Third mission at the Nursing Study course University of Parma. Intervention report

Abstract

Background:

The term Third Mission refers to the activities with which universities interact directly with the communities and the territory of reference, combining the objectives of the third mission with the two traditional missions: teaching and research. These were the premises that guided the Nursing Studies Course of the University of Parma, with the goal of implementing a structured path of “Intercultural Nursing” on a demo-ethno-anthropological basis.

Methods:

The path taken was divided into several phases: arrangement of moments of interaction with students; teaching activity aimed at students based on the relationship between ethno-anthropological knowledge, aspects of migration medicine and social legislation; direct meetings with representatives of some communities present in the Parma area.

Results:

The interaction with students was achieved through meetings called “Cultural Coffee”. The first meetings, in the measure of 4-5, took place in the period October-December 2013, subsequently, the same number of meetings was repeated in the following years. In 2019, two important results were achieved: the creation of an ADE (teaching chosen by the student) dedicated to multiculturality. Another activity of the “Intercultural Nursing” course involve the students with some communities in the Parma area.

Conclusion:

The results of this experience and the underlying idea that these aspects, if addressed in the basic training, can be for the professionals most expendable in the workplace, provide reasons to continue the path started. The international comparison on the intercultural skills of nurses, indicates collaboration and partnership with communities, as fundamental elements for a complete and effective assistance. (www.actabiomedica.it)

Introduction

The term Third Mission refers to the set of activities with which universities interact directly with the communities and the territory of reference, combining the objectives of the third mission, which deals with the relationship between the foreign communities of the territory and the institutions ,with the two traditional missions: teaching and research (1).

The territorial communities can be divided into ethno-geographical, social, economic, and cultural one. The relevance of this aspects in Italy highlights how prevention, assistance and health education are important points in cultural activities (cultural heritage, scientific dissemination, management of museum centers, intercultural knowledge systems), social activity (public health, community benefit), educational activities (adult education, life long learning), activities aimed at civil awareness (public ethnic-cultural debates).

In general, these activities are carried out through the commitment of individual teachers and researchers, without burdens on the part of the users concerned.

This mode allows the reduction of the realization times and the possibility of a greater number of events. Third Mission activities in Italy are widespread: 71 universities report 12,636 activities (years 2004/2010), ranging from single initiatives to large-scale programs, with a prevalence of the human and social sciences areas.

In recent years there has been a greater focus of universities on the activities of the Third Mission, with an increase in contracts and funding granted to those involved.

A greater intensity of the activities of economic exploitation of knowledge is registered in the North, while a greater presence of museum activities and consortium brokerage activities in the South. The universities of Central Italy are positioned in an intermediate space. Unfortunately, the results of the Third Mission, unlike others, have not been used to define the allocation of the prize money of extraordinary funds in the sense that by working on small or very small figures, it is not possible to well define the results of the individual performed activities (2).

Aim

The aim of this project is to demonstrate the application of the Third Mission between the Nursing Course of University of Parma and some foreign communities which lives in this territory to create an important element for the course of study, an intercultural Nursing activity

Methods

The path taken was divided into several phases:

• - Arrangement of moments of interaction with students;

• - Didactic activity focused on ethno-anthropological knowledge, aspects of migration medicine and social legislation:

• - Direct meetings with representatives of some communities present in the Parma area (center of Islamic culture, Singh Saba Association, Sikh cultural center, Zoe Mission Nigerian Pentecostal church).

• - Listening to caring needs

• - Analysis and research of the pathologies most present in the communities

• - Comparison of ideas for future intercultural projects and transcultural nursing

Results

All stages of the course were carried out by nurses who are experts on the issues examined. In particular, reference is made to professionals with skills in ethnography, interculture, international relations, anthropology, economics of developing countries and immigration medicine.

The interaction with students was achieved through meetings called “Cultural Coffee”. The first meetings, in the measure of 4-5, took place in the period October-December 2013, subsequently, the same number of meetings was repeated in the following years.

Over the 2013-2019 period, the number of participants has steadily increased: from about 20 students per meeting, to a maximum of about 100 presences. We have seen a growing interest in intercultural nursing, confirmed by the realization of about 90 degree theses on the discipline in question.

In 2019, two important results were achieved: the creation of an ADE (teaching chosen by the student) dedicated to multiculturality, and the institution of a teaching chosen by the student equal to 3 CFU called “Multicultural Nursing”. The latter aims at a high education in transcultural nursing and provides 30 hours of lectures on the following topics: intercultural nursing, ethno-anthropology, international relations, medicine of migration, geopolitics of migratory phenomena, human rights. In support of the lectures, a 30-hour internship is provided at the structures of the various cultural communities in the area, within which health education and arterial hypertension screening can be carried out (Singh Saba Association-Sikh Temple of Parma), nursing care for women rescued from trafficking in prostitution at the protected house of Corcagnano (Zoe Mission of the Nigerian Pentecostal Church of Parma), health education at the Rosa point of the Islamic cultural center of Parma, migration medicine and roadside nursing at the Emergency mobile clinic in Milano.

Another activity of the “Intercultural Nursing” course involve the students with some communities in the Parma area (center of Islamic culture, Singh Saba Association, Sikh cultural center, Zoe Mission Nigerian Pentecostal church).

A significant conference has seen as leading actor the Sikh community in Parma, arranged by the local institutions (County, Municipality, University and Healthcare Companies of Parma), the speakers, teachers, administrators from the Municipality of Gioia Sannitica -CE-, the Roma University of “La Sapienza”, and the nursing course of Pozzilli, province of Isernia. It was the first time that the Sikh community met students from Nursing Course to integrate this social community in the health culture of University of Parma. This meeting, broadcast through the medias, has had a resonance outside Emilia Romagna region and a similar event has taken place in the Municipality of Gioia Sannitica (CE).

The meeting with Sikh Community was a great promotor of the Third Mission in Nursing Course in Parma, in fact, in December 2019, the Ahmadyya community of Parma has requested the organization of a meeting with the others local communities on emerging issues health education.

Conclusion

The Nursing Degree Course, through this articulated path, has achieved objectives in line with the activities of the Third Mission of the University of Parma.

The entire project aroused particular interest from the students, especially in relation to an advanced vision of diversity and the intercultural care approach.

Cultural diversity has examined, but the most significant activities and results remain strongly connected to the human aspect and social inclusion. As part of this process, the nurse has the opportunity to contribute to the process of social inclusion, through both professional and socio-cultural commitment.

In line with the options expressed by the students during the various meetings, the network of relationships between institution and communities, have offered nursing students an important educational and personal growth opportunity.

The results of this experience and the underlying idea that these aspects, if addressed in the basic training, can be for the professionals most expendable in the workplace, provide reasons to continue the path started. The international comparison (3,4,5) on the intercultural skills of nurses, indicates collaboration and partnership with communities, as fundamental elements for a complete and effective assistance. Obviously there could be limits, which in our opinion could be dictated by the legislation on emigration, which if more restrictive could create closure by the communities, certainly not unconscious but possible. While an element of development of the project could be the new legislation on the recognition of titles for the residence permit. This undoubtedly creates a greater trust in the institutions, consequently a further opening, considering that the university itself is an institution representative of the state and the laws of the state.

Conflict of interest:

Each author declares that he or she has no commercial associations (e.g. consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangement etc.) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article