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The psychosocial risk factors in the workplace are among the most common and have the most serious consequences on the health of workers. The staff of emergency healthcare centers face a number of difficulties on a daily basis within working hours, the work process is difficult and stressful, there is shift work and night shifts and psychosocial risk factors, stress, aggression and violence against workers are a constant companion. Our study proved once again the huge influence of work process and psychosocial risk factors in the workplace among emergency healthcare workers on their physical and mental health. The proportion of the participants in our survey who believe that psychosocial factors, such as shift work, incl. night shifts, violence, stress, interpersonal conflicts negatively affect their physical health is 70.3%. There is also a high share of participants who claim that the hard and stressful work process has a negative effect on their mental health, and the fact that as the age of the workers increases, increase and the share of participants who give a positive answer to the question. The survey participants who believe that psychosocial factors have a negative impact on their physical health and, in parallel, the hard and stressful work process has a negative impact on their mental health is 65.6%. In this regard, there is an urgent need to take measures to prevent health and risk factors among emergency healthcare workers at all levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study the medical staff in Burgas AD for the period from 2010 to 2021 was analyzed. The trends in the dynamics of doctors in specialties, medical specialists in health care and doctors in dental medicine were monitored. The trend towards decreasing and increasing the age of doctors and nurses in the country and in the city of Burgas continues [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of healthcare and medical activities requires a sufficient number of qualified medical personnel. The deepening shortage of healthcare professionals, and nurses in particular, represents a significant challenge to the system. The objective of this study is to investigate the realization of nurses in medical facilities in outpatient medical care. Documentary and sociological methods have been used. Results and conclusion. The lack of valuation of the healthcare professionals work and the absence of medical standards for professional realization create prerequisites for bad practices. The challenges facing the realization of healthcare professionals require political will for regulatory and financial changes related to the activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nature of the medical profession gives rise to a high occupational risk of harm to human health, which is why it is strictly execute and regulated, and all kinds of responsibilities can be realized against medical professionals. The article aims to study the awareness of health care professionals regarding the imposi)tion and realization of administrative-criminal liability towards themselves. 252 health care practitioners were surveyed. Their awareness regarding the detection of violations and the imposition of sanctions in the realization of administrative-criminal liability was investigated. More than 80% of respondents indicate that they are informed or partially informed about the detection of violations and the issuance of criminal decrees against them, but only 26% of the respondents are familiar with the procedure for issuing a criminal decree and the procedure for appealing it. The good awareness of medical professionals is a prerequisite for responsible behavior and lack of grounds for imposing sanctions. It is necessary for healthcare professionals to improve and supplement their knowledge in the field of the types of responsibilities that could be realized towards them, and this would have a positive effect, both for the healthcare professionals themselves and for their patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The specificity of training for student midwives requires the application of an objective skills assessment system to ensure safety and eliminate opportunities for errors in practice. The dynamic environment of education now demands the most objective and relevant "measurement" of learning outcomes, and when the focus is on vocationally-oriented learning, the traditional method of assessment usually proves insufficiently reliable and effective. In the methodological structure of practical classes in the training of students of the specialty Midwifery, the place of control and evaluation is significant. Assessment is inextricably linked to the learning process and is actively used as its tool - it serves both to organize the learning process and to determine its outcomes. The paper presents the authors' long-term work with the use of individual clinical cases in midwifery students at the Department of Health Care at the University of Ruse "Angel Kanchev". Emphasis is placed on their use in the ongoing supervision of practical classes to assess the formation of the necessary professional knowledge, skills and competencies of future health care professionals. Clinical casework builds the clinical thinking needed to organize obstetric care. With this method it is possible not only for the trainees to be assessed by the teacher, but also for each student to self-assess and self-monitor. An exemplary Ongoing Control Model using individual clinical cases is proposed. It is concluded that working with Individual Clinical Cases (ICCs) is an appropriate method for checking application, knowledge transfer, and an opportunity for self-assessment by each student. This type of assessment is not only ascertaining but also formative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death. Of these types of diseases, stroke was the leading cause of death in Bulgaria in 2018, accounting for almost 20% of all deaths. Mortality from coronary heart disease is the next leading cause, accounting for 11% of all deaths, despite a sharp decline since 2000. The importance of digital health solutions is growing and the role of the cardiology community is to support their rapid and effective implementation. This is becoming increasingly important in the context of pandemic crises with COVID-19 .Digital health solutions have the potential to identify at-risk patients, which allows for more aggressive intervention at an earlier stage of disease development - primary and secondary prevention.This could save time and financial resources for patients as well as for medical professionals and healthcare institutions. Nowadays, the possibilities of new technologies in cardiology are numerous - from telemedicine, through artificial intelligence in imaging to the processing and analysis of large data sets. Patients' remote monitoring devices are designed to increase home care. Hospitals could use these solutions to significantly reduce the costs and risks associated with hospitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is considered a complex disease and global problem that is predicted to be the third most common cause of death by 2030. While managing this chronic condition, primary health care practitioners are faced with the ongoing challenge of achieving good quality of life and overall “wellness” for those affected. As such, a practical tool for monitoring quality of life in a clinical setting is required. The Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC) is a widely used instrument to evaluate the quality and patient-centeredness of chronic illness care based on the Chronic Care Model (CCM). This study aims to examine the patient rating of the quality and character of their health care. Materials and Methods: A heterogeneous sample of 81 COPD patients completed the PACIC along with additional items and subscales from the assessment instrument so that we could evaluate measurement performance. Data were analyzed statistically using SPSS software 19.0 version. Frequency distributions and statistical moments were calculated as percentages of patient ratings at each level of item. Descriptive statistics were used (mean, standard error and frequency distribution), the level of significance was considered at P<0.05. Results: The mean overall PACIC score (scale: 1–5) was 1.76. The greatest mean score was for patient activation (2.24) and the smallest was for goal setting/tailoring (1.50). Conclusions: The use of the PACIC could be an important tool for health systems, primary health care and other stakeholders looking to improve the quality of chronic disease care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

he acquisition of Master's degree in the professional field of pharmacy and the recognition of professional qualifications in Bulgaria is regulated in a number of regulatory documents for the country, adapted in accordance with European Union (EU) legislation. The completion of a six-month pre-degree internship in a pharmacy is a mandatory requirement for all Master of Pharmacy students. This publication presents the views of Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) supervisors of pre-degree internships on the practical preparation and confidence of pharmacy interns at the MPharm level in the knowledge and skills acquired in the core practice-relevant disciplines of Social Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Legislation (SPPL), Pharmaceutical Care (PC) and Medical Devices (MD). The majority of respondents had more than 10 years of work experience (44%) and more than 3 years of intern training experience (48%). Internship supervisors highly rated the professional applicability and usefulness of the knowledge and skills learned in the disciplines of SPPL (60%), PC (72%) and MD (60%). According to them, the knowledge and skills acquired during the study are fully in line with the requirements of pharmacy practice as follows: 70% for SPPL, 64%, for PC and 72% for MD. Acquired competencies in the disciplines are crucial for the performance of the pharmacist's essential functions as the most accessible health professional in accordance with the requirements of the real working environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The topicality and significance of the topic stem from the philosophy, realities and trends of the new public health and modern health policy, aimed primarily at the prevention of socially significant diseases and the application of various models of integrated medical and social care for patients. with chronic noncommunicable diseases. In response to global processes, there is a need for adequacy of the educational product to the dynamics of health and social needs and expectations of patients and society. In our educational system it is necessary to synchronize the professional training and qualification of health care professionals with the leading European health - educational models and standards. This requires a search for new models in training. The proposed innovations in the training for application of an integrated medico-social approach in the care of socially significant diseases tested in the Faculty of Public Health and Health Care and the Medical College at the University "Prof. Dr. A. Zlatarov “Burgas. The results show the formation of specific competencies for the application of an integrated medical and social approach to care, the formation of modern models of professional behavior in achieving better health and quality of life for patients with socially significant diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In EU pharmacies, pharmacists are the main source of advice on improving public health, preventing disease, monitoring drug safety and the condition of the patient, as well as providing an adequate therapy. In Covid-19 conditions, pharmacists continue to be the most frequently visited and most accessible medical specialists for the population, despite the extraordinary burden of new responsibilities and additional requirements. The availability of diverse and unreliable information is a prerequisite for increased anxiety and the creation of false suggestions in society.The study aims to analyse the opinion of patients about the role of the pharmacist as a source of health information in the conditions of Covid-19. To achieve this goal, a direct anonymous survey was conducted among pharmacy visitors in the country. The study covers the period of the Covid-19 pandemic in the interval from May 2021 to September 2021. A questionnaire structured by the authors was used to assess the patients' point of view regarding the information provided by the pharmacist and the accompanying problems in serving pharmacy visitors during Covid-19 conditions.495 people, visitors to pharmacies, were studied. The study found that under Covid conditions, pharmacists were rated as a reliable source of health information, ranked second only to GPs. The subjects rely on pharmacists mainly as consultants for prescribed therapy and identify them as the most accessible health professionals in primary care. The problems with services in pharmacies during the pandemic are mainly related to limited access and lack of time for consultations due to the imposed anti-epidemic measures and the heavy burden on the health system. The medicine shortage problem that arises due to the overstocking of the population and the large number of infected people is also reflected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, the increase of medicines with falsified identity is a serious problem for health systems, society and patients. To prevent counterfeit human medicines from entering the legal supply chain there has been introduced a verification system in Europe and Bulgaria in 2019. With its introduction and the involvement of all stakeholders in the medicines supply chain, it ensures that quality, safe and effective medicines reach patients as end users. Pharmacists, as frontline healthcare workers, are one of the most important links in the fight against counterfeiting. In this regard, the aim of this publication is to present the possible problems associated with the verification process in pharmacy practice two years after its introduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dyslipidemia is a fundamental risk factor that leads to cardiovascular disease. Its treatment improves the prognosis of patients ‒ morbidity and mortality are significantly reduced in the successfully treated compared to untreated patients. In everyday practice, not only the question who treats dyslipidemia, but also the question who diagnoses it still remain. Although there are clearly defined targets, the thresholds remain difficult to achieve in pre-hospital care. The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence of dyslipidemia and the main medical professionals responsible for its diagnosis. We found that the leading role remains with the cardiologist in primary-non-hospital and hospital care, and people with better education and better socio-economic status are more informed about their condition and receive treatment. Improving the relationship with the patients, their health awareness and the implementation of optimal collaboration between health professionals would improve the effectiveness in the prevention of this important risk factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The change in the national health system has affected the foundations of its legal framework, the priorities of the health system, the principles of governance, the relationship between different health sectors, patient rights and ethical doctor–patient relationships. All this has a certain effect and influence on the opinion, assessment and satisfaction of patients with the quality of medical care. Putting the patient at the center of the health care system and introducing competitive relations between health care institutions are one of the main principles declared in a number of national programs for health care reform. In the field of primary care, the reflection of sociological information about the opinion of patients creates conditions for forecasting and managing the professional and organizational behavior of medical staff in general medical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the end of November 2019, in Wuhan, Central China, a coronavirus called SARS-Cov-2 appeared. This is because, for no apparent reason, people develop pneumonia in December that does not respond to known treatments. There are evidences of human-to-human transmission of the virus, with the fastest spread in mid-January 2020. This challenging situation was the reason for a full lockdown of the whole country. By order of the Rector of the University ‘’Prof. Dr. Assen Zlatarov’’ in this period of complete isolation, students from the Department of Health Care, officially switched to an alternative form of learning-online education. Online education is education that is conducted using the Internet and devices such as computers, laptops, tablets or mobile phones. Different formats can be used during the online education-text, video, audio, graphic images, interactive content, etc. Purpose: The research aims to examine the advantages and disadvantages of students during the online education. In the period from 15.03-15.04.2022 between the future health care professionals ‘’Medical assistant’’, ‘’Nurse’’, ‘’Midwife’’ studying at the Faculty of Public Health and Health Care – Burgas. The motives of 74 students ‘’Medical assistant’’-32.9%, ‘’Nurse’’-52,1%, ‘’Midwife’’-15,1% were examined. Conclusion: The main advantages of online learning for students and also for teachers are its flexibility and accessibility from anywhere, as well as the access to resources. The main disadvantages are mostly related to the limited opportunities for communication: there is no face-to-face communication, and the very mediocrity of communication and its dependence on technological constraints also hinders the normal learning process. Most of the respondents believe that online learning is not able to fully replace the face-to-face learning process. Another difference is that students are relatively more positive about online learning in general, however, a significant part of them believe that in the long term that having such training during their studies will negatively affect the quality of the education they received. In the long term, this factor may have a negative effect on satisfaction with university education in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation is an inner force that stimulates and drives the individual to achieve specific objectives. It is always combined with energy to work to achieve a specific result. In recent years, the trend towards a shortage of nurses and midwives has increased significantly not only in Bulgaria but throughout the European Union. Times are changing, but nursing remains in demand. More and more nurses and midwives prefer to abroad, which leads to a serious lack of nurses and midwives in our country and consequently to a decrease in the quality of healthcare. The study of motivation for choosing this kind of profession is of great importance for solving this problem. Aim: The aim of the study is to investigate the motives of students in choosing the profession of nurse and midwife. Results: An analysis of the results of the study found that the students were guided by different motives when choosing a profession. Many students state that their choices are based dreams and are made of personal desire, which proves the desire and motivation of students to take out this profession. The results of the study are dominated by answers that show that the choice of professional direction honey. nurse is motivated by the humanity of the profession, requiring specific personal and professional qualities. The analysis of the data shows that not a small part of the participants in the study are motivated by the provided opportunity for personal expression and career development. Another hour of the respondents emphasized that their choice of profession was accompanied by their desire to be socially significant for people's lives and health. The motives for job security dominate in the answers. In conclusion, we can mention the beginning of a trend of more and more young people to turn to the profession of nurse and midwife, to find a secure realization due to the serious shortage of medical staff. Conclusion:The nursing profession is gaining more and more interest among the younger generation. Future bachelors are motivated to train as nurses and midwives to follow the path of the onetime “Merciful health professionals” who dedicated their lives to the mission called "nursing!". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic quickly covered the entire world. Over the course of two years, millions of people have been sick and dying as a result of mutated variants of coronavirus infection. Despite the fluctuating rates of hospitalized patients in the country, an alarming fact remains the increasing number of sick medical professionals. Daily faced with the challenge of making adequate and timely care of a high standard, they have to be able to cope with the resulting problems of emotional experiences due to increased mortality. The aim of this study is to identify the main factors determining the effectiveness of care provided, as well as their impact on the psycho-emotional state of health care professionals in pandemic conditions. Material and methods: An anonymous survey of 152 health care professionals was conducted on the territory of Sofia between February and May 2021. The demographic characteristics of the surveyed persons provide information about age, marital status/cohabitation, dependent people, work experience and experience in the treatment of infection. According to 71.71% of specialists, the shortage of nurses is a factor in the effectiveness of care, and fear for health (76.97%) and uncertainty for loved ones (68.42%) are the most reported negative emotions affecting the work process. Conclusion: An early assessment of the mental resilience of pandemic professionals should determine the level of their moral and emotional stability. Timely psychological support can be a major resource for preventing or alleviating post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression among healthcare professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dyslipidemia is a fundamental risk factor that leads to cardiovascular disease. Its treatment improves the prognosis of patients ‒ morbidity and mortality are significantly reduced in the successfully treated compared to untreated patients. In everyday practice, not only the question who treats dyslipidemia, but also the question who diagnoses it still remain. Although there are clearly defined targets, the thresholds remain difficult to achieve in pre-hospital care. The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence of dyslipidemia and the main medical professionals responsible for its diagnosis. We found that the leading role remains with the cardiologist in primary-non-hospital and hospital care, and people with better education and better socio-economic status are more informed about their condition and receive treatment. Improving the relationship with the patients, their health awareness and the implementation of optimal collaboration between health professionals would improve the effectiveness in the prevention of this important risk factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic, beginning in December 2019, spanning the world in 2020 and evolving till now, has had a profound impact on all activities, functions and areas of society. In particular, the functioning of both dental practitioners and general practitioners is affected. The pandemic had a strong impact on the work process of physicians, the health status of patients and, accordingly, economic well-being and prospects. The aim of the present study is to establish the extent of the impact of the COVID pandemic on the functioning of dental practices, general practitioners and the health status of patients in Bulgaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational systems around the world have been and still are, under enormous pressure from the emergency created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Long periods of lockdown have created difficulties and challenges for education across its spectrum, especially for health professions, which require both theoretical and solid practical training. This study aims to find out how students cope with the challenges of distance learning, what difficulties they encounter and what their preferences are. The study was conducted through an instant anonymous survey in the 2020/21 academic year among first, second and third-year students in "Nurse" and "Midwife" majors from the Faculty of Public Health at the Medical University - Plovdiv. The students' attitudes to e-learning and distance learning, during and after the pandemic, to communication in the learning process and etesting were studied. The choice of "full distance learning during the pandemic" was cited by less than a quarter of respondents, 24.88%, which shows that students are critical of the educational gaps that distant training of nurses and midwives can create. The majority of students, 80.38%, identify face-to-face communication regarding the learning process as important. More than half of the respondents, 51.20%, believe that the assessment by a remote examination test is as reliable as a face-to-face exam. Educational materials in video format are preferred by students. The course of study and the self-assessment of computer literacy are factors that determine the students’ opinion. Online learning is more acceptable for second-year and third-year students who have some professional experience. Distance learning in health care is more applicable and more effective when it is not at the beginning of the training, and students with developed professional knowledge and skills are more motivated to learn from a distance. An important prerequisite for motivation for distance learning is good computer literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of innovative methods are used in the training of healthcare professionals, for which it have been proven to develop the creative potential, the individual critical (clinical) thinking, stimulate the search for new knowledge and innovative solutions, motivation to learn. The use of individual clinical cases in the practical training of midwifery students is still not popular enough in our country. There is no consensus on whether it is a method, a technique or a system. We accept and present it as a didactic method in the practical training of students of midwifery. It is a combination of regulated collaborative actions of the teacher and the student aimed at fulfilling the educational goals. The students become active subjects in the learning process, they have the opportunity to develop ideas, build and test hypotheses, to draw conclusions, to listen to each other, to learn to work in a team. By means of modeled problematic professional situations thematic units of the educational content are learnt. The method is not related to mastering of ready-made knowledge, but to acquiring professional competencies by solidifying the theoretical knowledge and their application in a practical environment. Interdisciplinarity is achieved with the possibility of a complete perception of the situation. The report presents the attitudes of the teachers and the students of midwifery to work with individual clinical cases in different forms of education, and the skills that are formed when working with them. The advantage of this educational method is revealed - solidifying of knowledge, building practical skills and habits, development of necessary qualities for the formation of a professional position and attitude, motivation for building on the training. The didactic research was conducted at the “Angel Kanchev” University of Ruse, Department of Health Care, specialty Midwife. The students have used individual clinical cases in their education for years, they have a textbook. The results are presented graphically. The conclusions have been drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stress is an integral part of our daily lives. Therefore, its importance is huge in various activities, especially in the field of medicine, in particular the central nervous system. An anonymous survey of 40 students (21 men and 19 women) from different specialties of Medical Faculty, Trakia University - Stara Zagora, during their internship at the Center for Emergency Medical Care - Stara Zagora. The survey data are processed mathematically and graphically with Microsoft Office Excel 2003.ink. The analysis of the obtained data shows that the stress in the emergency medical centers turns out to be permanent for the medical workers and they often have a feeling of fatigue, exhaustion, memory loss, lack of energy, concentration difficulty and more frequent mistakes. New and more effective strategies and measures are needed to combat stress in emergency medical centers. These measures will lead to more motivated and calm work for healthcare providers, as well as a sense of security. The stress in the emergency medical centers should be a subject of interest of more future studies, which from a challenge and everyday life will turn it into a solution to the problem and an optimal working environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The staff of each hospital structure must meet the knowledge and skills of the constantly evolving environment, technological progress and the growing demands of society. Competition in the field of medical services is strong and determined by health professionals who are driving force of the medical institution. In order to meet the requirements of the environment, legal regulation, healing structure policy, health professionals must develop their skills and build their knowledge, which leads to increased satisfaction with the profession. Undoubtedly, the leading role is played by the policy of healing structure, which should evaluate the desire and efforts of employees to train and improve their competence. Management should use their experience to conduct on-the-job training and improve the professional ability of other employees. Training also requires additional knowledge about medical and diagnostic procedures, building stereotypes about behavior in crisis and emergency situations, communication skills, working a safe work environment and etc. A study was conducted among 389 medical specialists from 10 hospital obstetric structures in 6 cities in terms of motivation to work and problems accompanying the work process. The importance of training for staff development was established The management should define the learning objectives in terms of knowledge and is determined according to the needs of the structures. Motivation and training are important for retaining highly qualified specialists, in the face of a shortage of personnel and scarce resources in the health care system. By developing their staff, hospital structures ensure stability and guarantee the provision of high-quality medical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In clinical practice, ethical codes are rational control mechanism for professional groups. They reduce the chance of taking a moral risk and therefore have a preventive role. The ethical guidance of good medical practice helps medical staff to improve professionalism; to ensure the quality of medical services and to reduce the risk for the patient. In our survey we study the knowledge of healthcare professionals from inpatient medical care about ethical dimensions of professional duty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidemiological data show that obesity is one of the most important public health issues nowadays. Obesity is a multifactorial pathology and chronic disease. It is a risk factor for many chronic noncommunicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, various cancers, diseases of the musculoskeletal system, mental illness, etc. For this reason, a wide range of medical professionals are involved in the treatment and control of overweight and obesity - general practitioners, endocrinologists, nutritionists, psychologists, health care professionals, bariatric surgeons, pediatricians, etc. Communication plays an essential role in both prevention and treatment of obesity. Patient centered care involves understanding the needs and values of the patient, which could be achieved through the application of various communication techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethics is a system of moral rules and norms of behavior in society. Each profession builds its own ethical principles, which are the basis for resolving moral and ethical dilemmas that arise during its exercise. Pharmacy is a regulated profession and in its professional path every pharmacist must adhere to the legal framework, but also to the principles of professional ethics set out in the Code of Professional Ethics of the Master Pharmacist. The document examines the ethical principles of behavior at three levels of relationship: pharmacistpatient; pharmacist - pharmacist and pharmacist and other medical and health professionals. According to the Code of Ethics, pharmacy is a humanitarian science and practice that is entirely based on the care and preservation of public health and in particular the individual. There are a number of circumstances for the emergence of cases related to ethical principles, which leads to increased stress among pharmacists. The aim of the present study is to differentiate the main preconditions for the occurrence of stress caused by ethical dilemmas in pharmaceutical services. To achieve this goal, a review of the literature has been conducted on the following keywords: stress, ethics, pharmacists, services, pharmacies. Key prerequisites for the occurrence of stress are: high responsibility for the protection of personal and health information; compliance with company policy and at the same time focusing on the patient's health and needs as well as his rights for autonomous decision-making; emergencies, requiring the sell of prescription medicine without prescription, which is a breach of the law. Each pharmacist is independently responsible for his own actions and at the same time is obliged to assert his authority with professionalism, competence, knowledge, skills and welfare of the patient and society. The prestige of the profession is based on and depends on the morals and ethics of each member of the class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood is a period that is essential for creating a eating pattern that will reduce cardiovascular risk in the future. The aim of the present study is to study and analyze the nutrition and eating habits of students aged 13-18 years. Documentary, sociological and statistical methods were used. The study covers 229 students from 6 settlements in Bulgaria from 10 schools. The analysis of the data shows that unhealthy eating habits are acquired in childhood and adolescence. There is a relatively low consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, dairy products and high consumption of ready-made snacks, chips, confectionery, carbonated drinks. Close cooperation is needed between health professionals, teachers and parents in the fight against unhealthy eating habits, which will help reduce heart risk in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of information and communication technologies has accelerated their application in various fields of healthcare, including rehabilitation. In times of a pandemic, telerehabilitation allows patients to interact remotely with healthcare providers not only for consultation but also for therapy. The aim of the present study is to examine and analyze the possibilities for the application of telemedicine in rehabilitation in various diseases. Material and methods. A study was conducted in the databases of PubMed, Google Scholar on the keywords “Telerehabilitation” and “E-rehabilitation”. Results. A literature review was made. The existing applications of telerehabilitation in various diseases, their advantages and limitations, including in the conditions of COVID-19, were studied and analyzed. Conclusion. The development of information and communication technologies and new high-tech devices in medicine leads to an increase in the possibilities of applying telerehabilitation. It is the future of medicine in rehabilitation. As technology advances, it will become more widely accepted and accessible to patients and healthcare professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to statistics for 2019 Bulgaria's population has the shortest life expectancy in the EU. At the same time, health inequalities between urban and rural populations and inequalities in access to health care, continue to rise. Our country still lacks an integrated health information system, and the quality of medical care remains a problem. Against this background, the human factor (mainly doctors and health workers), which plays a key role in the system, stands out. For the studied period 2010-2018 there is a tendency to increase the number of doctors from 37.16 to 42.23 per 10,000 population. This is due to the larger number of general practitioners, regardless of their age and rapid decline in population. However, doctors are not evenly distributed and their age structure is unfavorable. In the European Union medical specialists are relatively evenly distributed and doctors between the ages of 55 and 64 are 26.3%, while in Bulgaria they are over 63%, and those under the age of 35 are on average 10.6% against 16.7% for EU. Doctors’ age group between 35 and 44 years in Bulgaria is 6.5% lower than in the EU. This is a serious prerequisite for problems related to the provision of medical care. In terms of structure, gender and age, male doctors predominate in the EU, and women in Bulgaria. With regard to specialists in Bulgaria, there is a typical deficit in several specialties: general practitioners are about 1/3 less than those in the EU per 100,000 population; there are not enough oncologists, pathologists, internal medicine specialists, neonatologists, infectious disease specialists and others. A resilient long-term state policy for training of medical doctors and healthcare personnel is eagerly needed in order to stabilize and improve its state. Also, a successful policy of retaining medical staff should be adopted, aiming at increasing the motivation to practice the profession in the country and increase constantly competences and qualification; it must be focused on the reasons that influence these processes, incl. difficulties with specialisation, low wages, poor conditions of work and others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The professions in healthcare are among the professions with high levels of stress and especially with a risk of violence. Such are the professions of the doctors, nurses and social workers. Most incidents of violence in the workplace are concentrated in the system of emergency medical care centers. For healthcare professionals who have direct contact with people in distress, cases of stress and aggression are so common that they can be considered an unavoidable part of the working day. Aggression against healthcare professionals is a widespread problem in developing countries, countries in transition and developed countries. While reports show that nurses are at greatest risk, they are more likely to experience violence in the workplace than other work groups. According to some authors, those working in the health care had at least one incident of physical or psychological violence in the previous year - 75.8% in Bulgaria, 67.2% in Australia, 61% in South Africa. In several countries, the trend is that patients are the main perpetrators of physical violence. The purpose of this article is to examine the opinion of those working in the system of emergency medical care centers about the presence of aggression by patients, their relatives or citizens who witnessed an accident. For research purposes we used different methods: research of literature sources and data on the topic, the sociological method - individual, anonymous questionnaire, graphical and comparative analysis to provide the results. The object of the study are 174 employees in the centers of emergency medical care (EMC) from 54 settlements. The largest part (14.6%) of the sample was formed by those working in the Varna region (the town of Devnya, Aksakovo, Provadia and Dalgopol). The study was conducted in March 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence, digital health, telemedicine, portable sensors, virtual reality - these new technologies will completely change the way patients and healthcare professionals perceive healthcare. The coronavirus pandemic has caused an explosive increase in the need for digital services, including those related to health and medicine. Objective: This review is to explore some of the directions that new digital technologies will change in nursing. Source of information: Searched in the databases of Google, Google Scholar, Medscape, Medline, Linkedin, Twitter by keywords: nursing, telemedicine, digital health, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, COVID 19 Results: The review shows that the COVID 19 epidemic catalyzes the application of modern digital technologies in the work of nurses. Conclusion: The new epidemic situation caused by COVID-19 already further catalyzes the faster application of telemedicine, digital health in most medical fields, specialties and activities. Nurses could benefit greatly from technology, as this can make their tasks less difficult, more creative, and free up some of their time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patient- and family-centred care is achieved through everyday communication with parents and their children. Communication consists of informing, educating, providing psychological support and psychological preparation for medical procedures and surgery. Patient- and family-centred care provides faster and better adaptation and reduces illness and procedure-related stress. The aim of this study was to assess the satisfaction of parents and patients with health care provided at the Division of Paediatric Surgery, Zagreb University Hospital Centre. This was a prospective single-centre study. Patients and parents filled out a questionnaire designed for this research. The questionnaire assessed the satisfaction of patients and families during a hospital stay. Parents and children answered open-ended questions anonymously before discharge. During processing and interpretation of the results, data were analysed and answers of the participants grouped according to their frequency. The study included 112 parents and 74 children. The results showed the patient- and family-centred provided at the Division of Paediatric Surgery to be one of the factors that contributed to the higher satisfaction rate of patients and their families, making it one of the indicators of the quality of medical care. In conclusion, the results of this analysis showed a high general satisfaction rate, high satisfaction regarding communication between medical staff and patients, hygiene, the environment of hospital premises and additional contents. Parents and children had different preferences regarding satisfaction during their hospital stay. Parents gave higher importance to communication with the staff, kindness, level of information and hygiene, whereas children appreciated additional contents and environment in hospital premises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qualified and motivated human resource is essential for a qualitative and robust health care delivery. Understanding the constraints and difficulties of health managers is essential for effective and efficient management of health care services. This study aims to explore, analyze and summarize the peculiarities of human resources management in primary care practice. The management of human resources is essential to enable the delivery of efficient and effective medical services and to achieve patient satisfaction, the study shows that human resources management has a strong impact on healthcare quality. This can be achieved through emphasize to develop the performance of medical staff through periodic training in order to improve the quality of healthcare service, also a strong, well-motivated and highly trained medical profession is critical to the success of the organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, there is an rising interest in the field of unconventional medicine. There are numerous methods in existence including Aromatherapy - an ancient holistic system following a natural, evidence based way of healing а pearson`s body, mind and soul. This survey aims to investigate the level of awareness of healthcare professionals to medical aromatherapy practice. Most of the participants share a readiness to incorporate medical aromatherapy in their practice but first they need more education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine and compare job satisfaction and turnover intentions of workers in the Health care sector with those from other sectors of the economy in Bulgaria, during COVID- 19. Cross-sectional study was conducted. The results found that those working in the health sector are significantly more dissatisfied with their current job as well as the payment they receive during this period. However, their turnover intentions do not differ from those working in other sectors of the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic validity of the Braden Scale (for the prediction of pressure pain) when evaluating the outcome of a pressure ulcer risk in clinical practice. The results of this study recommend that the scale should be used in combination with the assessment of healthcare professionals. Then we could successfully predict the risk of pressure ulcers by performing critical care for patients in the hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research and evaluation of the perception of the work environment among healthcare professionals needs attention. It can affect the quality of care and patient safety-ness. Improvement of the work environment of nurses can reduce their dissatisfaction. Also to contribute to addressing staff turnover, burnout, labor disputes and risk for patients. The results of this study provide useful insights into how healthcare professionals perceive their work environment. Also provide information how it affects on the level on nursing satisfaction and identifying areas where can plan effective interventions and strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telemedicine is the provision of remote healthcare services by all healthcare professionals using information and communication technologies. Today, patients do not have to schedule a personal visit to a doctor in order to receive quality treatment. The use of secure video and audio links makes it possible for specialists to treat patients who live in places with limited access to healthcare. Doctors use telemedicine to transmit digital images, video consultations and remote medical diagnostics. It can also be implemented through a mobile application that allows healthcare professionals to treat their patients remotely via video chat or as a software solution that allows primary care providers, for example, to send pictures to a specialist doctor elsewhere for quick diagnosis. Legal and ethical considerations, as well as those related to security of data exchange, are among the main obstacles to the implementation of telemedicine. Telemedicine has the potential to address some of the challenges that both developed and developing countries face in providing affordable, cost-effective and high-quality healthcare services. It uses the development of information and communication technologies to overcome geographical barriers and increase access to health services. This is especially useful for rural and undervalued communities in some developing countries – groups that have traditionally suffered from lack of access to healthcare. Undoubtedly, telemedicine is in the interest of improving the health of not only individuals but also their communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The difficulties encountered in the communication between the medical specialists and the patients are common in the Emergency Departments. The reasons may vary – the patients’ life-threatening conditions, the limited time or the lack of time for a clinical discussion of the cases and the selection of a diagnostic and therapeutic schedule, the work overload of the staff owing to the inability to plan the visits and others. The current study is aimed at analyzing some of the specific features of the communication of the medical specialists with the patients at the Emergency Department of St. Georgi University Multi profile Hospital for Active Treatment EAD, city of Plovdiv. The effective servicing of the patients is possible because of the teamwork. This is mostly valid for the Emergency Departments, as the patients have a multiple pathology and are admitted in different conditions. This makes it necessary for each member of the medical staff to undergo a course of instructions and a suitable training in behaviour and communication with patients and their relatives for the purpose of minimizing the tension and resolving the situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In their daily work, nurses are exposed to increasing amounts of physical and psychological stress. The big challenge at the moment is to retain them in their respective health units for as long as possible, as well as to attract additional medical staff, so that each health facility can withstand the existing competitive pressure. In this context, managers can make a significant contribution, as they have significant impact on working conditions and employee job satisfaction. One of the decisive factors for this is the leadership style applied by the manager. This article presents the possibilities for applying the concept of transformational leadership in the field of health care management. Given the overall characteristics of this concept, it can be considered that its application will improve the healthcare system with regard to the shortage of qualified nurses. This is a good opportunity for healthcare organizations to withstand the existing competitive pressure in the healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication or communication is a process of exchanging information between people, ie communication is a process by which information, the meaning of things and feelings are shared between people through the exchange of verbal and non-verbal messages. The ability of healthcare professionals to communicate with patients and their loved ones, as well as with their superiors, avoids possible misunderstandings, to clarify what is expected of a patient during treatment and what is expected of a specialist, motivating everyone to comply their duties as an integral part of the overall healing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence, digital health, telemedicine, portable sensors, virtual reality - these new technologies will completely change the way patients and healthcare professionals perceive healthcare. The coronavirus pandemic has caused an explosive increase in the need for digital services, including those related to health and medicine. Objective: This review is to explore some of the directions that new digital technologies will change in near futre Source of information: Searched in the databases of Google, Google Scholar, Medscape, Medline, Linkedin, Twitter by keywords: nursing, telemedicine, digital health, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, COVID 19 Results: The review shows that the COVID 19 epidemic catalyzes the application of modern digital technologies in the work of medical professionals. Conclusion: The new epidemic situation caused by COVID-19 already further catalyzes the faster application of telemedicine, digital health in most medical fields, specialties and activities. Many medical professionals and activities could benefit greatly from technology, as this can make their tasks less difficult, more creative, and free up some of their time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines questions related to the expectations of the students from the professional field Health Care for the role of the basic mentor during the clinical learning practice. They are interviewed 106 students from the first, second and third year of the Nursing and Midwifery courses at SWU "Neofit Rilski" - Blagoevgrad were surveyed in March-April 2019. The majority of students have indicated that their expectations for mentors are individual approach, fair performance assessment, patience with explanations and demonstrations of individual activities. More than half of the respondents have built fruitful and respectful relationships with their mentors. There are students who encounter difficulties in communicating with mentors. More than half of them have a collegial relationship with their basic mentors and they perceive them as future colleagues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breastfeeding, according to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) data, guarantees a stronger population, fewer mothers absent from work, reduces the risk of breast cancer and osteoporosis for the mother, has a bearing on the intellect of the growing generation, etc. This is what creates the need for maternal nursing training, support during pregnancy and in the first days after birth. According to statistics, in Bulgaria nearly 50% of the generic solution is by cesarean section and over 90% of babies are fed with adapted milk (milk for infants) after the third month. By these indicators we are ranked last among the countries of the European Union and those of the former Socialist bloc. In order to positively influence the health status of children and the population, measures such as the adoption of the Food and Nutrition Plan 2005-2010 by the Ministry of Health, which promoted WHO practices: Early and exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months; training health professionals on breastfeeding support issues, popularizing, training and supporting young mothers and their families for the benefits of breastfeeding. The purpose of this study is to find out what mothers have problems with breastfeeding Materials and methodology. An anonymous poll of five questions was conducted among 682 people. For the purpose of the study, an online platform is used. The results were processed statistically and presented graphically. The results show that approximately one third of respondents did not receive adequate support and training during pregnancy or immediately after birth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic motivation of the student can be seen as an inner readiness and orientation for active attitude towards the learning process. It is a condition for its academic achievement and an indicator of the academic work. The study provides information on the conditions offered by the university, including the quality of teaching. Student motivation stimulates the demand for new knowledge, active attitude towards the learning process, active aspirations to achieve and acquire professional competencies. The university is the place where important competencies and values are formed, the foundations are laid and the future career of the healthcare professional is planned. Undoubtedly is the correlation between academic motivation and professional realization. This research report explores academic motivation for 76 students majoring in "Medicine" and "midwife" studying in Trakya University Medical Faculty, Stara Zagora. A questionnaire was used to measure the level of academic motivation. The study found the highest proportion of students with moderate and relatively low with poor academic motivation. The data give grounds to assert that the high motivation to learn can be seen as an objective of individual teachers and the university as a whole. The results obtained outline the pedagogical and organizational measures aimed at its improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is designed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and practices of midwives and other health professionals in HPV prevention and its consequences. To determine the role of the midwife in the prevention of HPV and to investigate their level of knowledge, perception and behavior to HPV and its consequences, as well as their attitude towards vaccination against HPV. In this study, midwives showed good knowledge of HPV infection. As a healthcare professional, they can make a significant contribution to improving the practice of preventing HPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formation of health professionals requires adequate change in their preparation, according to the changing demographic processes, the morbidity, the diagnosis of diseases and the attitude of man to his / her own health, as his highest value. The methodology of healthcare education clarifies the issues of the organization and realization of the theoretical and practical training of the students. The aim of the study is to reveal the requirements for realization of the forming function of the healthcare training methodology for the construction of highly qualified healthcare professionals. The subject of the research is the implementation of the medical education training method at the higher education institution, nursing and midwifery teacher at the Medical University Varna, Branch-Sliven. Object of the of the research is the process of realization of the teaching method of health care education in the higher school. Tasks of the survey are to reveal: the role of the requirements for the realization of the forming function of the methodology in the training process; the usefulness and necessity of using the teaching aids for the health care training methodology; the importance of the methodology for assessing the ability, skills and readiness to form the future healthcare professional. The methods were used in the research are: questionnaire survey, programmed interview, purposefully included observation and pedagogical experiment. The relevance of the research problem is determined by the need to improve the quality of healthcare education, as the purposeful study deals with the role and place of the methodology for personality formation - a "health care specialist" trained in the higher school. The methodology provides information on all the health care features, the working environment and the conditions under which the training is being prepared and carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper studies from historic aspect Continuing Medical Education practices in European countries. Conducting continuing medical education is an important element in the implementation of national health policy. Training of health professionals is essential for ensuring the required medical services quality and its efficiency. It is emphasized that the lack of regulations in the coordination, terms and condition of conducting ongoing training and monitoring of these activities is a prerequisite for reducing medical services quality. It was concluded that in Bulgaria the system lacks tools for evaluation, coordination and monitoring of the quality of CME events, priority of professional organizations as established by Health Law and the Law on professional organizations. It is concluded that to conduct an effective continuing education is necessary to establish specific regulations. A number of documents, including the draft Law amending the Law on doctors' and dentists (LAS OF LPOPPDM) are discussed and analysed. As an example of the impact of professional qualification on quality of medical services some inspection results of the Executive Agency ''Medical audit“ in the field of pediatrics are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for continuous, adequate and full-scale social services for the population aged 65 years and over is progressively increasing. In most countries, elderly people are accommodated in specialized institutions where they are provided with nursing health care. Institutional care in Europe is offered in old age homes as well as in homes for people with different types of disabilities. The purpose of the present article is to outline the main problems of the people aged 65 and over who are placed in social institutions. The analysis is based on normative, research and electronic sources and statistics data related to the provision of social services, from Bulgaria and other countries around the world. The delicate state of the users of these services predetermines the discrepancy between their needs and the service offered. The main problems related to the institutionalization of persons aged 65 and over concern the insufficient accommodation capacity of the specialized institutions, the shortage of enough qualified personnel to look after the institutionalized, the lack of medical competence of the staff, the lack of adequate care, the difficult adaptation of the elderly to living in an institutional environment, as well as various forms of abuse towards elderly residents in the institutions. Acts of abuse may include physical violence, verbal aggression, misuse of property and finances, sexual abuse, drug abuse, neglect, intentional isolation. These problems provoke negative attitudes and destroy the trust elderlies and their relatives have in institutions. The difficulties faced by institutional service users lead to seeking better prospects for care. Hence prevention of institutionalization is among the leading objectives for most developed countries around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the normative requirements, doctors and healthcare specialists work in the health cabinets of the childcare facilities and the schools. Their main activity is focused on providing first aid and medical care to children and students, until the arrival of a specialized medical team. Traumas and injuries caused by burns in childhood and adolecence are an everyday problem in today's society and represent a large part of all emergency situations that could later lead to serious consequences for the health and life of the injured. Burn injuries cause one of the worst traumas in the child's organism, leaving lasting effects on the life of the injured child. It is also one of the most common causes of hospitalization for children.The purpose of this study is to investigate the need for professional training of health care specialist working within the municipal healthcare establishment on the problems of burn injuries in childhood and adolescence. The study uses both, a documentary and sociological method - a survey. The survey was conducted among 154 nurses working in crèches, kindergardens and schools on the territory of Sofia in the period February-March 2019. The analysis of the results shows that a significant part of the respondents (88,31%), have a desire for training in the topic, and 4.54% of them can not judge. The highest share (98.05%) are specialists according to which it is necessary to present information to parents about the possible risk to their children, 89.61% of whom consider that this will contribute to the reduction of such incidents in their children growing. According to 92.85% of respondents, conducting health education on the topic of electrical burns in the school environment will reduce the risk and causes of such traumas.Conclusion. Burn injuries represent an everyday problem in the modern society, which is why it is necessary to increase the professional qualification of the medical specialists working within the municipal healthcare. Expanding the scope of knowledge on the topic will allow for more extended programs of health education and knowledge for children and adolescents, according to their age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advancements in society and technology raise new requirements for medical professionals and their education. The aim of this work is to evaluate the education of healthcare professionals and the knowledge, abilities and capability of independent work that they developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]