Browsing by Author "Bjegovic-Mikanovic, Vesna M. (6602428758)"

Background: Health workforce competencies are considered crucial for attaining high-quality health care in the current market principles approach to the provision of health services. This study explored the competencies and the perceived competence gap of management personnel in public primary healthcare. Methods: During 2007 and 2008, 14 management teams of Belgrade primary health-care centres were questioned before and after management training in six competency categories. Competency mean differences (95% confidence interval) by gender, educational level, experience and position were analysed by Leven, Snedecor or Welch statistics, and Student's t-test for comparison of two independent samples. Mixed Model Analysis clarified possible interactions of the managers' baseline characteristics and competency task ratings. Differences between team ratings were analysed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) or the Kruskal-Wallis test. The General Linear Model Repeated Measures Analysis determined interactions and competency gap changes. Differences were statistically significant at P ≤ 0.05. Results: Female managers developed higher competency levels after training in communication skills and problem solving. Top managers rated assessing performance of higher importance, while chief nurses emphasized the importance of leading. Before training, the estimated competency gap was generally the highest in assessing performance (6.29), followed by team building (5.81) and planning and priority setting (5.70). Five months after training, the highest gap remained in assessing performance, although it was reduced considerably to 3.18 (P < 0.0005). Conclusions: Managers rated core competencies as highly important. The reduction in competency gaps can be significant through training. However, assessing performance remained a relatively high weakness among managers. © The Author 2010.

Background: Violence in the workplace is a serious social and public health problem. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of workplace violence and to identify potential predictors of workplace violence at Serbian Primary Health Care (PHC) centres. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2012 and July 2013. The sample consisted of medical and non-medical staff employed at PHC centres in Belgrade, Serbia. Among 1757 currently presented at work, 1526 returned the questionnaires. The data were collected by questionnaire Workplace Violence in the Health Sector - Country Case Studies, developed by the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI. Binary logistic regression was conducted to assess the association between exposure to workplace violence and sociodemographic and work-related characteristics. Results: The prevalence of workplace violence, was 803 (52.6%), with 147 (18.3%), exposed to physical violence. Multiple logistic regression models indicated that the following work-related characteristics were positive associated of workplace violence with working between 18:00 and 07:00 h [odds ratio (OR): 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08-1.73], nurses as a professional group (OR: 1.91, 95% CI: 1.16-3.17), working with preschool children (OR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.34-0.91). There was negative association of workplace violence with encouragement to report violence (OR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.49-0.76) and the number of staff in the same work setting (OR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.56-0.96). Conclusions: More than half of employees in Belgrade PHC centres were exposed to different types of workplace violence. There is a need for interventions to protect health workers and provide safer workplace environments. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association.