The bachelor in Health Assistance was established by a Ministerial Decree dated April 2nd 2001.The degree course offers a total of 180 university credits (CFU), divided into three years, of which at least 60 credits are achieved in training activities aimed at developing specific professional skills (internships).Each university credit (CFU) represents 25 hours of work carried out by the student, including classroom hours, tutor teaching activities, seminars, other training activities as established by the Didactic Regulation, and individual study hours required to complete the training.Students will be awarded a bachelor’s degree following the final degree examination and regular attendance at lessons thereby achieving 173 university credits, including additional learning requirements and an internship as set by the three-year study programme.Study ObjectivesThe bachelor degree in Health Assistance aims at preparing health care assistants with scientific and technical training, who are required to carry out the profession responsibly based on the principles and methods concerning prevention, promotion and health education according to the Ministerial Decree 17.01.1997, n. 69.The objectives of this course of study is to teach graduates an integrated social-health culture, which is the basis for the acquisition of contents and methods regarding preventive, educational, rehabilitative interventions and support for personal and public health.In particular, graduates will have the competences:- for the implementation of preventive, promotional and health education activities and the use of specific methods, techniques and instruments;- to identify the health needs and the priorities of preventive, educational and rehabilitative interventions, for the individual, family and general public;-to identify the health needs based on epidemiological and social-cultural data;-to identify the biological and social risk factors;- to elaborate, program, implement and evaluate interventions concerning health education in all the phases of an individual’s life;- to collaborate in defining communication methodologies, programs and campaigns to promote health and health education;- to participate in training and retraining of health care and school assistants in regards to the methodology of health education;- to participate in programming family planning, health planning, sexual and socio-affective education;- to implement specific interventions for family support;- to activate network resources also in collaboration with general practitioners and other assistants in the territory;- to participate in family therapy programs ;- to monitor, based on the specific competences, the hygienic-sanitary conditions in families, schools and communities;- to control environmental hygiene and the risk of infections;- to report cases to the competent authorities and suggest feasible solutions;- to work in special facilities in conjunction or alternatively with health education services, in public relations offices;- to collaborate, based on the specific competences, in promotional and health education activities in schools;- to participate in initiatives to evaluate and improve the quality of the health services by measuring, in particular, the level of satisfaction of the public;- to collaborate in initiatives aimed at protecting citizen’s rights with particular reference to promoting health;- to participate in activities organized by district departments or hospital departments, aimed at joining professionals , with particular reference to departments implementing objective-centered projects as indentified by the national, regional and local health plan;- to carry out proper duties in professional autonomy even through the use of specific techniques and tools;- to carry out didactic-training activities and counselling in services, where their professional competence is required;- to work independently or in collaboration with other health care workers, social and scholastic workers, and collaborating with support staff where necessary;- to contribute in training support staff and participate in retraining professional profile;- to work in teams and integrate with health and social professionals.Educational PathThe first year aims at teaching knowledge regarding the somatopsychic development of an individual and the study of their community to understand the factors that affect one’s and a community’s health. This degree programme, aimed at studying health, evaluates the bio-psyco-social development of an individual in reference to their historical-cultural and social context. The development of competences of methodological and instrumental nature regards research and observation in the sanitary, social and psychological fields so as to identify the health needs and the methodology to identify the biological and social factors at risk, an essential and preliminary step to set up the prevention, promotional, educational and supportive intervention.During the second year, studies regard etiopathogenesis infectious and mental diseases with more relevance on sanitary-social aspects including some clinical-assistance and environmental aspects which are of a certain importance in regards to management and prevention. The psycho-physical risk of an individual and of a community are analysed in depth in relation to their social surrounding, and knowledge and skills regarding methods and working tools for the individual and the community are acquired so as to develop prevention, promotional and health education activities. In addition, competences regarding the preventive, educational, promotional and rehabilitative interventions are further analysed including family, school, work and everyday life, where the methodological approach becomes specific for the individual contexts.In the third year, the etiopathogenesis of chronic-degenerative diseases – with a greater focus on health and social impact and studies regarding emergency medicine is analysed. In addition, competences regarding the safeguard of citizens’ rights, public relations and quality development in health care services are acquired. Finally, studies regarding management and sanitary economy are aimed at acquiring knowledge of how to better manage resources in the social-sanitary area, and in particular the areas regarding health prevention and health promotion.