The Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the USB hosted participants of the international ECoDN-HUB project from Thursday 23 to Friday 24 April. The project focuses on developing the skills of nurses in managing emergencies and crisis situations. A total of 17 academic staff members and clinical experts from partner institutions attended the meeting. The project was established under the Erasmus+ programme and aims to enhance key competencies in emergency nursing. It employs modern teaching methods, digital tools and virtual reality. Partner institutions from Turkey, the Czech Republic, Finland and Romania are involved.
The aim of the meeting in České Budějovice was to evaluate the project’s progress to date, share experiences among partners and plan its future direction. An important part of the programme was also the preparation of teaching materials and discussion on their use in both education and clinical practice. The integration of theoretical knowledge with practical application, comparison of approaches and exchange of experience across European countries are among the project’s main benefits.
In addition to the development of educational materials and simulation-based training scenarios using VR/AR technologies, research activities form an integral part of the ECoDN-HUB project. Project partners are testing how the developed scenarios contribute to the development of knowledge and skills among students, nurses and academic staff. The testing follows a predefined methodology and includes the evaluation of pre-tests, post-tests and outputs from focus groups. Based on the collected data, a total of six scholarly articles will be produced, with partner institutions preparing them for submission by mid-September. The articles are planned for publication in peer-reviewed international journals, which also represents a significant benefit for the faculty.
“Of particular value will be the comparison of results across partner countries, which will allow us to better assess the contribution of the developed scenarios to both education and practice, while also enabling the preparation of high-quality academic publications,” said the project’s principal coordinator at the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the University of South Bohemia and Vice-Dean for Science and Research, Prof. Valérie Tóthová.
The content and implementation of the project are highly inspiring for all involved parties, as the sharing of experience among partners represents a key benefit of the collaboration.
“I consider this project exceptional primarily because it connects modern educational approaches, especially simulation-based training and VR/AR technologies, with the field of nursing, which is currently crucial in terms of preparedness of healthcare professionals for emergencies. Its strong international and interdisciplinary dimension is also unique, as it enables the sharing of different approaches to teaching and clinical practice, while simultaneously contributing to the standardisation of competencies in this area across Europe,” summarised Mgr. František Dolák, Vice-Dean for International Relations and Deputy Head of the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery and Emergency Care at the FHSS USB, who described the meeting as highly beneficial both in terms of strengthening international cooperation and in relation to the significance of all ECoDN-HUB project activities.
The programme also included a visit to České Budějovice Hospital, specifically the Department of Anaesthesiology and Resuscitation and the Emergency Department. Participants toured the acute care facilities and discussed operational organisation and preparedness for emergency situations with professionals. The Deputy Director for Nursing Care, Mgr. Iveta Drábková, also spoke with them about further developments in nursing and the education of nurses. The international guests were additionally interested in the functioning of the hospital, its organisational structure and the scope of healthcare services provided.
