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Weapons of Theory : On the Notions of ‘Origins’ and‘Roots’ in Decolonial Thought
No full textThis article critically engages with central tenets of decolonial thought. While sympathetic to decolonial thought’s anti-colonialism and critique of Eurocentric universalism, the article argues that decolonial thought’s understanding(s) of knowledge relies on an essentialising centralisation of origins and roots. Against decolonial thought’s assertion that a knowledge’s relevance for anti-colonial struggle results from its position of exteriority vis-á-vis colonial systems of domination, the article suggests that we need to look at the dialectical and hybrid processes through which bodies of knowledge are made agentic in relation to concrete contexts of political conflict. To discern a body of knowledge’s meaning and relevance for anti-colonial struggles, we need to understand that it is continually shaped and reshaped from recurrent practices of reading, dissemination and rearticulation, through which the theory or knowledge body becomes hybridised and reformulated in relation to incessantly evolving context
Nurses’ experiences of palliative care at end of life : A qualitative literature-based study
No full textBackground: End of life is an inevitable part of life. When an illness becomes incurable, the next phase is palliative care. Working as a nurse in healthcare means caring for all patients regardless of age or diagnosis. Every patient the nurse meets is unique, which means that the care needs are unique and is perceived differently. The nurse is responsible for seeing the patient as a whole person, where the goal is to fulfill the patient's wishes regarding care needs. Regardless of where the nurse chooses to work, sooner or later encounters with palliative end of-life patients occur. Aim: The aim was to describe nurses’ experiences of palliative care at end of life. Method: A literature-based study based on the analysis of qualitative scientific articles were performed, which aimed to increase the understanding of chosen phenomenon and to compile previous research into a new whole from a nursing perspective. Ten scientific articles were analyzed based on Friberg's five-step model. Results: Two main themes were identified. First main theme: The nurse as a professional caregiver, with subthemes: The importance of the caring relationship, The meeting with relatives, Adequate knowledge and competence. Second main theme: Challenges in care, with subthemes: Lack of colleagues and support and Lack of communication with doctor and patient. Conclusion: The nurses who care for patients at the end of life are in need of peer support, to deal with daily emotional and work-related challenges.Syftet med denna litteraturbaserade studie var att beskriva sjuksköterskors erfarenheter av palliativ vård vid livets slutskede. Det första huvudtemat i denna litteraturbaserade studie belyser Sjuksköterskan som professionell vårdare, med underteman: Vårdrelationens betydelse, Mötet med närstående, Adekvat kunskap och kompetens. Det andra huvudtemat belyserUtmaningar i vårdandet, med underteman: Brist på kollegor och stöd, Bristande kommunikation med läkare och patient. I resultatet framkom sjuksköterskors erfarenheter om att en bra vårdrelation är avgörande för upprätthållandet av god vård vid livets slutskede. Genom att vara omtänksam mot patienterna och närstående, skapade sjuksköterskor förtroende för vården, vilket bidrog till att patienterna och närstående upplevde trygghet och respekt. Adekvat kunskap och kompetens betonade sjuksköterskor som centrala aspekter för en säker och trygg vård vid livets slutskede. Nyexaminerade sjuksköterskor beskrev hur osäkerheten uppstod i vårdandet av patienterna vid livets slutskede, vilket relaterades till otillräcklig kunskap och kompetens inom området. Brist på stöd, kollegor och kommunikation betonade sjuksköterskor som frustration och upplevelser av att inte räcka till. Slutsatsen som kan dras från resultatet är att sjuksköterskor som arbetar med palliativ vård vid livets slutskede är i behov av kollegialt stöd och ytterligare kunskap för att klara av känslomässiga utmaningar och ansträngda vårdsituationer. I bakgrunden beskrevs den palliativa vården med fokus på sjuksköterskeprofessionen och ansvarsområdet samt tidigare forskning och omvårdnadsteorier. Metoden som examensarbetet utgick ifrån var en litteraturbaserad studie som grundades i analys av kvalitativa artiklar. Tio vetenskapliga artiklar valdes och analyserades utifrån Fribergs femstegsmetod. I resultatdiskussionen diskuterar författaren sjuksköterskors erfarenheter som framkommit inom den palliativa vården vid livets slutskede
Digital learning strategies in residency education
No full textBackground New digital learning environments have transformed medical education and training, allowing students and teachers to engage in synchronous, real-time interactions and asynchronous learning activities online. Despite extensive research on the role of digital technologies in education, understanding the interplay between digital technology, work, and learning, especially in complex fields like healthcare, remains a challenge. Objective The objective of this study is to examine resident physicians’ perceptions and experiences of using a digital learning environment as part of their specialist medical training. The paper focuses on digital learning through video conferencing (virtual lectures and seminars) and related learning technologies. It aims to understand how resident physicians perceive pedagogical opportunities and challenges in digital learning environments during their medical training and what strategies they use to address these. Materials and Methods The methodological approach is qualitative, aiming to capture and understand participants’ experiences and views of digital learning. The empirical data gathered from open-ended responses to four course evaluation surveys and semi-structured interviews with nine physicians from a cohort of participants enrolled in two or more digital courses were analyzed through thematic analysis. The analysis revealed three main themes related to digital transformation of learning: sociotechnical, educational and administrative. Results The results suggest that (i) sociotechnical aspects and understanding of the context in which the learning takes place contribute to enhancing digital learning for resident physicians; (ii) insights into participants’ perceptions of digital learning emphasize that interactive communication and group discussions are significant for their learning, and (iii) administrative aspects related to course design, lecture management, and instructional support are more important in digital learning environments compared to traditional teaching and learning. Conclusion Findings from this study confirm and extend prior studies on digital learning in healthcare, contributing to a better understanding of how digital learning environments, especially virtual lectures and seminars, can be developed and integrated into residency programs and health professions education to increase their usefulness
Möte mellan tradition och förändring : en forskningsöversikt om undervisning i fritidshem
No full textI fritidshemmet har under det senaste decenniet en förskjutning skett från en socialpedagogisk tradition till en ökad betoning på lärande och undervisning. Fenomenet undervisning är tämligen nytt i fritidshem och flera studier visar att fritidshemslärare upplever en osäkerhet i hur detta ska tolkas och omsättas i praktiken. I denna forskningsöversikt ligger fokus på undervisning och hur det är belyst i relation till svensk fritidshemspraktik. Syftet med studien är att beskriva vad som karaktäriserar undervisning i fritidshem i svensk forskning under tjugo år. Metoden är en systematisk forskningsöversikt (Systematic Literature Review, SLR) med en kvantitativ innehållsanalys och en kvalitativ tematisk analys. Den tematiska analysen genererade tre innehållsliga teman: undervisningsområden, förutsättningar för undervisning, och aktörsperspektiv på undervisning. Resultatet visar att ett intresse för undervisning som fenomen har vuxit fram de senaste åren men att det finns få studier som på ett explicit sätt berör detta. I stället behandlar en majoritet av studierna undervisning implicit och berör områden som kan ses vara relaterade till fritidshemmets undervisning. Studien visar på vikten av att mer forskning, utifrån olika perspektiv och ansatser, genomförs i relation till undervisning i fritidshem. Title: Traditions and Change: A Review Article on Swedish School-age Educare Practice Over the last decade, there has been a shift in the Swedish school-age educare (SAEC) from a social-pedagogical tradition to an increased emphasis on learning and teaching. The phenomenon of teaching is fairly new in SAEC, and several studies show that SAEC teachers experience uncertainty in how this should be interpreted and put into practice. In this research overview, the focus is on teaching and how it is elucidated in relation to Swedish SAEC practice. The purpose of the study is to describe what characterizes teaching in SAEC in Swedish research over twenty years. The method is a systematic literature review (SLR) with a quantitative content analysis and a qualitative thematic analysis. The thematic analysis generated three substantive themes: teaching areas, conditions for teaching and actors’ perspectives on teaching. The results show that an interest in teaching as a phenomenon has emerged in recent years, but that there are few studies that explicitly address this. Instead, a majority of the studies deal with teaching implicitly and touch on areas that can be seen to be related to SAEC teaching. The study shows the importance of more research, based on different perspectives and approaches, being carried out in relation to teaching in SAEC. CC BY</p
Möten mellan migrantfamiljer och svensk barnavård : ur socialsekreterares perspektiv
No full textThe focus of this study is contacts between social workers and migrant families, in situations where a report of concern has been received regarding a child’s situation. In this study social workers are interviewed. The research questions are: - What challenges do the social workers express that they encounter in their contacts with migrant families? - What possibilities do the social workers express that they encounter in contacts with migrant families? - How can challenges and opportunities be understood on a structural level? Mohan Dutta’s culture-centered perspective is applied as an overarching theory, and in a final analysis Dutta’s communication theory model is used for analysis of data at a structural level. However, the interviews are also analyzed within the framework of four themes, based on different theoretical perspectives. These themes also constitute the four result chapters: The goals of social work, method and theory insocial work, the role of conversation and dilemmas. The first theme, goals of social work, is formulated in the interviews through the concepts of change, empowerment, and participation. These goals are broadly consistent with the goal formulations in the Social Services Act. The results show that the goals of the social workers relate mostly to the migrant families. They are the ones who must change, who are expected to achieve empowerment and who must become involved. The social workers are aware of the power aspect in the meetings and strive to give the families as much space as possible. However, it is the social workers who define the problems and come up with solutions. In the second theme, when asking the social workers about method and theory in social work, they convey that they primarily work with themselves as tools. This work appears in the interviews as a social pathos. Based on the positioning theory, it is the positions of recognition and reflection that are visible in the data. This is visible when social workers recognize situations from their own life situations in the migrants’ narratives, or when they reflect about themselves as privileged. Recognition however, risks giving an illusion of affinity which in turn can lead to false hopes for migrant families. In the third theme concerning the role of conversation, the social workers describe how they, by focusing on conversation, can overcome the migrant families’ fear of social services. However, there are different ways of understanding the concept of conversation, and in interviews with the social workers, conversation is perceived to a greater degree in terms of informing than communicating. Clear and transparent language and correct interpretation appear to be important. The challenges with information instead of communication may mean that the migrant families only gain trust in the individual social worker, not the social service. The fourth theme is about dilemmas. The dilemmas in social work practice pose challenges for social workers. However, there is discretion, which becomes opportunities for the social workers in everyday work. The most frequent dilemmais whether to consider problematic situations for the families as social problems or problems caused by cultural factors. The social workers describe different strategies for solving the dilemmas: an accepting, an influenced and a knowledge strategy. Based on Dutta’s communication theory model and the central concept of a cultural centered perspective a structural analysis is made at the end of the report based on the relationship between culture/structure and agency/voice. Acts of resistance and the social workers’ local and relational position in relation to the migrant families are also discussed here. By using Dutta’s model, new ways of looking at social practice are offered. The awareness of how societal structures affect families means that their situation can never fundamentally change if the families themselves are not allowed to participate in the formulation of their problem and the solutions. The social workers are aware of, and strive for this, but experience this assignment as almost impossible under the current conditions
Positive effects of tactile massage for adolescents with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) : A small scale study
No full textBACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Epidemiological studies show the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adolescents is around 5 %. There is strong evidence for psychosocial interventions and medication for treatment of ADHD core symptoms, but these alone do not always reach a satisfactory outcome. The aim of this small-scale study was to evaluate the impact of tactile massage on ADHD core symptoms in adolescents in a clinical setting. Secondary outcome measures addressed pain perception, ability to fall asleep, and stress levels before, during, and after the intervention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen adolescents aged 15-17 and previously diagnosed with ADHD received tactile massage sessions in an experimental, single-subject ABA study combined with a group-based evaluation using descriptive statistics. The adolescents and their parents answered questionnaires to follow up on the primary and secondary outcomes. RESULTS: The results showed a statistically significant reduction in hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattention, as well as oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Participants reported that it was significantly easier to fall asleep. There was also a tendency to perceive less pain, but these results were not statistically significant. The compliance in this study was excellent. CONCLUSION: In this study, tactile massage appears to have had a significantly positive impact on ADHD core symptoms and the ability to fall asleep. The absence of adverse physiological changes and the excellent compliance, coupled with positive results, supports the idea that tactile massage may be considered safe and beneficial for adolescents with ADHD. Our findings need to be further investigated in future research.CC-BY 4.0</p
Social and technical potential of single family houses in increasing the resilience of the power grid during severe disturbances
No full textFlexible resources aids in enhancing the resilience of a renewable dominated power system. Space heating systems equipped with heat pumps is one such flexible resource. With this background, the current study deals with the quantification of flexibility potential of space heating systems in houses equipped with various heat pump types. A heat pump model is represented using a vapour compression heat pump cycle. This model is integrated with a thermal model of a house to estimate electricity consumption, for maintaining the indoor temperature at a set value, as flexibility quantification depends on electricity consumption. In addition to this, flexibility potential is quantified by, analysing and incorporating the results on minimum acceptable indoor temperature from twelve interviews with households owning heat pumps, into the integrated model. The results from interviews reveal that, there is an uncertainty in minimum acceptable indoor temperature, as it is dependant on a number of factors such as frequency and duration of interruption, access to additional heating and motivation to be flexible. Hence, to quantify flexibility using thermal simulations, the indoor temperature is reduced from 20 °C to values between 18 °C and 15 °C, based on minimum acceptable temperatures stated in the interviews. The flexibility potential is quantified in terms of an instantaneous reduction in electric power and reduction in electric energy. By reducing the indoor temperature from 20 °C to the aforementioned values at an outdoor ambient temperature of -5 °C, in about a million single family houses in southern half of Sweden, an instantaneous reduction in electric power is estimated to be 1.6 GW, for the power system with 23 GW plannable power. Additionally, considering the recovery of the indoor temperature to 20 °C in 24 h, electric energy reduction is found to be between 4.06 GWh and 7.4 GWh, when the reference indoor temperature is reduced to values between 18 °C and 15 °C respectively, over 17.25 h. Furthermore, with time the amount of flexibility offered reduces, becomes negative during the recovery period and finally reaches zero, when the indoor temperature is restored. The results reveal that space heating systems in houses equipped with heat pumps have the potential to enhance the resilience of the power grid during severe grid disturbances. © 2024 The AuthorsCC BY 4.0</p
Key Challenges of Cloud Computing Resource Allocation in Small and Medium Enterprises
No full textAlthough cloud computing offers many benefits, such as flexibility, scalability, and profitability, some small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are still unable to fully utilize cloud resources, such as memory, computing power, storage, and network bandwidth. This reduces their productivity and increases their expenses. Therefore, the central objective of this paper was to examine the key challenges related to the allocation of cloud computing resources in small and medium enterprises. The method used for this study is based upon qualitative research using 12 interviews with 12 owners, managers, and experts in cloud computing in four countries: the United States of America, the United Kingdom, India, and Pakistan. Our results, based on our empirical data, show 11 key barriers to resource allocation in cloud computing that are classified based on the technology, organization, and environment (TOE) framework. Theoretically, this research contributes to the body of knowledge concerning cloud computing technology and offers valuable understanding of the cloud computing resource allocation approaches employed by small and medium enterprises (SMEs). In practice, this research is useful to aid SMEs in implementing successful and sustainable strategies for allocating cloud computing resources. CC-BY 4.0</p
Arbetsrelaterat välbefinnande bland anställda i omsorgssektorn : Samspelet mellan psykologiska trygghet, schemanöjdsamhet och PERMA-modellen
No full textBakgrund: Personalomsättning är en utmaning inom omsorgssektorn, där oförutsägbara arbetsscheman kan leda till organisatoriska svårigheter och minskat engagemang. Denna studie undersöker sambandet mellan nöjsamhet med arbetsschemat och välmående, mätt genom PERMA-modellen. Vidare analyseras psykologisk trygghet som en potentiell förändrande faktor. Metod: En kvantitativ korrelationsstudie genomfördes med ett urval av 249 anställda inom omsorgssektorn. Data samlades in via en webbaserad enkät som innehöll frågor om nöjsamhet med arbetsschemat, psykologisk trygghet och välmående enligt PERMA-modellen. Statistiska analyser inkluderade deskriptiv statistik, korrelationsanalyser och multipel linjär regressionsanalys. Kontrollvariabler som ålder, kön och anställningstyp inkluderades för att öka validiteten. Resultat: Resultaten visar att nöjsamhet med arbetsschemat hade ett signifikant och medelstarkt positivt samband med välmående (r = .46, p < .001). Multipel regressionsanalys bekräftade att schemanöjdhet hade en signifikant korrelation på välmående (β = .45, p < .001) även när kontrollvariabler inkluderades. Psykologisk trygghet visade dock inget signifikant samband med välmående och förändrar inte relationen mellan schemanöjdhet och välmående. Slutsatser: Nöjsamhet med arbetsschemat framstår som en viktig faktor för att stödja anställdas välmående i omsorgssektorn. Scheman som upplevs som flexibla, rättvisa och förutsägbara samvarierar med ökad trivsel och balans mellan arbete och privatliv. Organisationer kan gynnas av att främja schemaläggning som är associerad med medarbetarnas välbefinnande och som potentiellt kan bidra till att minska personalomsättningen. Framtida forskning bör utforska hur dessa samband varierar mellan olika branscher och kontexter.Background: Employee turnover is a challenge in the care sector, where unpredictable work schedules can lead to organizational difficulties and reduced engagement. This study examines the relationship between work schedule satisfaction and well-being, measured through the PERMA model. Furthermore, psychological safety is analyzed as a potential modifying factor. Method: A quantitative correlation study was conducted with a sample of 249 employees in the care sector. Data were collected through a web-based questionnaire that included questions about work schedule satisfaction, psychological safety and well-being according to the PERMA model. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, correlation analyses and multiple linear regression analysis. Control variables such as age, gender, and type of employment were included to increase validity. Results: The results show that work schedule satisfaction had a significant and moderately positive relationship with well-being (r = .46, p < .001). Multiple regression analysis confirmed that schedule satisfaction was significantly correlated with well-being (β = .45, p < .001) even when control variables were included. However, psychological safety did not show a significant relationship with well-being and does not modify the relationship between schedule satisfaction and well-being. Conclusions: Satisfaction with work schedule appears to be an important factor in supporting employees' well-being in the care sector. Schedules that are perceived as flexible, fair, and predictable are associated with increased job satisfaction and work-life balance. Organizations may benefit from promoting scheduling that is associated with employee's well-being and that can potentially contribute to reducing employee turnover. Future research should explore how these relationships vary across industries and contexts
Well-planned greenery improves air urban quality : Modelling the effect of altered airflow and pollutant deposition
No full textUrban air quality is influenced by vegetation through alterations in airflow and pollutant deposition processes. We investigated these interactions by integrating the Vegetation Impact Dynamic Assessment model (VIDA) with the Large-Eddy Simulation model PALM. Our analysis focus on nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and particulate matter (PM) concentrations at the local scale, considering three tree genera. Our findings reveal the necessity of accounting for both gaseous pollutants and particles separately due to their differing mechanisms of deposition onto leaves. The coupled PALM-VIDA model demonstrates a significant reduction in PM levels across the modelling domain and within street canyons when deposition to vegetation is incorporated. Reduction in NO₂ through deposition to vegetation is lower but human NO2 exposure can still be decreased if tree species selection and placement leads to desirable effects on air flow. Sparse tree arrangements or species with sparse crowns facilitate ventilation and are often better at reducing NO₂ concentrations in street canyons compared to denser vegetation with higher deposition but negative effects on ventilation. Our study informs urban planning and green infrastructure design, underscoring the multifaceted role of urban greenery in air pollution mitigation strategies. Its main conclusion is that both deposition processes and the influence of air mixing and ventilation need to be considered to accurately assess the effects of urban trees on local air quality. Ill-considered placement and species selection may cause a net increase in pollutants underneath the trees. However, careful planning can address this risk and instead improve overall air quality. © 2024 The AuthorsCC-BY 4.0</p