Participant validation: Exploring a contested tool in qualitative research

This paper examines the use of participant validation in qualitative research, and illustrates that the process of validation can be something more than validation. It can also generate new data and provide the participants with empowering experiences. The paper is based on an action research project involving birth parents in the development of new types of services for parents who involuntary have had a child placed in care. In addition to discussing the challenges of participant validation, this paper also highlights the methodological, ethical, and empowering effects of this type of validation.publishedVersio

New method for measuring viscosity of mixtures of two fluids

When executing a drilling operation in a well, rheological properties are important to understand in order to have the most error- and problem-free drilling operation as possible. Drilling fluids such as mud, spacer and cement are used to achieve these error- and problem- free operations. Before using these fluids, tests are performed to get an understanding of their behavior both separately and together. In this bachelor thesis the main focus is on oil-based mud and spacer, since these two fluids are relevant fluids for the tests relevant to this thesis. The goal is to find a new method that performs more efficient, cleaner and will give us meaningful results. Two instruments have been restored and modified to perform these tests, that are compatibility and wettability. I will return to the definition and explanation of these at a later stage of the thesis. The development of these machines has been tested frequently to achieve the most meaningful and best results possible. A rheometer, Fann Model 286, and a wettability test apparatus, Fann Model C1001. Both from Fann Instrument Company is the two instruments that has been restored, modified and used. The results from the development and tests will give us an idea and thought for how to improve and run tests smoothly. Also results that make sense in understanding of the rheological properties so that we can run drilling operations without problems

Smertekartlegging og smertelindring hos pasienter med demens: utfordringer og dilemmaer

Aim: to explore nurses' experiences with pain assessment and pain relieving in patient with dementia. Background: research shows that patients with dementia are still suffering from unnecessary pain. The reason it may be nurses difficulty to interpret and map patients’ pain. Method: data were collected through three different focus group interviews. A semi – structured interview guide was developed to answer the research question. Data were analyzed by using a content analysis in four steps. Findings: The findings are divided into three sub – categories with a focus on: patients age, comorbiditet and polyfarmasi, routines for pain assessment and pain relieving, and ethical dilemmas in pain relieving in patients with dementia. Conclusions: Pain assessment and pain relieving in patients with dementia are challenging. Common procedures for pain assessment and individual pain relieving may be good prospects for patients get effective pain relieving. Regular use of pain assessment instruments tailored for the patient group will contribute to effective pain assessment and pain relieving in patients with dementi

Partnership with Parents of Children in Care: A Study of Collective User Participation in Child Protection Services

This article presents the findings from a study of user participation in the Norwegian Child Protection services. Birth parents who have lost the custody of their children often feel disempowered by the authorities. The help offered to this group is often unsatisfactory. In this study, the parents were provided with the opportunity to form a group together with social workers and foster parents. The evaluation shows that the group offered the parents both the social support they needed and a forum to voice their opinions of the services. The group was mutually beneficial; it provided the social workers with useful knowledge, which resulted in organisational development, and the birth parents described their experiences as an empowering process. This study suggests that group strategies represent both a vital supplement to individual service provision and also a means to bring about organisational learning and change

Peak-summer energy and carbon fluxes on a thawing permafrost site

We present measurements of surface fluxes taken between 7 July and 6 August 2017, on a palsa mire near the Iškoras mountain in Finnmark, northern Norway. Palsa mires are a particular landform found at the edge of the discontinuous permafrost zone, where mean annual temperatures are close to 0 °C and climate change is expected to have a high impact. Turbulent fluxes of sensible heat, latent heat and carbon dioxide were measured with the eddy-covariance (EC) method, while complementary energy balance data was provided by a net radiometer and two soil heat flux plates. The raw turbulence data was processed by the validated TK3 software package, which applies the plausability tests, corrections and quality controls needed for reliable flux calculations. Through a footprint analysis we found the average turbulent fetch area to overlap well with our ecosystem of interest, in that only 20 % of the footprint climatology was outside the palsa mire. However, a greater carbon uptake was observed during northerly winds than otherwise, which suggests that the more vegetated area to the north of the palsa mire also influenced our flux measurements. Overall, our results are similar to those of other studies from the growing season at sub-Arctic sites. The mean daytime Bowen ratio was 74 %, which is typical for high-latitude wetlands in summertime. The soil heat flux was positive most of the time, and from our cumulative flux estimates we found a large soil heat uptake during the campaign, which is characteristic for permafrost regions during the warm season. However, the average flux from the upper sensor at 10 cm was only 8 % of the net radiation. This is in general less than what other permafrost studies have found for the ground heat flux, likely due to a change in heat storage above the 10 cm level. The average net ecosystem exchange of carbon dioxide during the campaign was –1.1 μmol/m2s, which indicates carbon uptake and compares well to what has been reported in other studies from similar sites in summertime. Differences in carbon budgets between sub-Arctic ecosystems seem to be associated with the vegetation cover. A certain long-term increase in carbon flux amplitude was found, likely related to vegetation growth. We were not able to verify the surface energy balance equation with our measurements, but using longwave radiation data we managed to estimate the true ground heat flux at the surface. This gave a better, though not perfect, balance. Our ogive test suggested that a significant fraction of the turbulent fluxes were inadequately sampled with a block averaging period of only 30 min, which also contributed to the observed imbalance in surface heat fluxes.Masteroppgåve i meteorologi og oseanografiMAMN-GEOFGEOF39

Kollektiv brukermedvirkning i barnevernet : partnerskap eller retorikk?

Postprint, iOpenAccess. This is an electronic version of an article published in European Journal of Social Work, 2011. European Journal of Social Work is available online at: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/. The original article can be found at URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13691457.2010.500477This article explores how collective participation can help involve service users in the improvement of child protection services. Results from the action research project 'User participation and professional service in the child protection services' provide the basis for our discussion. Two of several initiatives in the project aimed at collective user participation undertaken in cooperation with two child protection centres in Norway are presented: a dialogue-based participation group for youths in child protection, and a group for parents who have lost custody of their children (the 'User Group'). The initiative for young people resulted in changes in the practice of the child protection centre, and the User Group provided the parents with the opportunity to influence child protection services. The findings suggest that there is great need to further investigate models for collective user participation in order to provide service users with the power to influence service delivery

Nursing Students’ Learning about Person-centred Dementia Care in a Nursing Home: A Qualitative Study

It is unclear to what extent nursing students are able to apply person-centred care in practice, despite a mixture of educational support approaches. The aim of this study was to explore nursing students’ experiences of learning about person-centred dementia care after they participated in an adopted education programme in a nursing home. The education programme presented the main concepts of person-centred care. A qualitative explorative design was chosen where 32 bachelor-level nursing students participated in seven focus groups. The study is reported according to the COREQ checklist. Qualitative thematic content analysis revealed two main themes: care culture in the nursing home as joyful and inclusive, and the nursing student role as ambivalent and challenging. The nursing home management, staff members and patients, together with the programme, seemed to enhance students’ learning about person-centred dementia care.publishedVersio

Contested legacies of early modern colonialism in Norway: A summary of the 2020 debates on Ludvig Holberg and Jørgen Thormøhlen

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Enablers of the successful implementation of simulation exercises: a qualitative study among nurse teachers in undergraduate nursing education

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Social Innovation Toward a Meaningful Everyday Life for Nursing Home Residents: An Ethnographic Study

Background: The literature shows that innovation, which includes culture change, may be important to create a meaningful everyday life for nursing home residents. However, there is a gap in how social innovation practices may contribute to this. The theoretical discourse for the study is person-centered care. Aim: The main aim was to explore phenomena within social innovation that can contribute to improving nursing home residents’ everyday lives. Design and Method: This study uses an ethnographic design with observations and interviews in two nursing homes in Southern Norway. Findings: The main theme was that social innovation within working practices in nursing homes includes phenomena that contribute to a meaningful everyday life for the residents. This main theme includes five subthemes: (1) opening the nursing home to the surroundings; (2) expanding and strengthening the community of practice; (3) facilitating customized activities; (4) ensuring sufficient nutrition and facilitating enjoyable mealtimes; and (5) preventing unrest and disturbing behavior. Conclusion: The study reveals that innovation practices grounded in person-centered care in nursing homes may contribute to opening the nursing home to the community and establishing a common community practice for all members of the nursing home. This enables residents to experience meaningful everyday life through customized activities, sufficient nutrition, and a pleasant milieu during mealtimes. Disturbing behavior is also prevented, making it possible to promote meaningful lives in nursing homes.publishedVersio