Aleksandra Kobza: Innovating Elderly Care with the BESTCARE App

Would you like to tell us a bit about yourself and your interests outside of work?

I currently work as a nurse in a medical diagnostics laboratory. It is an independent establishment, born from the passion and initiative of a dedicated laboratory diagnostician who sought to create a professional space focused on patient care. For nearly 25 years, the laboratory has been thriving, recently establishing its own Bacteriology Department and preparing to open another collection point soon.

My team includes highly qualified colleagues- nurses, laboratory diagnosticians, and medical analytics technicians. My primary responsibilities involve collecting samples for medical tests, with a specialization in drawing blood from newborns, infants, and children. In my role, I have had the pleasure of mentoring students at the place where I work and conducting internal training sessions for coworkers on patient communication, CPR, first aid in emergencies, and the use of first aid kits. A recent achievement of mine is completing a course on "Prescribing Medications and Issuing Prescriptions."

I see my future firmly rooted in nursing. I am particularly drawn to psychology and patient-focused medical coaching, and I aspire to contribute to the education of medical university students. My interests also extend to healthcare management. Courses and training that intrigue me include interpersonal communication in nursing, sign language, and wound care.

Outside of work, I am a wife to a medical care assistant and the proud mother of an amazing primary school student. I have a keen interest in human behavior, social psychology, and the empowerment of women in society and across cultures. I enjoy reading, attending yoga and spine health classes, and exploring my passion for painting.

Could you tell us briefly about your background as a nurse and what drew you to nursing?

I became a nurse because I truly wanted to. The very idea of helping others always seemed deeply fulfilling to me. At my confirmation, I chose the name Veronica, inspired by Saint Veronica, known for her empathy and willingness to support others. I have also frequently volunteered my time to various causes.Nursing is a fascinating profession that combines my passion for both the medical and psychological aspects of human beings. I studied Nursing at the Medical University of Warsaw, where I earned a master’s degree in Nursing and then completed additional postgraduate studies, receiving a specialization in family nursing.

I have been working as a nurse for over 15 years. My career began immediately after completing my undergraduate studies when I joined the ward of a hospital in Warsaw. While working there, I pursued further education in a master’s program.

After several years on the ward, I felt a desire for new challenges and decided to move to England to continue learning English and to test myself as a nurse in a British hospital. I was particularly interested in exploring the British healthcare system.

In England, I continued my English studies and initially worked as a caregiver in a Rest Home. Subsequently, I became a nurse at a Nursing Home and later joined the NHS Royal Shrewsbury Hospital as a gastroenterology ward nurse.

Tell us a bit about your time as a nurse in the UK? How does nursing differ between Poland and the UK?

I worked as a nurse in the United Kingdom over seven years ago. At that time, the differences between working as a nurse in a Polish and a British hospital were very noticeable. In the UK, nurses often held a decisive role in many aspects of patient care and frequently served as team leaders within the medical team.

What left a lasting impression on me was the individualized approach to patients, the strong emphasis on respecting their rights, and the interdisciplinary nature of medical care. The collaborative effort extended beyond doctors and nurses to include caregivers, physiotherapists, psychologists, social workers, and educators. I particularly admired the focus on preparing patients for reintegration into their home environment.

Each member of the team had a clearly defined role and responsibilities. Delivering care at the highest level was not only a professional goal but also contributed to a strong sense of appreciation and inclusion as part of the medical team.

Today, I observe with great admiration the increasing competencies, independence, and professional responsibility of Polish nurses. I am proud of their dedication, hard work, and eagerness for self-improvement, education, and skill development, which continue to elevate the profession.

I am also pleased to witness how the positive aspects of Polish and British nursing are becoming more aligned. Nursing in Poland is developing rapidly, with medical care reaching ever higher standards and a growing focus on preventive care. Additionally, there is an increased emphasis on improving patients’ psychological comfort and providing emotional support- something I personally believe is as vital as delivering top-tier medical services.

Could you share any specific moments or experiences that shaped the development of your winning concept?

I believe that all these years of work, observation, and experience have profoundly influenced my approach to nursing and the profession itself. Nursing has transformed from merely a job into a passion.

While working in a British hospital, I was deeply impressed by the individualized care and interdisciplinary, holistic approach to patients. For the first time, I encountered the use of tablet-based programs and touchscreen devices designed to streamline the work of the medical team. Observing hospital patients and, more significantly, residents in care homes, I began to form ideas about improving the psychological comfort of such individuals in their daily lives.

I vividly recall my frustration when taking care of over 40 residents and struggling to remember the unique characteristics or specific conditions of each individual. Searching for answers in the documentation often consumed too much time. I also witnessed occasional misunderstandings among medical staff due to a lack of familiarity with the residents, many of whom, because of their conditions, were unable to express dissatisfaction or opposition clearly. While these were never serious mistakes, they were significant enough to upset the residents or exacerbate their irritability.

The guiding principle of creating the BESTCARE application was to enhance understanding of the residents, recognize behaviors stemming from their deficits, and provide care tailored to their needs. The primary goal of the application is to reinforce the sense of security among residents.

What inspired you to develop the BESTCARE application, and what specific needs in elderly care does it address?

Referring to my professional experience, I believe that elderly people or those with dementia are a group that, like any other, requires respect, support, and a sense of security. Nowadays, elderly people are often left without care, and their behaviors are constantly subject to judgment and discrimination. My project is a gesture towards the elderly and the ill.

While working on the app, I sought appropriate support that would primarily be dedicated to individuals with dementia in nursing homes, people with mental illnesses, or those with intellectual disabilities living in social care homes.

The BESTCARE app is a profile of the care recipient, describing the patient or nursing home resident. The app serves to characterize the patient in a clear and understandable way, and the list of information allows for familiarization with preferences, needs, as well as deficits and disorders. It includes the patient's diagnosis, information on allergies or intolerances, a description of the support needed, the type of diet, and food consistency. It marks the mobility of the recipient, any assistive devices, and the hygienic protection required. The app will indicate if there are communication problems, agitation, depression, anxiety, hallucinations, delusions, or orientation disorders and describe the level of intensity of these disorders. The app also provides information on the recipient’s interests and forms of leisure activities. It will contain details on which therapies the recipient wants to participate in and which items are important to them, or serve as amulets.

The app is designed to improve the patient’s psychological comfort. Quick and easy access to basic yet crucial information will help avoid mistakes that could worsen the recipient's well-being or diminish their sense of security.

With the use of the BESTCARE app, essentials such as proper glasses, hearing aids, dentures, and walking aids will not be forgotten. Less medically important items, such as an amulet bag filled with essential items, a favorite necklace, or a scarf, will also be taken into account.

By using BESTCARE, the medical care provided will be at the highest level, with emotional support that also takes into account the psychological well-being of the recipient.

Can you elaborate on the key features of BESTCARE that ensure the mental and emotional comfort of patients?

The BESTCARE App focuses more on the emotional sphere and the psychological comfort of the care recipient. There are many applications on the market that facilitate the work of medical staff and care for the patient from a strictly medical perspective. My goal was to create a tool that allows us to recognize and systematize the needs, preferences, as well as deficits, disorders, and limitations of the care recipient.

The BESTCARE App emphasizes understanding the individual and improving their well-being, reinforcing their sense of being noticed, understood, and accepted, regardless of their disorders or limitations. By reading from the app that the patient suffers from depression, has memory disorders, or exhibits aggressive behavior, as medical staff, we already know how to act and respond, as well as which signals to pay particular attention to.

The characterizations included in the application enable caregiving that respects the dignity of the patient and acknowledges their dysfunctions and limitations, reducing levels of stress and discomfort.

Using the BESTCARE App in care will enhance the well-being of the recipient, strengthen their sense of security, and improve the level of understanding among medical staff.

The benefit is the emotional comfort of the care recipient. The BESTCARE App helps avoid situations where the patient may feel misunderstood, excluded, offended, or not provided with the appropriate care.

What does winning the QSNA mean to you personally and professionally?

What are your expectations for your year as a QSNA winner?

Winning the QSNA competition is an incredible honor for me and a form of recognition for my dedication and efforts to improve the quality of medical care. It serves as an approval of my vision for modern nursing, where professionalism and the quality of medical care services are prioritized alongside the improvement of the patient’s psychological comfort, while maintaining dignity and the right to privacy. Nursing that ensures a sense of safety focuses on improving the well-being of the care recipient and reinforces the feeling of being noticed, understood, and accepted, regardless of disorders or limitations.

It is medical care that protects the weaker and more vulnerable individual, addresses the needs and preferences of the care recipient, and simultaneously understands and accepts their deficits, dysfunctions, or disorders.

As a QSNA competition winner, I believe this achievement will give my idea the momentum it needs, enabling me to implement my project and introduce the BESTCARE application as a useful and supportive tool in the work of medical teams. By presenting my idea, the BESTCARE application, I aim to share my optimism and passion for the nursing profession with others who are also enthusiasts and to strengthen and promote the role of nurses on the international stage.

For me, participating in the QSNA competition has been an extraordinary experience that I believe will allow me to grow both professionally and academically. I am eager to participate in conferences and lectures that will further enhance my competencies. I think this adventure with QSNA also offers training in communication and business, as well as a challenge to confront my weaknesses. It is a test of navigating difficult situations, presenting my ideas effectively, and proving their value and usefulness. Personally, I am thrilled about this opportunity and ready for hard yet rewarding work.

What advice would you give to other healthcare professionals who want to innovate in elderly care?

I highly recommend that nurses participate in the QSNA competition. It is a very prestigious contest that provides a platform and opportunity to share your observations and ideas for innovation in elder care. Taking on this challenge offers a chance to advance nursing and improve medical care.

I believe it is essential in healthcare to think outside the box, introduce innovative solutions, strive for improvements, make modifications, and not be afraid of change. It’s important to move forward with technological advancements. However, I also feel that while improving medical care, we should never lose sight of the core value: the desire to help others, the well-being of the care recipient, and the safety and hygiene of the entire medical team.