Learning objectives
At the conclusion of the course students will be developed:
1. Knowledge and understanding capabilities concerning the functioning of cognitive and motivational processes as base of patients behavior and in the context of health. They will acquire knowledge on fetal learning, neuronal plasticity, fetal adaptive responses and teratogenic factors.
2. Students will be able to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in dealing with medical-surgery issues in interdisciplinary contexts and will be able to interact with patients and their families directing their attiitudes and choices towards appropriate lifestyles.. They will be able to tolerate physically workloads to function effectively under stress.
3. Independence of judgment. Students will develop critical thinking skills and independent judgment and they will be able to evaluate patients compliance addressing their beliefs and motivations on appropriate clinical choice.
4. Communication skills. Students will be able to communicate effectively and efficiently with patients, their families, and members of the health care team. They will be able to obtain a medical history in a culturally competent manner, considering non-verbal aspects of communication, establishing therapeutic relationships with patients that consider cognitive and emotional processes associated with stress and
pain.
5. Learning ability. Students will be able to contribute to collaborative learning environments, accepting constructive feedback from others and taking personal responsibility. Students will be able to upgrade their their professional development from reliable sources and to continue on their own.
Prerequisites
None
Course unit content
From scientific psychology to neuroscience; Main methods and research paradigms.
Fetal development, learning and neuronal plasticity, programming and adaptive response. Teratogenic factors in fetal development.
Cortical representation of pain and modulation;
Learning: paradigms and conditioned responses.
Memory: memory systems, processes of information retrieval;
Emotions, emotional competence and communication.
Emotion and stress management in health care and helping professions: the burnout syndrome.
Full programme
Neurosciences. Methods of investigation.
The paradigms of respondent and operant conditioning, of observational learning and through insight.
Memory and memory forms;
Prenatal origins of neurological development. Prenatal experience and neural placisticy. Fetal learning and memory. Stimulation studies and their effect on the neonatal development.
The cortical representation of pain. Anticipation and empathy in the perception of pain. Pain modulation. Assessment tools for pain masuring.
Non-verbal communication: facial expressions, eye contact, posture.
Understanding and communication of emotions.
The emotions in the medical and health contexts.
Psychological impact of pathologies on health professions: stress and burnout syndrom.
Bibliography
Slides from the lectures and the two following scientific papers (one chosen by the student):
- Pino, O. (2016). Fetal memory: The effects of prenatal auditory experience on human development. BAOJ Medical and Nursing, 2 (3); 015.http://bioaccent.org/medical-nursing/medical-nursing20.pdf
- Somayeh, A. et al. (2020). Effect of Psychotherapy on Reduction of Fear of Childbirth and Pregnancy Stress: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Frontiers in Psychology, 11:787.: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00787
- García González J. et al. (2017). Effects of prenatal music stimulation on fetal cardiac state, newborn anthropometric measurements and vital signs of pregnant women: A randomized controlled trial. Complement Ther Clin Pract.; 27:61-67. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2017.03.004.
Teaching methods
Lectures will be held on-site in compliance with safety standards, provided that further instructions on the ongoing health emergency are not implemented. Supporting material will be available on the specific, student-reserved platform (Elly) and will include slide presentations, audio-video aids or video-recording of the lectures.
Lectures will be supported by slide presentations, which will be available to students on the Elly platform (https://elly.medicina.unipr.it).
To download the slides, you need to register for the online course.
The slides are considered as integral part of the teaching material. Non-attending students are reminded to check the teaching material available and the information provided through the Elly platform.
Assessment methods and criteria
The oral examination will ascertain the attainment of all the objectives of the course. Any questions regarding the contents tend to check whether the student has attained a solid foundation of knowledge and a deep understanding of what was discussed.
To verify the student’s knowledge, topics’ comprehension and her/his skills to apply them on the occupational contexts will be evaluated by questions on the topics related to the course content. Failed answer to one or more questions or proved insufficiency of the basic knowledge on the subject will preclude the successful completion of the exam. In case of completion of the exam, an evaluation that contributes to the final grade of the course will be defined and it will be based on the achievement of the objectives (in thirtieth).
Students with SLD/BSE can contact Le Eli-che for support addressed to students with disabilities, D.S.A., B.E.S. (https://sea.unipr.it/it/servizi/le-eli-che-supporto-studenti-con-disabilita-dsa-bes).
Other information
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2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
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