On March 24, 2026, habilitation lectures and defenses of habilitation theses were held at the Rectorate of the St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Sciences in Bratislava. The proceedings took place in accordance with the valid Decree of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic No. 246/2019 Coll., in two key fields of study: Nursing and Social Work.
This academic milestone represents an important step in strengthening the university’s scientific and teaching staff and directly contributes to improving the quality of education in helping professions.
In the morning session, three candidates presented their work before the Scientific Council, focusing on current challenges in clinical practice and community care:
PhDr. Katarína Zrubáková, PhD. (Catholic University in Ružomberok)
Topic: The benefits of monitoring nutritional status and physical activity in the care of geriatric patients.
Contribution: Analysis of the connection between nursing care, nutritional support, and the activation of seniors.
PhDr. Mgr. Ing. Ľubica Trnková, PhD., MPH (St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Sciences)
Topic: Morbid obesity as a population health problem from a nursing perspective.
Contribution: Defining the protective role of nursing in promoting the health of individuals with overweight.
PhDr. Monika Labudová, PhD., MPH, MBA (UCM Trnava)
Topic: Management of care and patient education in patients with heart failure.
Contribution: Research in the field of communication in nursing and other healthcare disciplines.
At the same time, habilitation procedures in social work focused on crisis intervention, psychosocial adaptation, and working conditions in the social services sector:
PhDr. Mgr. Soňa Šrobárová, PhD., MBA, Ed.D. (St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Sciences)
Topic: The role of the social worker in crisis intervention: International approaches.
Contribution: A multidimensional approach to crisis resolution with applications in the domestic environment.
PhDr. PhDr. Pavla Doležalová, PhD. (St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Sciences)
Topic: The impact of adverse childhood experiences on psychosocial adaptation and risk behavior.
Contribution: A social work perspective on the formation of risk behavior as a result of the family environment.
PhDr. Szilvia Buzalová, PhD. (St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Sciences)
Topic: Selected aspects of stress and workload among workers in social services.
Contribution: Analysis of workload in social service facilities for seniors.
The successful completion of the habilitation procedures confirms the university’s continuous efforts to raise academic standards. Newly appointed associate professors bring not only scientific expertise into the teaching process, but also a strong connection to practice. This ensures that our students receive education based on modern professional foundations, which are essential for working with the most vulnerable groups of the population.
We congratulate all newly appointed associate professors on their achievement and look forward to their further scientific and pedagogical contributions to our institution.
