Nursing, radiography and primary health care within healthcare education in Malta

Abstract

Purpose: The definition of primary health care at the Alma-Ata (USSR) conference lead to the development of new roles for the members of the multidisciplinary healthcare teams. These changes formed the basis for the presentation of a module in primary health care to a group of nursing and radiography students in Malta. Methods: A descriptive survey research design, coupled with a phenomenological approach, was chosen as the research method. Results: Respondents thought that the presented material was applicable in their clinical fields of practice, and that they could implement the elements of primary health care. Conclusions: The study was a useful exercise which enabled the researchers to recommend that primary health care will in future be taught on a multidisciplinary basis. It enabled the Department of Radiography Studies to offer primary health care as an elective in their ERASMUS programme.