NURSING EDUCATION AND CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS: ADVANCES AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The global current scenario in non-communicable diseases (NCD) is worrisome. In Chile these conditions represent the bulk of the disease burden, in an ageing population with a high prevalence of risk factors for NCDs. Thus, the training of health professionals in this field is paramount. PURPOSE: to share our experience at the school of nursing (SON) in designing and integrating chronic care and self-management support for people with chronic conditions in the undergraduate program. METHODOLOGY: a) Revision of the undergraduate curriculum 2) Exploring SON previous experience in research and continuing education in chronic care; consultation with experts including clinical members of health teams that participate in delivering chronic care. 3) Review of the literature to find theoretical models for chronic care 4) explore, through the lecturers’ perceptions, the degree of implementation of nursing care for NCDs in clinical practice. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: We found that there was a lack of incorporation of subjects and contents on chronic care in the curriculum and in clinical settings. It is important to incorporate chronic care and self-management support in nursing education at the theoretical and the clinical level. This should be done throughout an education process that increases progressively the level of complexity in the application of caring for people with NCDs. The SON will implement this approach in the new curricula starting on 2022.