Marketing in Greek National Health System

Introduction: The international financial situation in combination with an aging population and the appropriation of health services imposes the management of hospital services as a necessity for the survival of hospitals.Aim: To examine the perceptions of 450 upper administrative hospital executives (Nursing, Medicine and Administrative services) in the wider region of Attica, on marketing, communication, and public relations in health-care.Population study: Four hundred and fifty (450) higher health executives from the three basic fields of services in health institutions (medical, nursing, administration) constituted the total sample of the research. These people are employed at 9 of the 36 hospitals in the 3 Health Regions of Attica (H.Re).Materials and method:The type of design that was chosen (to gather data) for the study of attitudes and perceptions of the health personnel of the health institutions of G.S.H (Greek System of Health) is a cross- sectional survey.Results: The participating subjects, even though expressed some reservations at first, formed a favorable attitude towards marketing and its application in the field of health-care. Statistically important correlations emerged between the perceptions of executives and their socio-demographic background including age, sex, education, and profession, work experience in health-care and specifically in their current position in the services as well as statistically important differences between doctors, nurses and administrators as to their perceptions of some issues in marketing.Conclusions: From the comments in the survey it appears there is a need to apply marketing correctly when providing quality care, respecting the patients’ rights and using human and not financial criteria as a guide. Based on the results of the research, important proposals are being submitted in the areas of health-care research, education and clinical practice

Greek nurses attitudes towards death

Introduction: Several studies explore the attitudes of nurses caring for dying patients but this is the first one exploring Greek nurses’ attitude toward death. Purpose/Objectives: To assess how Greek nurses feel about death and examine any relationships between their attitudes and demographic factors. Design: Descriptive quantitative. The sample comprised of 150 hospital nurses (response rate 64%).Method: Voluntary and anonymous completion of the Death Attitude Profile–Revised (DAP-R), and a demographic questionnaire. The Death Attitude Profile–Revised (DAP-R) (Wong, Reker, & Gesser, 1994) is a 32-item scale that uses a seven-point Likert scale to measure respondents' attitudes toward death. Demographic data, including gender, age, previous experience working with terminally ill patients, work setting (inpatient versus outpatient), years practising as an RN were collected. No identifying information was collected from the participants, ensuring the results were anonymous. Results: 82% of respondents were female with a mean age of 35.54 years (19 min 48 max). The mean nursing experience was 12.1 years. Average scores on the DAP-R sub-scales ranged from 2.90 (escape sub-scale) to 5.63 (neutral sub-scale). Statistically significant relationships were noted among gender, and scores on the DAP-R. Nursing experience and age were the variables most likely to predict nurses' attitudes toward death. Nurses with specific education on palliative care had less difficulty talking about death and dying. The existence of Hospital-based teams (known as palliative care teams, supportive care teams, or symptom assessment teams) had statistically significant relationship with fear of death and neutral acceptance scores Conclusions: In Greek hospitals nurses with more work experience tended to have more positive attitudes toward death and caring for dying patients

Greek nurses attitudes towards death

Introduction: Several studies explore the attitudes of nurses caring for dying patients but this is the first one exploring Greek nurses’ attitude toward death. Purpose/Objectives: To assess how Greek nurses feel about death and examine any relationships between their attitudes and demographic factors. Design: Descriptive quantitative. The sample comprised of 150 hospital nurses (response rate 64%).Method: Voluntary and anonymous completion of the Death Attitude Profile–Revised (DAP-R), and a demographic questionnaire. The Death Attitude Profile–Revised (DAP-R) (Wong, Reker, & Gesser, 1994) is a 32-item scale that uses a seven-point Likert scale to measure respondents' attitudes toward death. Demographic data, including gender, age, previous experience working with terminally ill patients, work setting (inpatient versus outpatient), years practising as an RN were collected. No identifying information was collected from the participants, ensuring the results were anonymous. Results: 82% of respondents were female with a mean age of 35.54 years (19 min 48 max). The mean nursing experience was 12.1 years. Average scores on the DAP-R sub-scales ranged from 2.90 (escape sub-scale) to 5.63 (neutral sub-scale). Statistically significant relationships were noted among gender, and scores on the DAP-R. Nursing experience and age were the variables most likely to predict nurses' attitudes toward death. Nurses with specific education on palliative care had less difficulty talking about death and dying. The existence of Hospital-based teams (known as palliative care teams, supportive care teams, or symptom assessment teams) had statistically significant relationship with fear of death and neutral acceptance scores Conclusions: In Greek hospitals nurses with more work experience tended to have more positive attitudes toward death and caring for dying patients