Health Community Lab "New Skills for Healthcare Professionals. The Case of the Hospital School"

This report illustrates the activities and results of the Health Community Lab (HCL) 'School in Hospital' ('La Scuola in Ospedale'), a research, training, and intervention framework developed within Spoke 10 'Population Health' of the Tuscany Health Ecosystem (THE) – PNRR. The initiative was established to address the need to move beyond a sectoral conception of pedagogy in healthcare settings, thereby promoting a systematic integration of the educational dimension within the continuum of pediatric care. In a context where care is increasingly oriented towards a holistic bio-psycho-social approach, the project aimed to foster new competencies for professionals, supporting the strategic relationship between hospital, school, family, and the local community.The adopted methodology was rooted in an action research and co-creation approach (Living Lab), actively involving key stakeholders such as the University of Florence (FORLILPSI), the Meyer University Hospital (AOU Meyer), the Regional School Office for Tuscany, and the Andrea Bocelli Foundation. The HCL involved the design and delivery of three editions (2023–2025) of the Post-Graduate Advanced Course 'School in Hospital,' which trained 81 professionals and 25 university students.The main findings, derived from an analysis that integrated quantitative methods (questionnaires based on ANVUR TECO-D frameworks) and qualitative methods (ethnographic observation, questionnaire comments, narrative, and autobiographical analyses), demonstrate an exceptionally high and consistently growing level of participant satisfaction. More importantly, the qualitative analysis validated the model as a transformative learning experience, capable of generating a 'shift in perspective' (cambiamento di sguardo) and a concrete impact on daily professional practices. The project has empirically validated an effective training model and served as a social innovation laboratory, consolidating a community of reflective practice and demonstrating pedagogy’s strategic role in the humanization of care. The primary added value lies in triggering an empowerment process and establishing the groundwork for the course's evolution into a First-Level University Master's program starting from the academic year 2025–2026, thereby systematizing an advanced training pathway for defining the professional profile and associated competencies of a care professional."