultural Nursing. They have also collaborated on an international research project, the results of which have been published in IF journals.
Wolfson Academic Nursing School was established in 1974 at Wolfson Medical Center as an independent public school established by the Ministry of Health of Israel. In 1992, WANS was affiliated with Tel Aviv University. The objectives of WANS are in line with the goal of Israel’s Ministry of Health to reduce health inequalities. It has launched unique programmes in nursing that reflect the cultural diversity of the local population (a large proportion of the students there are immigrants). WANS is an important partner in deepening the concept of transcultural nursing. Israel has vast experience in nursing, not only in providing culturally sensitive care (aspects our faculty experts have been researching for a long time), but also in educating nurses from different cultural backgrounds.
Due to the diversity of its population, Israel has an extremely rich culture: all newcomers to Israel bring their own cultural and religious practices with them, so Israel has become a kind of melting pot of customs and beliefs, like the United States. The curriculum at WANS logically includes more of a focus on the concept of culturally differentiated care. All this challenges the colleagues at the Department of Nursing, Midwifery, and Emergency Care with incentives to collaborate on various topics addressed by our faculty. At the end of January, nine teachers from the FHSS USB will be discussing specific ways to develop further collaboration with their colleagues from WANS during their visit to Israel.
The Israeli colleagues will now elaborate on their findings from their first visit to České Budějovice, and at the next meeting, they will suggest topics that can be further elaborated together. As Professor Tóthová explained: "The aim is to develop transcultural nursing, because Israel has culturally competent care at a very high level, and they achieve excellent results in this area. But like us, they also focus on preventive activities, so we have a lot of common research topics."
Sara Nissim, PhD, MA, BSN, RN, concluded by thanking everyone for a wonderful stay filled with a lot of information, experience, and pleasant meetings. She expressed her special thanks to Prof. Tóthová and the Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences USB, Dr. Chloubová, for creating the conditions to deepen this mutually inspiring cooperation. "Our personal relations with Prof. Tóthová have developed over time into very fruitful professional contacts,”she said. “Israel and the Czech Republic have much in common, so I believe this project will continue in the form of student and faculty exchanges, research collaborations, and that we will attract other institutions to further our goals. It is important that we already know each other, like each other, and have a common interest."
Stovky uchazečů o studium se od pondělí střídají v sálech a učebnách naší fakulty. Podle vedoucí studijního oddělení Mgr. Květy Polenové se letos do bakalářských a navazujících magisterských studijních programů v prezenční a kombinované formě studia přihlásilo celkem 1766 uchazečů. Největší zájem je o programy Fyzioterapie, Všeobecné ošetřovatelství, Zdravotnické záchranářství, Pediatrické ošetřovatelství a Porodní asistence.
Přijímací zkoušky trvají do čtvrtka tohoto týdne.
Podrobné informace jsou ZDE:
Přehled termínů státních závěrečných zkoušek a další důležité a užitečné informace pro studenty jsou ZDE:
Jedná se o Opatření děkanky č. 6/2024 o organizaci a podmínkách konání státních závěrečných zkoušek v podzimním termínu pro bakalářské a navazující magisterské studium v akademickém roce 2023/2024 a o registraci bakalářských/diplomových prací.
Vice-Dean for International Relations, Mgr. František Dolák, Ph.D., MBA, visited the Faculty of Nursing at Mae Fah Luang University in Chiang Rai, Thailand. This visit was a significant opportunity for both institutions, as it marked an important step towards strengthening cooperation and supporting mutual learning not only in the field of nursing. The collaboration between the institutions has been ongoing for 10 years, and this was the first visit between the two institutions.
During his stay, Vice-Dean František Dolák met with faculty members and students of the Nursing programme and shared his knowledge and insights on a wide range of topics related to nursing. The Vice-Dean summarised: "In addition to visiting the faculty, I also had the opportunity to visit local healthcare facilities where our faculty's students are doing internships, and I also had the chance to engage in discussions with healthcare professionals. This practical experience allowed me to gain valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by the healthcare sector in Thailand. At the same time, I had the opportunity to share my own experiences with nursing in the Czech Republic."
This business trip provided not only a platform for sharing knowledge and experiences in the field of nursing but also laid the foundation for future cooperation and partnerships between the two institutions. The exchange of ideas and experiences will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on students and teachers on both sides. During the visit, further possibilities for cooperation were discussed, not only in the field of nursing but also in other fields and programmes.
Three educators from Canada spent the last week of April at our faculty, continuing the cooperation with York University in Toronto (specifically with the School of Social Work). This collaboration is part of the Erasmus+ Credit Mobility project at the Institute of Social and Special-paedagogical Sciences at FHSS USB.
Last year, a teaching mobility was held at York University, which was attended by doc. PhDr. Adéla Mojžíšová, Ph.D., from the above-mentioned institute, and Ing. Jana Ředinová from the Office of International Relations. One of our students, Kristýna Jiskrová, also completed her internship there.
This year, the roles were reversed, and experts from York University lectured on social work topics for bachelor and doctoral students of social work at our faculty. Discussions also took place regarding collaboration on scientific research and joint publishing activities with the project coordinator.
"In May and June, we will welcome a student from York University to the Institute, who will complete a two-month professional internship in the Czech Republic," said doc. Mojžíšová, who will travel to Canada in June as part of the teaching mobility along with Mgr. Jana Stejskalová, Ph.D., from the Institute of Social and Special-paedagogical Sciences. Although this project ends at the end of June 2023, doc. Mojžíšová hopes that the established collaboration will continue on an individual level among academic staff.
During their visit, the Canadian guests discussed the following topics with FHSS USB students:
Wilburn Hayden
The Significance of Societal Values, and Social Work Values, and Code of Ethics
Race and Anti-Black Racism from a Critical Race Theory (CRT) Perspective
Barbara Heron
Relations of Power in International Social Work in the Global South
Competency Standards in the Social Work Profession
Maurice Poon
Teaching Sexuality in Social Work Using Queer Theory
Vulnerability of HIV Infection among Ethno-Racial Immigrant Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in Toronto
The Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the University of South Bohemia once again took part in the nationwide event Night of Scientists, which took place on Friday, 24 September from 5 to 11 pm on the campus of the University of South Bohemia. It allowed visitors to find all faculties in one place. FHSS USB was given the Kampa Club Hall and the space in front of it, where two tents were erected and there was plenty of room.
Our programme was varied as usual and attracted more than two hundred adults and children. The programme was designed to suit everyone, and due to the nature of our faculty, it focused mainly on healthy lifestyle, social topics, physiotherapy, first aid lessons and demonstrations of teaching aids and models.
Guests also enjoyed demonstrations of virtual reality and 3D printing. Outside, visitors had a chance to try on the so-called ‘geronto-suit’, which was specially developed to simulate the movement of an elderly person - with motor, visual and auditory limitations. The suit was worn mainly by children, but also by adults, who experienced how the human body changes in old age. More than forty people wearing the suit completed an obstacle course and realised how difficult it is to sit down and then get up again. A valuable experience that allowed them to better empathise with the everyday life of the elderly.
There was also nutrition advice; an exhibition showed how much sugar and salt everyday foods contain. People were interested in having their health professionally measured and receiving advice on how to improve their lifestyle. The examination of posture and posture counselling was also a big success. The FHS USB Children's University attracted young and old alike. Even foreign participants who work at the Faculty of Science were interested. Once Mgr. Alena Machová had explained in English the essence of the teaching, they immediately showed interest in enrolling their son at our ChUUSB.
Everyone had to comply with governmental measures in connection with COVID-19. The hall was constantly flowing with people, and everyone had to wear respirators, which was challenging due to the capacity and high interest of the participants. Fortunately, the weather was good, so many of the activities could take place outside until late in the evening. The Dean of the FHSS USB, Dr. Ivana Chloubová, thanked all the teachers and students of our faculty for attending the event and representing our faculty in an exemplary manner.
A celebratory meeting of the academic community and employees of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences USB in České Budějovice took place on the 30th anniversary of its foundation. It was an opportunity to meet, look back, and appreciate.
The event was held on 12 October at 2 pm in the two largest lecture halls, directly after the morning gathering of the Scientific Council of the Faculty of Social and Health Sciences of USB. In the afternoon, the Dean of the faculty, Mgr. Ivana Chloubová, Ph.D., summarized the evolution of FHSS USB in a comprehensive presentation.
The afternoon event in the Vltava/Uran building, which started and ended with a performance by a section of the FHSS USB Choir, was attended by many distinguished guests. The Rector of the University of South Bohemia, Prof. Bohumil Jiroušek, Dr., reminded them that FHSS USB was one of the founding faculties of the university and remains one of its largest. He said: "The faculty has a lot to boast about and plays a very important role, as seen during the pandemic. I wish you every success and thank you all for what you have done for this faculty."
In the hall sat academics, staff and students, as well as directors of South Bohemian hospitals, a number of institutions the FHSS USB has been cooperating with, and other guests. One of the important clinical workplaces is ARPIDA – The Centre for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities in České Budějovice. The director of ARPIDA, Mgr. Ing. Marek Wohlgemuth, presented the dean with an original gift for the faculty's birthday – a wooden candlestick made in a sheltered workshop, decorated with a heart motif (the heart is a visual symbol of the Faculty of Social Sciences USB).
After the presentation by Dean Dr. Chloubová, 21 personalities who have significantly contributed to the development of our faculty received awards.
On Saturday, June 4, students of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the University of South Bohemia supported the organizers of the 2022 Mattoni half marathon in České Budějovice. 41 students from the study programmes General Nursing, Medical Rescue and Physiotherapy, helped with this prestigious event. The majority provided medical services on the track, rescuers went to the event on bikes, and six future physiotherapists massaged runners in a tent on Přemysl Otakar II Square. The main race began at 7pm with heavy rain and lightning in the distance, but the rain soon stopped. Rain had also bothered the participants earlier that afternoon, but fortunately it stopped before the family dm run at 5pm, intended mainly for parents with children.
The accompanying programme in the square began in the morning. In the tent of the University of South Bohemia, experts from the Centre for the Prevention of Lifestyle Diseases of the FHSS USB and students of General Nursing offered athletes and members of the public advice on healthy lifestyle based on measuring selected health values. The running service provided our students with valuable experience: for example, two students offered effective help to a thirteen-year-old boy who had an epileptic seizure on the track.
RunCzech project manager, Igor Murko, later thanked our faculty for the cooperation: "We witnessed the determined performances of the runners, but also the great commitment of volunteers, paramedics, and everyone else involved. We appreciate your support and splendid commitment during the preparations and the race itself. Thank you for your cooperation, which was essential for realising this unique race."
The main race of the 10th Mattoni České Budějovice Half Marathon attracted almost 2,500 runners. About 4,000 competitors took part in all the runs during the day. The České Budějovice race has been awarded a five-star European Athletics Certificate. Once again it attracted hundreds of visitors at the start of the race in the square, as well as around the track.
The International Council of FHSS, the dean's independent advisory and evaluation body, held a meeting from Wednesday, November 30 to Friday, December 2. The Dean, Mgr. Ivana Chloubová, PhD, appointed the members of the body on April 1, 2022. This was their first meeting and introduction to the faculty.
The International Council of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the University of South Bohemia is composed of five respected international experts in science, research, and innovation. They are focused on health, social, and safety fields:
Prof. Dr Habil. József Betlehem, PhD, vice-rector of the University of Pécs, Hungary, Head of the Institute of Emergency Care and Pedagogy of Health
Prof. Dr Phil. Astrid Hübner, University of Applied Sciences, Emden, Germany, Faculty of Social Work and Health, Director of the Faculty's International Programme
Professor Majda Pajnkihar, PhD, RN, FAAN, EANS, University of Maribor, Slovenia, Faculty of Health Sciences, Director of the Institute of Nursing
Professor Matthias Port, Institute of Radiobiology of the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) affiliated with the University of Ulm, Munich, Germany, Director of the Institute of Radiobiology
Professor John Stephen Gary Wells, Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences
The establishment of the International Council of FHSS is related to the University of South Bohemia's crucial international award in human resources management (it received the HR Award in 2019). This is a prestigious award of the European Committee for excellent care of human resources in a scientific environment. The International USB Council was then created and held its first meeting this September with Prof. József Bethlehem, PhD, as its member. During the three-day conference, the members of the International Council of FHSS met with members of the faculty management and the directors of all institutes and other colleagues. In the individual presentations, they received information about the faculty's activities regarding studies, science and research, internationalisation, and activities for the public. "The goal of this meeting is for the International Council to better know the functioning of our faculty and map out its activities," said Dean Dr Chloubová. On Thursday afternoon, the guests visited the FHSS building at U Výstaviště Street, where they received a presentation on the activities of the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery and Emergency Care, and the Simulation Center for Health Sciences.
The International Council of the FHSS deals with conceptual developmental issues and evaluates the professional level of FHSS. It assesses the quality of scientific strategy and outputs from an international point of view and provides recommendations and ideas to improve the quality of the faculty's activities. If necessary, the Council recommends approving the Long-term development plan of FHSS (Strategic Plan for Educational and Creative Activities, Strategic Plan Implementation).
"The implementation of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences International Council's 1st meeting was supported by the European Structural and Investment Funds, specifically within the project USB Development - Capacities for R&D II, reg. No. CZ.02.2.69/0.0/0.0/18_054/0014638 from the Operational Program titled Research, Development and Education."
The fourth annual conference, held last week at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, aimed to support doctoral students in the field of nursing. The conference was attended by doctoral students from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, accompanied by their program supervisors. Their colleagues from Hungary were absent this year. A total of 28 doctoral students presented papers on the research findings of their dissertation topics, while another eight students presented their results in the poster section.
Our faculty was represented by five doctoral students, three from the full-time study programme and two from the part-time programme. The following papers were presented: Mgr. Eva Lužová's "Deactivation of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators in terminally ill patients from the perspective of oncology nurses – a qualitative research." PhDr. Martin Červený's "Self-assessment of the cultural competence of nurses in the Czech and Slovak Republics." Msc. Rehana Sindho Kabooro's "Initial findings on nursing competencies compared to Sweden and the Czech Republic." PhDr. Hana Kubešová's "Medication misconduct and adverse event reporting," and Mgr. Inka Kratochvílová's "Palliative nursing care in different types of healthcare facilities".
Prof. PhDr. Valérie Tóthová, Ph.D., Vice-Dean for Science and Research and the coordinator of the doctoral study program in nursing said: "The presentations by our doctoral students were of a high standard, and they responded with expertise to the questions raised during the discussions." Vice-Dean Tóthová was not the only academic staff member from our faculty who attended the conference to support the doctoral students. The dean of the faculty, Mgr. Ivana Chloubová, Ph.D., and Doc. PhDr. Sylva Bártlová, Ph.D. also travelled to Lublin, Poland. Both appreciated the conference, highlighting the quality of the doctoral students' presentations as well as the workshop that followed the annual conference. This year's workshop entitled "How to prepare a constructive review of a scientific paper?" was led by Professor Alvisa Palesa who is currently serving as a “visiting professor” at the Medical University of Poland.
The cooperation between the team involved in the international BENEFITS project was so good that its members would like to continue even after the project has finished. This resolution was announced during the farewell meeting held in Barcelona on 19 and 20 June. Participants came from 7 universities and 6 countries, namely Turkey, Hungary, Belgium, Spain, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic. The cooperation was realised thanks to the “Better & Effective Nursing Education For Improving Transcultural Nursing Skills (BENEFITS)” project, financed from the programme ERASMUS+ KA203 Strategic Partnerships for higher education.
Prof. PhDr. Valérie Tóthová, Ph.D., Vice-Dean for Science and Research, and Head of the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery, and Emergency Care of the FHSS USB said: “During the two-day meeting, we evaluated the progress, achieved results, and outcomes of the project. The active three-year cooperation brought abundant pedagogical and scientific outcomes. The representatives of individual countries presented the benefits of the project, how the outcomes influenced teaching transcultural nursing in their respective faculties and plans for the future use of these outcomes. Thanks to the project, we created a questionnaire for the assessment of the cultural competence of students of nursing and realised a pilot one-week intensive joint course on transcultural nursing at Giresun university, Turkey. We also published a book on transcultural nursing, articles in impacted journals containing the results of our questionnaire survey, and an analysis of curricula. Those perfect outcomes are evidence of the high-quality work of the whole team.”
The main coordinator of the project at our faculty was prof. Tóthová. The other participants were Mgr. Věra Hellerová, Ph.D., and doc. PhDr. Marie Trešlová, Ph.D. who carried out some activities. The final meeting took place at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Faculty of Medicine. The participants were Mgr. Ivana Chloubová, Ph.D. – Dean of the FHSS USB, Associate Professor Trešlová, and Professor Tóthová. Prof. Tóthová concluded: “I am delighted that our faculty had an opportunity to become a member of the consortium and cooperate with foreign experts on transcultural nursing. Our experiences will be used both in teaching and scientific work. I am also glad that, during the final meeting, the Dean had an opportunity to get acquainted with the process of solving the project and all the outcomes, and experienced the friendly atmosphere and excellent cooperation among the team members – which we would like to further develop after the end of the project. The next issue to solve is the final report, which is due by the end of August.”
From August 22, the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the University of South Bohemia will host the participants of the International Intensive Week in order to exchange experience with simulation teaching in nursing, improve the skills, make the use of this teaching method more efficient, and establish closer mutual cooperation. The organizers expect about forty educators from 13 European countries and Turkey.
It is the largest event to date, during which the FHSS USB opens the Simulation Centre to the professional public. The head of the Simulation Centre Mgr. František Dolák, Ph.D. said: "The main goal is to improve the quality of teaching by using modern methods. “We offer our students new approaches that can be applied in teaching general and paediatric nursing, midwifery and rescue service." The FHSS USB opened the first comprehensive simulation centre for non-medical health fields in the Czech Republic in autumn 2020. Experts from the FHSS USB gathered inspiration for this project in Finland, Spain, the USA, and Latvia. Several colleagues are now heading to České Budějovice to see the new specialized rooms for healthcare workers which faithfully imitate the reality.
The weekly meeting takes place in U Výstaviště Street 26 building, where hospital rooms, a delivery room, an intensive care unit, and an authentic ambulance cabin are located in the basement. Simulation teaching is made possible by control rooms and other spaces in which pedagogues monitor and evaluate the work of students, who are guided to be as independent as possible. Everything is equipped with functional medical devices and patients are represented by sophisticated computer-controlled dummies that imitate breathing, pulse or heart activity, etc. They can be connected to different devices; simulators react to the procedures performed and allow communication between students and teachers.
Numerous different situations that health professionals have to deal with can be pre-programmed. These scenarios will represent an important part of the programme of the International Intensive Week. Morning sessions which other foreign participants can also join online will offer theory and discussion. Afternoons will be dedicated to workshops held directly in the individual halls of the Simulation Centre. František Dolák explained: "We approached all the partner faculties where Nursing is taught. Among other things, we offered them space so that they can present their own scenarios and participate in the exchange of experience, which is what we are primarily interested in." He specified that the organizing Institute of Nursing, Midwifery and Emergency Care of the FHSS USB invited colleagues who already have simulation centres in their faculties, as well as those who are just thinking about them and want to get to know this form of teaching more closely.
The Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the USB has long-term focus on finding innovative teaching options that will allow students to have the closest possible connection with practice and the best possible training of all skills in the most realistic environment possible, without putting the patient at risk by making beginner student mistakes. That is why our faculty wants to support public schools that already use simulation teaching to cooperate to a greater extent in the future. The present is in favour of such cooperation. Earlier, there was an effort to protect one's know-how in these unique and expensive projects but the development progressed and showed how necessary cooperation in this area is. The dean Mgr. Ivana Chloubová, Ph.D. said: "I am very happy that the offer of our faculty has aroused such great interest among colleagues from abroad. For us, this is not only an important opportunity to exchange experience and gain new ideas, but also an opportunity to contribute to the improvement of the teaching of these subjects at other faculties around the world - including those countries where we previously drew inspiration."
The two-story building of the Simulation Centre for Health-oriented Fields, which is an extension to the existing FHSS USB building, cost about 58 million crowns including equipment. The centre was financed by the EU Research, Development and Education Operational Programme (co-participation of the faculty in the amount of 5%). Construction took two years and classes started there in the autumn of 2020. By observing strict anti-epidemic measures, it was possible to maintain classes here even during the months when most schools were closed due to the covid-19 pandemic. Among other things, she emphasized the indispensability of well-prepared nurses and other health professionals, to which teaching in the simulation centre contributes significantly.
Program HERE:
Starting today, the FHSS USB building in U Výstaviště street 26 is hosting an international event called the International Staff Week which focuses on the instruction of professional subjects in the Nursing study programme. Participants are 34 teachers from 13 European countries and Turkey. Other foreign participants are joining online. In the opening of the event, director of the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery and Emergency Care and Vice-Dean for Science and Research prof. PhDr. Valérie Tóthová, Ph.D. warmly welcomed the participants with the following words: “I believe that the exchange of information and comprehensive discussion will contribute to the development of nursing.”
She introduced the main organizers of the event doc. PhDr. Marie Trešlová, Ph.D. and Mgr. František Dolák, Ph.D., Head of the Simulation Centre who later informedthe guests about the foundation of the Simulation Centre for Health-oriented Fields which was launched by our faculty in autumn 2020. He added that as it was the first centre of this type in the Czech Republic, its creators appreciated all the inspiring experience from abroad – namely from Finland, Spain, the USA, and Latvia. Nevertheless, creating and establishing the Centre is just the first step. The most important thing is to provide high quality instruction for students. The instruction of students is conditioned by pre-programming diverse situations which students are supposed to deal with. Those scenarios represent a significant part of the programme of the International Staff Week.
The second speaker was prof. dr. József Betlehem, Ph.D. from the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Pécs in Hungary. He updated the audience on the latest achievements in health care education, current trends in simulation teaching and in teaching based on scenarios. His contribution opened the professional programme comprising of various presentations, a seminar on introducing simulation into curricula, and workshops in the Simulation Centre of the FHSS USB. The participants had an opportunity to visit the Centre on Monday, on the following days they are going to work in individual rooms.
The first simulation centre for health-oriented fields in the Czech Republic was launched by our faculty in September 2020. In U Výstaviště street 26 building were established hospital rooms, a delivery room, an intensive care unit, and a realistic cabin of an ambulance. Everything is equipped with functional medical appliances and patients are represented by sophisticated computer-controlled dummies which simulate breathing, pulse, circulation, etc. They may be connected to machines; simulators react to the procedures performed, and teachers can communicate through them with students. Simulation instruction happens thanks to control rooms and other spaces where teachers watch and evaluate students’ performance which leads to their independence and preparedness for their future profession.
The International Staff Week realized at our faculty concluded on Friday, August 26. It focused on the instruction of professional subjects using the simulation method in the Nursing study programme. 34 pedagogues from 13 European countries and Turkey gathered at the FHSS USB building in U Výstaviště Street, other foreign participants joined online. The event was an inspiring experience and an opportunity for all participants to meet new colleagues, including those from the organizing Institute of Nursing, Midwifery, and Emergency Care. We also noticed great interest from journalists, who made interviews and reports during the sessions.
The main organizers of the International Staff Week were doc. PhDr. Marie Trešlová, Ph.D., and head of the Simulation Centre Mgr. František Dolák, Ph.D. Both stated that the event met their expectations and enriched the participants with new stimuli and experiences. Associate Professor Trešlová said: "During the discussions throughout the week, we focused on the main priorities in simulation teaching, the issues that teachers face, and on possible future improvement of the quality of simulation teaching. We will send a proposal to the management of the home universities of the participants to inform them about our intention to collaborate on research into simulation from the perspective of students and teachers."
The participants also agreed to create a common and continuously updated "database" of scenarios intended for simulation teaching. They are also planning to organize exchange of students and teachers as part of the Erasmus programme and other "summer schools" similar to the one that was held at the FHSS USB. The aim is to create a project based on the Erasmus programme which will enable cooperation of several countries and help to integrate simulation into practical teaching, strengthening communication, and teamwork in a new environment.
In addition, the meeting in České Budějovice, whose participants were also specialists in the technical side of simulation, brought up some practical ideas, for example, how to set the models and camera positions most appropriately. There was also a lot of talk about virtual reality, which represents the course of development of this teaching method in the future. Some participants of the International Staff Week already had experience with virtual reality which can be used to provide students an opportunity to use devices that are usually unavailable to faculty simulation centres. Foreign guests appreciated the high standard of the FHSS USB Simulation Centre and that it enables a high quality instruction. However, the rapid development in this field brings additional possibilities, challenges and demands. Teachers from the University of Rzeszów in Poland shared their experience with an even newer simulation centre than ours.
Doctor Dolák explained: "The meeting helped us to realize that we all have the same problems and deal with basically the same things. For example, how students feel when they are working in a simulation centre, how to include simulation teaching in the curriculum and in practical teaching, and finally, the motivation of teachers to use these technologies because simulation teaching requires a completely new approach and motivating teachers may be quite challenging". Such teaching requires to pre-programme lots of different situations that students must deal with. These scenarios became an important part of the programme of the International Staff Week. Experts analysed several scenarios in terms of content and form. They agreed that they need specific scenarios "tailored" to the given environment and the rules that apply in specific countries. The head of the Simulation Centre of the FHSS USB summed up: "Some companies operating in this field also offer universal standardized scenarios. Instead, we need specific scenarios because of the diversity of competences that differ in individual countries. In some countries, nurses perform procedures that are not part of their competence in others. This discussion was very beneficial for us and for all the participants."
TV report HERE:
The gateway "Vědavýzkum.cz - Independent information about science and research" has published an article about the project “Model of care for the elderly in residential facilities in the concept of three-tier housing”, which was created at FHSS USB with the aim of improving the lives of seniors in the Czech Republic. The project was supported by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic, and the results are currently being applied in the city of Tábor. Its benefits and uniqueness are explained by the project's principal investigator, doc. PhDr. Adéla Mojžíšová, Ph.D., from the Institute of Social and Special Education Sciences.
The main objective of the project Model of care for the elderly in residential facilities in the concept of three-tier housing was to identify modern trends in care, show examples of good practice in care for the elderly in residential facilities, and to create a model of care in three-tier housing for the elderly with an emphasis on connection with the community and with regard to intergenerational solidarity. One of the results of the project is the creation of a model of three-tier housing that takes into account all the essential principles and examples of good practice, and which puts the elderly and their needs and their degree of self-sufficiency at its centre. Doc. Mojžíšová summarized: "The project came about thanks to the interest from the local government sector. Our first application guarantor was the town of Třeboň. The then leadership approached the faculty, expressing their desire to have something like this and to participate in it. The application to the TA ČR was created on this basis."
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