NERP » Lithuania

Midwives’ Perception of Their Professional Values: A Cross Sectional Survey in Maternity Hospitals

Igor Korotkich — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 22:28:36 +0000

The aim was to clarify the perception of professional values among midwives working in maternity hospitals in the second largest city of Lithuania.

Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted. In total, 147 midwives working in Kaunas (Lithuania) maternity hospitals responded to the questionnaire. The Lithuanian Bioethics Center issued the permission to conduct the study (No. BEC-82(M)-190).

Results. The study found that for more than a half of midwives it is very important to follow professional values in their professional activities. The dominant values of midwives were sympathy, individual and professional competence, precision and accuracy in care, and responsibility. The professional values of autonomy in decision making and responsibility were more important for younger midwives.

Conclusions. Sympathy, individual and professional competence, precision and accuracy in care, and responsibility were the most important professional values for midwives working in maternity hospitals. Values that midwives emphasize as important in their professional practice varied in qaccordance with their age and length of work experience.

The Relationship of Occupational Stress, Burnout and Subjective Health Assessment Among Lithuanian Teachers

Igor Korotkich — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 16:47:21 +0000

The aim of this article is to disclose the relationship of occupational stress, burnout and subjective health assessment among Lithuanian teachers. The theoretical conception of this study is based on the hypothesis that the teachers’ occupation is overloaded with stress and the risk of burnout, and all this has a negative effect on the teachers’ state of health.
Methods. Quantitative data (N = 961) are presented in the article, applying factorial and content validation based on a 62 primary items scale and subscales, which measure Lithuanian teachers’ occupational stress and burnout. The subjective health assessment scale was created on the basis of 19 clinical signs.
Results. At least every third teacher suffered from increased occupational stress (32.65%) and every fourth teacher suffered from burnout (25.1%). Approximately 29% of teachers experienced clinical signs, which show deteriorating health. Occupational stress and burnout correlated with each other (r = 0.59; p < 0.001) and with health indicators. Burnout was a stronger predictor of teachers’ health than stress (r = 0.63 and r = 0.50; both p < 0.001). The comparable contrast groups of teachers (stressed versus non-stressed and occupationally burnout versus non-burnout) differed significantly by all 19 clinical signs. Those groups were best discriminated by clinical signs of mental health and mental exhaustion.
Conclusions. Occupational stress and burnout of teachers are interconnected, constantly affecting different clinical symptoms in the sense of subjective health assessment of teachers. However, burnout is a relatively stronger predictor of the state of health than occupational stress. Teachers are a professional community to which special preventive, social and employment measures could be applied.

Development of the Nursing Profession in Pre-War Independent Lithuania (1918–1939): A Comparison Between Past and Present

Igor Korotkich — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 12:19:10 +0000

INTRODUCTION. For Lithuanian nurses, knowledge of their own history should help them to better understand the origins of their discipline and the social and political forces that have shaped it. This article presents the evidence and discussion of changes in Lithuanian nursing that reflected the pre-war period from 1918 to 1939, which was then compared and contrasted to the present. METHODS. Historical inquiry was used to research and analyze written nursing history in Lithuanian libraries, archives, and smaller repositories. Research materials included documentary sources, books, and journals pertaining to nursing education and practice. Findings. Between World War I and World War II, the Lithuanian nursing profession grew and, with some political maneuvering, was able to run its own affairs. Although primarily male physicians were in positions of authority, the career of Kazė Vitkauskaitė indicates that women could rise to administrative levels. Nurses were striving to improve both their training and working conditions through verbal discussions and professional organizations. By 1935, Lithuanian nurses were active and able to discuss health care issues locally, nationally, and internationally. They continued to refine their profession and struggled for increased recognition. However, increasing political tension in Europe from 1935 to 1939 began to slowly encroach upon the activities and plans of Lithuanian nurses. CONCLUSIONS. Over the last decade, Lithuanian nursing has been rapidly evolving and racing to reclaim its place among nursing in Western countries. Historical inquiry revealed that several trends in asserting the nursing profession continue. While conditions for nursing students have improved, the working conditions for nurses are still suboptimal.