The Department of Midwifery and Health and Social Work is the part of the Faculty of Health Studies (FHS) of the University of Pardubice, which was established on 1 January 2007 by transformation from the Institute of Health Studies, which was founded in 2002. The origins of nursing education in Pardubice focused on teaching midwifery dates back to 1930, when the National Institute for Education and Training of Midwifes was founded in Pardubice.
Currently, the Department offers two Bachelor’s degree study branches in full-time form of study and follow-up Master’s degree study branch in the full-time form of study. It is a Bachelor’s degree study programme Midwifery, study branch Midwife and study programme Health and Social Care, study branch Health and Social Worker.
Since the academic year 2011-2012 the Department offers two-year follow-up Master’s study programme Specializations in Health, study branch Perioperative Care in Gynaecology and Obstetrics in full-time form of study. The study branch is intended for graduates of the Bachelor’s degree study branch Midwife.
The aim of the Department is to prepare and implement study programmes, which enable students to gain education and professional qualification for the medical profession in accordance with criteria and requirements of the World Health Organization. The aim is to expand the offer of study programmes and branches to build upon the needs and requirements of practice.
Within scientific and research work the Department of Midwifery and Health and Social Work participates together with other departments of the FHS of the University of Pardubice on research projects of the Faculty of Health Studies, internal grants of the University of Pardubice and grants of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic. Together they are focusing on improving the quality of education in the area of gynaecology and midwifery, neonatology and nursing branches as well as in the area of health and social work. Other specialists, who teach students in other related medical and health and social branches, cooperate with the Department.
Staffing consists of the professionals from the area of medicine, midwifery, nursing and social work. Members of the staff are therefore specialists in heath care and social area; they closely cooperate with clinical departments of the Regional Hospital of Pardubice (joint venture), especially with Obstetrics and Gynaecology Clinic, with Teaching Hospital of Hradec Kralove, with Hospital of Chrudim and also with public or private health and social institutions.
The cooperation also occurs with universities which focus on lessons of midwifery, nursing and branches related with health and social area.