https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/317 Wed, 12 Aug 2026 01:59:31 GMT 2026-08-12T01:59:31Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148439 Title: Strengthening safety for informal caregivers in home care Authors: Abed, Nida; Pérez-Esteve, Clara; Knežević-Krajina, Hana; Buttigieg, Sandra C.; Tella, Susanna; Srulovici, Einav; Sousa, Paulo Jorge Dos Santos; Knezevic, Bojana; Mira, Jose J. Abstract: This scientific letter aims to raise awareness of the critical role informal caregivers play in home care settings and the need to find new approaches to ensure patient safety in this specific environment. With Europe’s aging population, the shift of hospital care to the home, and deinstitutionalization policies, the demand for informal caregiving in developing countries is rapidly rising. Informal care, provided by family members, neighbours, friends, and hired personnel by the families, in maintaining patient safety and well-being, Informal care has been estimated to have an economic value equivalent to 50-90% of the overall cost of long-term care across the European countries. In spite of the alteration towards home-based care, the existing patient safety literature remains focused on formal institutions, creating a major gap in patient safety within the unregulated home care environments. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148439 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148438 Title: Beyond the hospital walls : integrating clinical wisdom and global equity into the circular economy healthcare paradigm - a response to recent commentaries Authors: Buttigieg, Sandra C.; Soares, Ana Luísa; Bak, Bartosz; McFadden, Sonya; Hughes, Ciara; McClure, Patricia; Couto, Jose Guilherme; Bravo, Isabel Abstract: The publication of our foundational analysis, “A Review of the Applicability of Current Green Practices in Healthcare Facilities,” has catalyzed a sophisticated dialogue that transcends operational efficiency. This commentary is a collective insight that fundamentally shifts our strategic focus from mere green practices, often paying lip service to the term, to a systemic regenerative ethos, thereby aligning with the Lancet Commission’s assertion that the climate crisis represents the greatest global health opportunity of the 21st century. It is a response to the six commentaries that are offered by Gan & Kim, Wu & Liang, Weimann, Zanobini et al, von Eiff & von Eiff, and Esmaeili, which constitute a rigorous international scholarly peer review. Our purpose here is to synthesize these diverse perspectives into a cohesive roadmap for future health policy, bridging the gap between theoretical frameworks and actionable realities of healthcare leadership, so as to achieve a revolutionary shift to an environmentally friendly health sector. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148438 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148275 Title: Developing the future of midwifery education : a tool to explore perceptions of professional doctorate education in small–resource contexts Authors: Attard, Josephine; Camilleri, Liberato; Spiteri, Georgette Abstract: Background: Professional Doctorate (PD) programmes offer a distinctive route for advancing midwifery practice and leadership. However, there is a lack of validated instruments that capture the perceptions of midwives and nurses, particularly in a way that reflects diverse educational and professional contexts.; Aim: This study aimed to identify the key components that underpin the development of a PD programme and to design and conduct a preliminary validation of a questionnaire intended to explore the perceptions of PD education in midwifery.; Methods: An exploratory sequential mixed–methods design was employed. In the initial qualitative phase, interviews were conducted with academic coordinators and leads of existing PD programmes across multiple institutions in the United Kingdom. Insights from these interviews informed the item generation for a new questionnaire. A panel of subject experts reviewed content and face validity of this questionnaire, and internal consistency was assessed to establish reliability.; Results: Qualitative analysis supported the development of a structured, self–administered questionnaire, the Perspectives on a Professional Doctorate in Education for Midwifery and Nursing (P–PRODEMN). The instrument demonstrated promising initial validity and acceptable internal consistency within this preliminary sample. Seven essential domains were identified as central to PD programme design and delivery: programme structure, candidate selection, learning outcomes, supervision and support, implementation challenges and enabling factors, quality assurance, and sustainability.; Conclusion: This study introduces a novel, evidence–informed questionnaire for evaluating perceptions of PD education in midwifery and nursing. The P–PRODEMN tool is conceptually robust and can be adaptable to varied educational settings, offering value to institutions aiming to develop or refine PD programmes that meet contemporary professional and academic expectations. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148275 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148137 Title: Nurses’ engagement in healthcare policy-making : a pragmatic utility–based scoping review Authors: Albanesi, Beatrice; Casciaro, Riccardo; Casabona, Elena; Conti, Alessio; Alite-Cerezuela, Paula; Cooke, Samuel; Kane, Ros; Karavani, Nikoletta; Velonaki, Venetia-Sofia; Vizcaya, Flores; Zabalegui, Adelaida; Sammut, Roberta; Clari, Marco Abstract: Aim: This review aimed to map the available evidence on nurses’ engagement in healthcare policy-making and to identify the foundational concepts that shape this engagement.; Background: Nurses represent the largest professional group in healthcare systems and hold a central position in responding to population health needs. However, they remain underrepresented in policy-making arenas. Their engagement is increasingly recognised as essential for building equitable, responsive and patient-centred healthcare systems, yet it is limited by insufficient policy education, restricted access to decision-making spaces, and the absence of a guiding conceptual framework.; Methods: This scoping review was conducted using established methodological guidance for evidence mapping. A Pragmatic utility approach informed the conceptual analysis, allowing the available literature to be examined in relation to the usefulness, clarity, and applicability of concepts describing nurses’ policy engagement.; Sources of Evidence: A systematic search of peer-reviewed databases was complemented by manual searches of reference lists. Eligible sources examined nurses’ engagement, participation or influence in healthcare policy-making across clinical, organisational, professional, or governmental contexts.; Discussion and Conclusion: Nurses’ engagement in policy-making was described through interrelated antecedents, attributes, and outcomes. Individual factors and professionalism were important antecedents, but engagement was strongly shaped by contextual conditions, including organisational support, opportunities for collaboration, and access to policy spaces. The findings suggest that policy participation is relational and depends on the ability to translate nursing expertise into policy-relevant messages. Engagement was associated with enhanced advocacy, exposure to positive role models, and education and information seeking, which may reinforce further participation.; Implications for Nursing Practice: Nursing organisations, educators, and leaders should strengthen policy and advocacy education, mentorship, leadership development, and opportunities for nurses to participate in policy-related activities.; Implications for Health Policy: Health systems should create organisational mechanisms that provide protected time, formal recognition, and access to policy forums, enabling nurses to contribute more effectively to policy decisions. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148137 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z