Project Summary

PROCON  is an ERASMUS+ project, designed around co-creation, which aims to foster innovation in nursing homes (NHs), by focusing on improved continence care, entrepreneurship and flexible work practices.

A total of thirteen partner institutions (full list below) have joined forces and together represent a broad spectrum of stakeholders. These include education providers, nursing homes, patient organizations, technology and managerial experts and  research institutions, across six different countries.

Main expected outcomes include:

• A general framework for innovation and entrepreneurship in healthcare.
• 3 educational courses for healthcare professionals and students
• 1 study to assess the efficacy of a proposed technological approach to support continence care
• 1 pragmatic study to assess the efficacy of the PROCON educational training in actual nursing homes.

Additional data:

• Project start: November 1st, 2024
• Duration: 3 years
• Leader institution: Universitat de Vic – Universitat Central de Catalunya is the Project Coordinator
• Principal Investigator: Javier Jerez-Roig (PT, PhD)
• Project website (planned) proconproject.eu
• For more information, contact: jerez@uvic.cat

Full list of project partners:

4 Higher Education Institutions: Universitat de Vic, KU Leuven, Turku AMK, University of Alberta.

2 Vocational Education Institutions: Turun Ammatti-Instituut and Institut de Vic

2 Healthcare Insitutions: Consorci Hospitalari de Vic and Zorg Leuven

3 technology / managerial companies: Byteflies, Dickinson Benelux and Eurocentro

1 NGO: World Federation of Incontinence and Pelvic Problems (WFIPP).

Project Aims

1. To Enhance Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Nursing Homes.

Through a new framework of recommendations; the application of technology to support continence care; and the development an online course on innovation and entrepreneurship in healthcare.

2. To Develop Skills and Address Skill Mismatches

By co-creating educational training courses for healthcare specialists and students on:

• Resilience and flexible workpractices and
• Continence care in NHs.

3. To Implement and Evaluate the Developed Educational Contents

Application and evaluation of results by means of a  multinational pragmatic study in Spain,  Finland, Canada and Belgium.

4. To Ensure Quality Assurance and Project Evaluation

With a dedicated work package and externalized expert assessment.

5. To Maximize Socioeconomic and Academic Impact

Advancing continence care, improving work practices, and strengthening collaborations.

6. To Promote Communication, Dissemination, and Exploitation of Results.

By developing a toolkit for continence care aimed at NH resident and relatives, providing policy recommendations, supporting sustainable development and green skills, and other.

Project Methods

The PROCON project employs a variety of methods to achieve its objectives, ensuring a multidisciplinary, evidence-based, and innovative approach. It focuses on co-creation approaches to generate growth from the bottom up.

Objective 1: Through a new framework of recommendations; the application of technology to support continence care; and the development an online course on innovation and entrepreneurship in healthcare.

Objective 2: By co-creating educational training courses for healthcare specialists and students on: a) Resilience and flexible workpractices and b) Continence care in NHs.

Objective 3: Via application and evaluation of results by means of a  multinational pragmatic study in Spain,  Finland, Canada and Belgium.

Objective 4: With a dedicated work package and externalized expert assessment.

Objective 5: By advancing continence care, improving work practices, and strengthening collaborations.

Objective 6: Throug h the development of a toolkit for continence care aimed at NH resident and relatives, providing policy recommendations, supporting sustainable development and green skills, and other.

Project Findings / expected Findings

PROCON will conduct one multicenter study assessing the effects of our educational interventions  in actual working places. Expected findings include increased skill acquisition, well-being of healthcare providers at the workplace, better continence care and increased quality of life for NH residents with incontinence.

Outputs

1. Scientific, open-access

Including:  Protocol, Technological solution, Quantiative and Qualitative results of the pragmatic study, Process Evaluation

2. Communication and Dissemination articles and a Toolkit for NH residents and caregivers

Covering topics such as: Innovation in healthcare, Improved Continence care in NHs, etc.

3. Three main Educational Training Courses

. Innovation and Entrepreneurship in healthcare;

. Resilience skills and Flexible work practices;

. Continence care in NHs

4. Technological Solutions – applying multi-sensor technology for continence care in NHs

Results include: a dataset, a prototype of a Smart continence care system and an evaluation of efficacy.

5. Policy and Best Practice Recommendations

. New Framework for innovation and entrepreneurship in NHs

. Policy recommendations for continence care in NHs

. Toolkit for continence care targetting NH residents and their relatives.

6. Communication and Dissemination Tools

. Digital brochures and newsletter communications

. Virtual Communities of Practice to engage professionals and students

. Project website and social media

. Press releases to increase outreach and public awareness.