Nursing Students' Perceptions of Academic Literacy Education - Reflections from the Swedish Red Cross University

Academic literacies refer to academic writing as social practices. This study describes first-term nursing students’ perceptions of the academic literacy education provided and its significance for their forthcoming training and clinical practice. Nine student nurses at the Swedish Red Cross University participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using latent content analysis. Two categories were identified: A challenging but rewarding step focused on the students’ struggles to become academically literate. A professional outlook targeted the students’ perceptions of the requirement to acquire academic literacies for their training and future clinical practice. The results provide insights of dichotomous perspectives among nursing students regarding their need to acquire academic literacies. Some of the students convey a resistant and sceptical view of adding academic education to nursing training. Others acknowledge the requirement of being academically literate, a competence sometimes hard-won. However, in their struggles, teacher guidance was requested; an appeal that needs to be met with creative solutions. Repetitive approaches by teachers combined with the use of student initiatives are proposed to enable improved academic literacy levels among the students.

Barn- och barnrättsperspektivet inom avdelning Hälsa och vård, Svenska Röda Korset : Nulägesrapport 2020

Bakgrund Barnperspektivet visar på vuxenvärldens barnsyn liksom förmåga att förstå och ta in barnets perspektiv. Barnkonventionen omfattar barnets mänskliga rättigheter och skriver fram barnet som rättighetsbärare och som social aktör. Inom svensk hälso- och sjukvårdslagstiftning lyfts barnets rättigheter som anhörig till information, råd och stöd. Syfte Syftet var att skildra barnperspektivet inom avdelning Hälsa och vård, Svenska Röda Korset, samt att ge en bild av hur arbetet inom berörda verksamheter svarar mot barnets rättigheter. Metod Datainsamling skedde genom enkätundersökning riktad till samtliga medarbetare inom avdelningen liksom genom intervjuer med representanter för olika yrkesfunktioner i verksamheterna. Data har analyserats både kvantitativt och kvalitativt. Resultat Medarbetarna skildrade barnperspektivet mångfaktoriellt vilket berörde förståelse för barnets behov och rättigheter, vikten av bemötandet av barnet, att anpassa miljön utifrån barnet liksom att tillvarata barnets perspektiv. Utifrån ett barnrättsperspektiv framkom att mycket arbete genomförs även om brister uppmärksammades. Utbildningsnivån gällande barns rättigheter var låg. Slutsatser Barnperspektivet framkommer i arbetet men genomsyrar inte verksamheterna med anledning av ett dominerande fokus på den vuxna patienten. Arbetet med att ”göra” barnets rättigheter var omfattande men ett genomgripande arbete återstår för att barnrättsarbetet ska bli mer heltäckande

Facilitating participation : A joint use of an interactive communication tool by children and professionals in healthcare situations

Children’s right to participation in situations that matter to them is stated in law and convention texts and is emphasized by the children themselves in research studies, too. When actively involved, their perspective is visualized. Children’s use of interactive technology has increased considerably during the last decade. The use of applications and web sites are becoming a regular occurrence in paediatric healthcare. The overall aim was to develop and test, together with children, an interactive communication tool meant to facilitate young children’s participation in healthcare situations. To understand children’s varied perceptions of their involvement in healthcare situations, interviews, drawings and vignettes were used in a phenomenographic approach (I). A participatory design iteratively evaluated evolving prototypes of an application (II). Video observations and hermeneutics captured the meanings of the participation cues that the children demonstrated when they used the application in healthcare situations (III). A quantitative approach was used to identify patterns in the children’s cue use (IV). In total, 114 children in two clinical settings and in a preschool were involved. The result showed that the children perceived themselves, their parents and the professionals as actors in a healthcare situation, although all were perceived to act differently (I). The children contributed important information on age-appropriateness, usability and likeability in the iterative evaluating phases that eventually ended up in the application (II). When using the application in healthcare situations, the cues they demonstrated were understood as representing a curious, thoughtful or affirmative meaning (III). Curious cues were demonstrated to the highest extent. The three-year-olds and the children with the least experience of healthcare situations demonstrated the highest numbers of cues (IV). Conclusion: when using the application, the children demonstrated a situated participation which was influenced by their perspective of the situation and their inter-inter-action with the application as well as the health professional. The children’s situated participation provided the professionals’ with additional ways of guiding the children based on their perspectives.I lag- och konventionstexter, liksom i forskning, som använder barnens egna uttryck betonas deras rättighet att vara delaktiga i situationer av betydelse för dem. Genom att delta kan de göra sitt perspektiv synligt. Under det senaste årtiondet har barns användning av interaktiv teknik ökat kraftigt. Applikationer och web-sidor används nuförtiden även flitigt inom barnsjukvården. Avhandlingens övergripande syfte var att utveckla och pröva, tillsammans med barn, ett interaktivt kommunikationsverktyg avsett att möjliggöra yngre barns delaktighet i vårdsituationer. Intervjuer, teckningar och vignetter användes för att, fenomenografiskt, förstå barnens uppfattningar av att vara i en vårdsituation (I). En iterativ deltagarbaserad design användes för att utveckla en prototyp av en applikation. En hermeneutisk tolkning av video-observationer fångade meningen i barnens sätt att visa sin delaktighet (hintar) vid användningen av applikationen i vårdsituationer (III). En deduktiv, kvantitativ ansats användes för att identifiera mönster i barnens sätt att visa sin delaktighet när de använde applikationen (IV). Resultatet visade att barnen uppfattade sig själva, föräldrarna och vårdpersonalen som aktörer i situationen, även om alla uppfattades agera på olika sätt (I). Barnen bidrog i den iterativa processen med viktig information gällande aspekter som åldersanpassning, användbarhet och hur väl den tilltalar dem, vilket slutligen ledde fram till den färdiga applikationen (II). Barnens sätt att visa sin delaktighet när de använde applikationen förstods ha en nyfiken, tankfull och självbekräftande mening (III). Nyfikenheten visades mest vid användningen av applikationen. Treåringarna samt barnen med minst vårderfarenhet använde applikationen i störst utsträckning (IV). Sammanfattning: när applikationen användes i vårdsituationen visade barnen en situerad delaktighet vilken byggde på deras perspektiv på den aktuella situationen samt på deras inter-inter-aktion med applikationen och vårdpersonalen. Genom detta erbjöds vårdpersonalen ytterligare ett sätt att guida barnet utifrån barnets eget perspektiv

Sjuksköterskans roll och upplevelse i mötet med den våldsutsatta kvinnan : En litteraturstudie

Bakgrund: Våld mot kvinnor är ett känt socialt problem världen över och har under 2000-talet ökat med 30 procent. År 2007 anmäldes i Sverige ca 27 000 brott rubricerade som misshandel mot kvinnor och drygt 2/3 av dessa brott utfördes av en bekant gärningsman. Sjuksköterskan har en potentiellt unik och viktig roll i att identifiera och ta hand om kvinnor som söker hjälp gällande våld i parrelationer. Syfte: Att beskriva vilken roll sjuksköterskan har i mötet med den våldsutsatta kvinnan, samt hur sjuksköterskan upplever mötet. Metod: En deskriptiv litteraturstudie där 13 vetenskapliga artiklar har granskats och sammanställts. Resultat: Sjuksköterskans roll går ut på att skapa en trygg miljö och stödja den våldsutsatta kvinnan. Sjuksköterskan bör använda sig av ett professionellt bemötande och skapa en relation där en god kommunikation är möjlig. Sjuksköterskor upplever ofta frustration i mötet med den våldsutsatta kvinnan då det kan vara svårt att skapa en öppen dialog. Sjuksköterskor beskriver även en känsla av maktlöshet, då kvinnan väljer att gå tillbaka till ett våldsamt förhållande. Det är vanligt att sjuksköterskor i mötet med den våldsutsatta kvinnan blir känslomässigt engagerade. Slutsats: Sjuksköterskor saknar kunskap inom screening, bemötande samt omhändertagande av våldsutsatta kvinnor och är i behov av mer utbildning inom ämnet.Background: Violence against women is a known social problem worldwide and increased by 30 percent in the 2000s'. In 2007, about 27 000 crimes captioned as abuse against women were reported in Sweden and just over 2/3 of these crimes were carried out by a known perpetrator. As a nurse you have a potentially unique and important role in identifying and taking care of women seeking help regarding intimate partner violence. Aim: To describe the role nurses have in the meeting with the abused woman, and how nurses perceive meeting. Method: A descriptive literature review in which 13 scientific papers have been reviewed and compiled. Results: Nursing role is to create a safe environment and support the abused woman. Nurses should use a professional approach and create a relationship where good communication is possible. The nurse often experience frustration in the meeting with the abused woman as it can be difficult to create an open dialogue. Nurses also describe a sense of powerlessness, when the woman chooses to go back to a violent relationship. It is common for nurses, in the meeting with the abused woman, to become emotionally involved. Conclusion: Nurses lack training in screening, treat and care for abused women and need more education in the subject

Professional collaboration in higher education to support academic writing: Benefits and challenges: A model for supporting academic writing

At Södertörn University, Sweden, a collaboration model has been developed from the theory of academic literacies, aiming to support students’ writing development. In this innovative way of working, university librarians and writing teachers collaborate with lecturers to integrate a teaching element on academic writing (including searching for, appraising, reading, and writing texts) into existing university courses. In this article, we describe and discuss our experiences of implementing this model in nursing education. We observed that the collaboration made it possible for all professionals to share their knowledge, both in a theoretical and practical sense. Among other things, the lecturers appropriated several linguistic tools which they were able to use in their continued teaching of academic writing. However, challenges regarding the collegial sharing of knowledge were also experienced. If the lessons learned are to be implemented in the organisation, both resources and a mandate from the management are essential.At Södertörn University, Sweden, a transprofessional model has been developed aiming to support students’ writing development from the theory of academic literacies. In this innovative way of working, university librarians and writing teachers collaborate with university teachers to integrate a teaching element on academic writing (including searching for, appraising, reading, and writing texts) into existing university courses. In this article, we describe and discuss our experiences of implementing this transprofessional model in nursing education. We observe that collaboration made it possible for all professionals to share their knowledge, both in a theoretical and practical sense. Among other things, the university teachers appropriated several linguistic tools which they were able to use in their continued teaching of academic writing. However, challenges regarding the collegial sharing of knowledge were also experienced. If the lessons learned are to be implemented the organisation, both resources and a mandate from the management is essential

Professional collaboration in higher education to support academic writing : Benefits and challenges

At Södertörn University, Sweden, a collaboration model has been developed from the theory of academic literacies, aiming to support students’ writing development. In this innovative way of working, university librarians and writing teachers collaborate with lecturers to integrate a teaching element on academic writing (including searching for, appraising, reading, and writing texts) into existing university courses. In this article, we describe and discuss our experiences of implementing this model in nursing education. We observed that the collaboration made it possible for all professionals to share their knowledge, both in a theoretical and practical sense. Among other things, the lecturers appropriated several linguistic tools which they were able to use in their continued teaching of academic writing. However, challenges regarding the collegial sharing of knowledge were also experienced. If the lessons learned are to be implemented in the organisation, both resources and a mandate from the management are essential.

Factory 4 Tomorrow Organization-Challenges and Enablers to Encourage Simultaneous Exploration and Exploitation

This paper identifies challenges and proposes enablers for simultaneous exploration and exploitation in Operations (the production part of a manufacturing company). It also contributes with an empirical example of organizing dual operating systems through behavioral ambidexterity during the digital transformation journey. The main challenges related to achieving simultaneous exploration and exploitation are communication, involved resources, innovation process, collaboration, and implementation. One of the proposed enablers is to develop a more supportive culture through awareness and competence development of managers about the competing cultures of exploration and exploitation. Further on, the diagnostic of opportunities model (the readiness and maturity evaluation model) is an overall enabler and can be used as a supportive dialogue tool to address several of the challenges identified. In addition to this, there also needs to be a strong focus on overall continuous communication and follow-up, especially of the proposed enablers, to support the overall change approach to reach strategic legitimacy in the organization

Att utveckla studenters litteracitet inom professionsutbildningar

De senaste decennierna har sjuksköterskeutbildningen i Sverige gått från en praktisk utbildning till en professionsutbildning. Professionsperspektivet har inneburit ett ökat fokus på studenternas utveckling av academic literacies (Lea & Street, 2006). I denna presentation redovisas ett högskolepedagogiskt projekt om litteracitetsutveckling på Röda Korsets Högskola (RKH). Det har involverat både studenter och lärare inom sjuksköterskeutbildningen. Under samma period som utbildningen har professionaliserats har rekryteringen till högskolan breddats vilket lett till en förändrad studentgrupp inom sjuksköterskeutbildningen (Borglin & Fagerström, 2012). Studenter överlag upplever en svårighet med att utveckla en akademisk litteracitet (Ask, 2007). Svårigheterna kan bland annat kopplas till att studenterna har svårt att förstå vad som förväntas av dem i deras akademiska texter. Men inte bara studenterna ser det akademiska skrivandet som svårt. Många lärare som arbetar på RKH uttrycker att det är svårt att veta vad som är bra arbetssätt för att stödja studenternas litteracitetsutveckling. I samband med RKH:s flytt till Campus Flemingsberg startade RKH 2018 ett samarbete med Södertörns högskolas högskolepedagogiska enhet, studieverkstad och bibliotek om en introduktion till akademiskt skrivande. På Södertörns högskola pågår sedan några år en satsning på ämnesintegrerat akademiskt skrivande som omfattar arbete med att söka, värdera, läsa och skriva akademiska texter. Syftet med momentet akademiskt skrivande inom RKH har varit att under första terminen och samtidigt med examinationen av ämnesinnehållet, introducera studenterna till det akademiska skrivandet. Olika aktiviteter som formativ respons har använts för att stimulera studenternas lärande och lägga en grund för deras fortsatta utveckling av akademisk och professionell litteracitet. Flertalet studenter säger att det varit givande att tidigt i utbildningen få starta lärprocessen gällande ett vetenskapligt förhållningssätt, även om många studenter uttrycker att det akademiska skrivandet är svårt. En viktig del av samarbetet mellan högskolorna har varit att skapa förutsättningar för hållbarhet även vad gäller ämneslärarnas kunskaper om litteracitetsutveckling. Bland annat har workshoppar hållits med hela lärarkollegiet, inte bara med de lärare som arbetar på den aktuella kursen. Lärarna, som ofta implicit har lärt sig det akademiska skrivandet, har fått bekanta sig med verktyg och nyckelbegrepp för att diskutera text med studenter, och har funnit arbetssättet stimulerande. För hållbarheten i utbildningen gäller att alla lärare kan fortsätta att ge stöd i utvecklingen av studenternas litteracitet. Precis som studenterna har konstaterat i sina utvärderingar lär sig ingen ett väl utvecklat akademiskt och professionellt skrivande på första terminen.   Referenser Ask, S. (2007). Vägar till ett akademiskt skriftspråk [Roads to academic written language] In Swedish. Växjö University, Växjö University Press. (No 115/2007) Borglin, G., & Fagerström, C. (2012). Nursing students' understanding och critical thinking and appraisal and academic writing: A descriptive, qualitative study. Nurse Education in Practice, 12, 356-360. doi:10.1016/j.nepr.2012.04.009 Lea, M. R., & Street, B. V. (2006). The "Academic Literacies Model: Theory and Application. Theory Into Practice, 45, 368-377. doi:10.1207/s15430421tip4504_1

Diagnostics of Opportunities – A Dialogue Tool for Addressing Digital Factory Maturity

For over 15 years, the concept of Industry 4.0, now transitioning into Industry 5.0, has been a focal point for the manufacturing sector. Yet, the success of companies in embracing digital transformation varies. There are numerous models and assessment tools for assessing digital readiness and maturity. Several models have been developed over the years, but firms also realize no "one-size-fits-all" exists when testing them. Previous studies show that firms must take charge of their own digital transformation (DT) journey to find a path that suits their specific needs.This qualitative paper is driven by a case study supported by a within-case analysis conducted with a heavy-machine industry with fourteen production plants worldwide – data collected from 2020 to 2023. Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE), created Factory 4 Tomorrow (F4T) to address Industry 4.0. The central challenge for the F4T initiative was how to facilitate an inside-outside approach to identify an inclusive maturity model that emphasizes learning and collaboration. A diagnostic of opportunities model was created to aid the organisation’s transformation journey. It aimed to support all plants by evaluating their maturity in digital transformation, identifying gaps, and support in prioritising. Unlike traditional models that assess and compare plant levels, this model aimed to foster awareness and alignment, establishing a shared language. Thus, a unique model was explicitly crafted for the firm. The process of developing the model itself enhanced awareness and alignment. Therefore, this paper explores the development process - failures and successes - to compile a digital transformation maturity model tailor-made to a firm’s needs and goals. The objective is to offer comprehensive advice for firms to implement DT initiatives effectively in a way that suits them.

Advanced gynaecological cancer : Quality of life one year after diagnosis

Objective: Gynecological cancer treatment impacts women’s physical and psychological health. Our objective was to examine quality of life (QoL) in women with advanced gynecological cancer at diagnosis and one year later, and to identify sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with QoL. Methods: Women with endometrial, ovarian or cervical cancer treated in Uppsala, Sweden 2012-2019 were included. FIGO stage ≥II was considered advanced gynecological cancer, whereas women in FIGO stage I were used as a control group. QoL was assessed with SF-36. We obtained information on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics from medical records and health questionnaires. Differences in QoL domains were tested with t-tests, a mixed model ANOVA and multiple linear regression analyses.  Results: The study population (n=372) included 150 (40.3%) women with advanced gynecological cancer. At diagnosis, women with advanced cancer reported lower physical (71.6 vs 81.8 (mean) p<0.05) and role functioning/physical scores (62.6 vs 77.2 (mean) p<0.05) than women in FIGO stage I. One year later, women with advanced cancer reported higher scores in the mental health domain (78.3 vs 73.2 (mean) p<0.05) than women in FIGO stage I. Women with a history of psychiatric illness, higher BMI and comorbidity reported poorer physical and mental QoL at follow-up, while advanced stage, level of education and smoking were not associated with QoL. Conclusion: Women with advanced gynecological cancer have equally good QoL one year after diagnosis as women with limited disease. Women with previous psychiatric illness, high BMI, and comorbidities are at risk of impaired physical and mental health