Society is constantly evolving, and health professionals must be completely aware of it. There is not just one sociology, but as many fields of sociology as the fields of social life . Those who work in the healthcare field must be part of the society. This has been long acknowledged by universities of Health Professions in many countries, among which we find Italy, by including Sociology as a study subject.
Society has become global, because we must refer to the world as a whole. Along these lines, Madeleine Leininger, who first spoke of trans-culturality in health professions, had a very groundbreaking intuition.
It is not possible to think of Health Professions without considering how multicultured is our society. So all members of society must not prepare for a collision between the different cultures of each memeber, but to the encounter between all members and those who, like health professionals, meet new patients coming from all over the globe every day.
Sociology does not judge (except when it is specifically requested), and, for all those who want to refer to its main aspects, it highlights the need to observe every phenomenon according to the scientific method, which requires the examination of every single event through the means at its disposal. Means of qualitative and quantitative nature that must lead to statistical and percentage processing, showing the trends and changes of social groups, that are those groups of individuals who are brought together by characteristics of chronological, geographical and value-driven nature.
The recent pandemic has shown that the idea of society, normally considered as something only for the experts, must remain an legacy for all. Infact, if Sociology is the science that studies society and social groups, it is important to keep in mind that “society” cannot be a simple curiosity, but a costant point of reference for each one of us.
Ugo Giorgio Pacifici Noja is a Professor of Sociology in the Degree Courses of Nursing and Midwifery at UniCamillus. He also teaches Sociology in the healthcare work field in the I level Online Master in Management for Coordination Functions of Health Professions.
The Master in aims to train professionals who will take on the role of “Healthcare Manager”, who will supervise and coordinate of both private and public health facilities. Lessons will be held in e-learning mode, with the possibility to access the platform 24/7 and use at all times all the didactic material put at disposal by our faculty.