91121 - Innovative Models of Caring and Ethics in Nursing (BO)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students should have acquired the knowledge and skills necessary to create a professional environment that promotes excellence, fosters effective communication, and encourages decision-making, responsibility, and autonomy among professionals.

Course contents

From Health Policy to the Organization of Nursing Care

1. Organizational Models at the Meso-System Level: Hospital and Territory
   • Intensity of Care
   • Transitional Care
   • Chronic Care Model
2. Organizational Models of Nursing Care Delivery
   • Patient-Centred Models (e.g., Primary Nursing)
   • Professional-Centred Models

In-depth focus: Structured team communication (e.g., SBAR, briefings/debriefings)

1. Care Delivery Models Aligned with the Needs and Expectations of Patients, Providers, and Services
   • Defining care priorities and the tools underpinning care delivery (deferrable vs. non-deferrable interventions – clinical decision-making)
   • Compromised care (Missed Nursing Care/Unfinished Nursing Care)
   • Unfinished Nursing Care

In-depth focus: Lean Thinking in healthcare services: from theory to the management of hospital patient flows

Innovation in Healthcare Organizations

1. The Concept of Healthcare Innovation
   • Determinants of innovation sustainability
2. Innovation and Change
   • Innovation versus tradition
   • Kotter's Eight-Step Model of Change
   • The diffusion of innovation: Rogers' Diffusion Curve and the S-Curve
   • Implementation mapping and change management in healthcare services

In-depth focus: Healthcare management tools, including SWOT analysis, implementation mapping, Gantt charts, work breakdown structures (WBS), the responsibility assignment matrix (RACI), and process, outcome, and structure indicators for the design, management, and evaluation of interventions

1. Distinctive Features of Innovative Care Models
2. Innovative Care Models
   • Innovative models of healthcare delivery
   • Innovative models of mental health care for older adults
   • Artificial intelligence and patient preferences in healthcare delivery models
   • Agile methodologies in healthcare teams and nursing practice

In-depth focus: Designing the integration of the Nursing Associate role within a chosen organizational context, applying change-analysis tools, SWOT analysis, and Kotter's eight-step model

Transformational Leadership

1. Delegation
   • The meaning and purpose of delegation
   • Types of delegation: operational delegation and delegation of accountability
   • How to delegate (operational approaches)
   • The delegation process: analysis, assignment, monitoring, feedback
2. Time Management
   • The concept of time management
   • The Eisenhower Matrix (urgency vs. importance)
   • Time-management methods (planning, defining, managing, and organizing)

In-depth focus: The role of transformational leadership in fostering professional autonomy and team accountability

Readings/Bibliography

Bibliography

Orlandi, C., Pennini, A., Porcelli, B., & Casati, G. (2025). Carlo Calamandrei. Manuale di management per le professioni sanitarie (5ª ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.

Pennini, A. (2020). 10 brevi lezioni per manager in sanità: Essere, stare, sviluppare. FrancoAngeli.

Teaching methods

• Lectures
• Guided classroom discussion
• Case study/organisational scenario analysis
• Group work/laboratory activities
• Role-playing and simulations

Assessment methods

Learning assessment takes place through an oral examination, structured around two questions:

1. Cognitive-recall question (Describe, Define, List): aimed at ascertaining the student's knowledge of the main organizational models, innovative models, and leadership.
2. Application question (Critical analysis and evaluation skills, ability to elaborate content and apply it to real-world settings): starting from an organizational problem, the student is required to interpret the context, apply theoretical models and management tools, and propose a reasoned, coherent, and well-argued solution.

The examination is considered passed only if both questions receive at least a sufficient evaluation.

Assessment Grid (mark out of thirty)

Essential but not in-depth knowledge, with a partially complete treatment and some inaccuracies; partial interpretation of the organisational context, with limited application of theoretical models and management tools; straightforward technical-scientific language, with some terminological imprecisions. 18–19

Generally complete and correct knowledge, with a fair degree of depth; good systemic reading of the context, with adequate application of theoretical models and correct use of management tools; generally correct and appropriate technical-scientific language. 20–23

Broad and well-structured knowledge, with a good ability to identify the relationships between concepts, organisational models, innovation, and leadership; systemic interpretation of the context, with coherent design and adequate use of management tools; clear and appropriate technical-scientific language, with good command of vocabulary. 24–26

Broad, complete, and in-depth knowledge, with a high degree of conceptual accuracy; comprehensive and systemic interpretation of the context, with clear identification of priorities and critical application of theoretical models; precise, fluent, and fully appropriate technical-scientific language. 27–29

Broad, complete, and in-depth knowledge, with the ability to critically integrate and re-elaborate content; integrated and critical application of theoretical models, structured and effective design, with mastery of management tools; rigorous, precise, and fully appropriate technical-scientific language, with an excellent command of disciplinary vocabulary. 30–30 cum laude

Teaching tools

Concept maps, supporting the synthesis and visualisation of the relationships between the main organisational models and concepts addressed

Course handouts prepared by the instructor

Scientific articles and reference literature, made available for the independent, in-depth study of the topics covered

Case studies and organisational scenarios, used as a tool for the practical application of theoretical models

Management tools (SWOT analysis, Gantt chart, RACI responsibility assignment matrix, Eisenhower matrix), introduced and practised during teaching activities

University platform (Virtuale/Online Courses), for the sharing of course materials

Office hours

See the website of Luisa Sist