NEWSLETTER MESSAGE FR0M THE PRESIDENT. Number 2, 2009

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1 NEWSLETTER Number 2, 2009 MESSAGE FR0M THE PRESIDENT Dear Fellows and Scholars of EANS This is the second and last Newsletter of It is amazing how fast time is running. It has been a busy year for all of us. Also we are at a turning point with regard to the Summer School. This second issue contains several contributions from nursing departments in Finland and in Spain. Thank you and I very much would like more contributions of this kind from fellows and scholars. So please do not hesitate to send me contributions of relevance for the members of EANS. This years Summer School took place in Turku, Finland. The weather was lovely and so were the facilities, the teaching and the enthusiastic students from all over Europe. Everything went smoothly in addition to lectures and teaching we also had a lovely, typical Finnish social programme, not to forget the sauna and the trip by boat to our EANS dinner. As usual we had a Board Meeting in connection to the visit in Turku. The minutes will be on the website. The board discussed in particular how to go on with the Summer School now that the Marie Curie Grant has come to an end. Also the discussion was about how to best use the members fee. It was agreed that we need to find ways to support excellent students from less well off countries in Europe to participate in the Summer School. Also the discussion circled around how to support fellows and scholars to develop research collaboration across Europe. Walter Sermeus and Jan Hamers will prepare a suggestion to be presented at the next board meeting. David Richards has put a lot of hard work into developing the Summer School programme along the line of encouraging nurse intervention studies that has the strengths to provide stronger evidence and more useful results for practice. The programme will be inspired by the issue of International Journal of Nursing Studies of 2009 (volume 46 number 4). Professor Richards has also prepared a grant application to support this development. We can only keep our fingers crossed and hope for a grant. Thanks to David for all the hard work! Along with the Summer School was the Scholar Meeting. The scholars planned the programme and as I understand it, it turned out as a success. We do by now have a large group of scholars and some at an early stage of their development as independent researchers and others very independent. We need to consider how to handle that situation so that there will be something for everybody. EANS fellows in collaboration with scholars have been successful in obtaining grants from EU. This is the way we want it to be. Hopefully we will see more of this kind in the future. The next Scientific Meeting will be in January 2010 and here in the Newsletter you will find more information about the programme. I am sure that Helena Leino-Kilpi want so many as possible to contribute and network in order to in the next step obtain grants on a European level. The programme looks inspiring and I am sure it will give us all opportunity to network. I look forward to see you all there. The Summer School 2010 will be in Witten/Herdecke, Germany. Gabriele Mayer has provided you with some useful information and also the dates. Please, make sure that your doctoral students apply for joining the programme. This year there will be a fee since we do not have any funding. However, Gabriele will try to keep it as low as possible. Make sure your students apply for grants to participate at their home university. I think this is all for now. The next Newsletter will be due in springtime I love to receive contributions from you, fellows and scholars. Also do not forget to visit the web site for updated information about the Scientific Meeting and the Summer School. Sincerely Professor Ingalill Rahm Hallberg, President of EANS ingalill.rahm_hallberg@rektor.lu.se

2 FROM THE SECRETARY S DESK Sitting writing this, the scorching hot summer temperatures of the Turku summer school are but a dim memory as the autumn rain lashes down on my balcony, obscuring my usual view of Exeter s glorious medieval cathedral. People are scurrying around outside, dashing from doorway to doorway to avoid the deluge. Nonetheless, when the sun does come out we can now look forward to crisp cold days and clear views. But this is not a weather report. EANS is developing fast and making great strides in a number of directions. At the last Board meeting in July 2009 the re-election of Ingalill Rahm Hallberg and Ian Norman to the Board was noted as was the election of Gabrielle Meyer from Witten Herdecke to her first Board term. Having been heavily involved in the summer schools, it is with regret that I had to announce the ending of the European Commission s Marie Curie funding and the termination of the Commissions specific support programme for activities such as our summer school. This means that we have no opportunity to bid for further monies from the Commission with the consequence that the next summer school in Witten Herdecke, 2010 will be self-funded. The Turku summer school had 34 first years, 32 second years and 28 third years attending, plus more than 20 Scholars and as many teachers. We hope that we can still persuade participants, teachers and scholars to attend and support the summer school in It was also agreed that the University of Lund, Sweden would host the 2011 summer school to coincide with a celebration of the end of Ingalill s last term as President of EANS. As with all change, however, the ending of the funding gives us the opportunity to redesign the summer school curriculum, learning from our experiences over the last four years. We do some things very well, particularly activities to promote European integration, but all acknowledged that some aspects of the course need a refresh. During the last six months I have been busily rewriting the curriculum to reflect modern ideas about research into the complex activity that is nursing. Participants and teachers will notice a big difference in 2010 and an even bigger change by These changes have been signposted in two recent articles in the International Journal of Nursing Studies (Richards and Hamers, 2009; and Borglin and Richards, 2010) to follow up Ingalill s recent editorials in the same journal (Hallberg 2006; 2009). We have also written and submitted a grant to the European Science Foundation for a network award to support the summer school in the future. We will hear about this during summer 2010, although we are aware that it took three attempts before we were successful with the previous award. As ever, perseverance and tenacity are the watchwords for academic and research success! Finally, to many people s relief, I have organised for the EANS website to be redesigned. This will provide for a neater design, faster downloads and a private password protected members area. Finally, we will be able to provide members with an opportunity to contact each other securely. Happy networking, David Richards, Secretary, EANS EANS SUMMER SCHOOL Turku University organized an outstanding Summer School with a high quality teaching programme and excellent social events. Even the weather was brilliant. Now it is up to us to invite to Summer School 2010 in Germany at Witten/Herdecke ten/ University. Our institution it io n is a young and small private University with three faculties: Medicine (including the Institute of Nursing Science), ce), Economics, and Cultural Reflection. The latter gives you an idea that the spirit of anthroposophy hovers above the University. Witten/Herdecke is located in North Rhine-Westfalia, the German state with the highest population p density in Germany. The region in which Witten/Herdecke is embedded is called the Ruhrgebiet. It is the largest industrial area in Germany. However, approximately 10 years ago heavy industry was closed down and a change into an industrial cultural area began. This area is a mixture of a beautiful landscape dominated by the River Ruhr, old coal mines and disused steal factories. The Ruhrgebiet is going to be the European capital of culture Thus, selected high quality cultural events are expected. EANS summer school will take place from 28 th June to 9 th July for first year students and from 5 th to 9 th July for second and third year students. Scholars will meet from 6 th to 9 th July.

3 The Witten/Herdecke summer school preparation team consists of Ruud Halfens (EANS fellow), Irmela Gnass, Antonie Haut and Jörg große Schlarmann (EANS students), Andreas Büscher (EANS scholar), and Gabriele Meyer (EANS fellow). We hope to welcome you in Witten/Herdecke! Join us and join the Ruhrgebiet with its special charm! How to get to Witten/Herdecke? There are several possibilities to get to Witten. If you go by plane Dusseldorf Airport will be the most convenient destination. From Dusseldorf take the train to Dortmund main station and another one to Witten. Dortmund has a small airport, too. Cologne and Hanover Airports are also not far away. The train station next to Witten is Dortmund. The announcement for applications and the selection of students will be handled by the University of Exeter. Calls for applications will be announced to EANS members and European nursing organisations shortly. Applicants will have to demonstrate the ability to self-fund and a commitment to three years attendance. Applicants will then be selected at random, stratified by country and University to enable a fair spread of participants across Europe. Gabriele Meyer, FEANS, University of Witten/Herdecke, Germany

4 SCIENTIFIC MEETING, JANUARY 2010 Scientific Committee of EANS is arranging the next Scientific Meeting of EANS on the 22 nd of January 2010 in Lissabon, Portugal. The collaborator in Portugal is University of Lissabon, and professor Martha Lima Basto. We thank Marta for all help! The programme looks interesting. We will hear about nursing education in Portugal, and news from two collaborative research projects in Europe, the RN4CAST-project co-ordinated by professor Sermeus (University of Leuven, Belgium) and the RightTime- Care-project co-ordinated by professor Meyer (University of Witten-Herdecke, Germany). There will be also presentations and discussions about ethics in publication, supervision of PhD-students and multi-cultural projects. Scientific Meetings are important for EANS, for improving international research collaboration. Lissabon is just a beautiful city so, I wish to meet you all there. Welcome! Helena Leino-Kilpi Chair of the Scientifi c Committee of EANS Secretary of EANS, professor Richards will give us evaluation of EANS past and plans for future important for further development of EANS. Also, we have symposia in different fields. This year we have established a new symposia in methodological issues (moderator professor Taylor, University of Dundee, UK) and will continue some of the old ones, like symposia in elderly (moderator professor Hamers, University of Maastricht, NL). ONGOING RESEACH Research on Family Nursing Interventions at the University of Tampere in Finland The term Family nursing means good nursing care, in which the clients or patients family members are taken into account. The patients family members are very important in supporting patients healing, preventing illness and increasing the health and wellbeing of the whole family. Illnesses, crisis and other changes in one s personal life are not affecting only one person. Those situations always have an effect on the persons who are emotionally close to the patient, as well. To be able to increase the health and well-being of individuals and families, it is important to know more about their life situation, including that of the people close to them. For example, the length of staying in hospital because of illness or surgical operation, has shortened dramatically in last years. The need for finding an understandable and effective way to counsel has increased: how to counsel patients so that they can live at home after the discharge from hospital? A possible solution for that is working in a familycentred way: the patient and the family member should get the same information and counselling together. Research on interventions like this is needed. There are also other situations in which individuals and their families need support and effective interventions together, and that those have been systematically evaluated (Mattila et al 2009). To conclude, family interventions have been developed but there is still a great need to develop, test and evaluate more effective, family-centred nursing. At the University of Tampere, Department of Nursing Science, large research projects ARE GOING ON concerning family nursing interventions. Professor Åstedt-Kurki is leading the project Effectiveness of interactional family nursing interventions during the life span (eg. Joronen et al. 2008, Maijala et. al 2009). Professor Paavilainen is the leader of A project dealing with identifying and intervening in family violence.

5 Both research projects got funding from Academy of Finland during These projects have also produced research knowledge about developing and testing the Family Nursing Scale of family functioning, health and social support (eg. Åstedt-Kurki et al 2002, Åstedt-Kurki et.al 2009) and interventions identifying and dealing with child abuse (Paavilainen & Flinck 2008) and intimate partner violence (Leppäkoski 2007). Those interventions are now in process for further testing. The research on family health and family nursing at the University of Tampere has got the Distinguised Contribution to Family Nursing Award in the 9th International Family Nursing Conference in Reykjavik, Iceland 2009 (Saveman 2009) Eija Paavilainen, PhD & Päivi Åstedt-Kurki, PhD Tampere University, Finland EDUCATION New Nursing education in Spain Since nursing education was integrated at the university level in 1977, the basic or undergraduate academic education in Spain was been a three year diploma degree. Therefore, nurses had to move to other disciplines in order to achieve academic growth or forward their nursing studies abroad. During the last four years, 47 Universities, which have integrated Nursing Studies and represent up to 130 Nursing Schools, have developed their own Nursing Degree curricula with the support of a National Grant from the Ministry of Education (ANECA). This project was also supported by the National Conference of Nursing School Directors. First, an analysis of Nurisng studies in all EU countries was done in order to know the different nursing curricula and structure. During this study phase we identified Nursing education duration, recording the number of years, hours and ECTS involved; the type of academic institution, and the accreditation degree students received upon graduation. Secondly, the participant Universities analyzed the demand for Nursing studies, in Spain, evaluating the number of students seats offered by each Nursing School and the number of registered applicants. During this phase, we also studied the level of employment satisfaction conducting a national nursing survey. The third project phase evaluated generic and specific competencies needed for graduation, at the degree and postgraduate levels. Following the Tuning methodology, the analysis of the third phase was done by a national survey to students, nursing professors, nurses, nursing hospital administrators and employers, and professional nursing organizations and associations. As a result of the grant project, a report called White book of nursing in Spain / Libro Blanco de la Enfermeria Española was presented to the Spanish Government on the Degree curriculum, including its objectives, teaching strategies, stucture of mandatory courses and ECTS. Also, the competencies required for each course were identified and defined. This document, published at the Education Ministry Web was the start point for each University to develop their own Nursing Degree curricula. In September 2009, most of the Universities and Nursing Schools in Spain will offer Degree nursing programs (four years with 240 ECTS) and the rest of universities will have to implement it by October Due to this change in nursing education from Diploma (3 years) to Degree (4 years) we will not have enough nurses to supply the health care needs in summer Each health care center will have to be creative to allocate nurses. For instance, only in Barcelona there is need of over a 1000 nurses a year to cover nurses time off (vacations, personal days off, sick leave, ). At the postgraduate level, since 2005 nurses in Spain have the possibility to take professionals and scientific masters and doctoral programs. The masters could be done in one (60 ECTS) or two (120 ECTS) academic years. The Master in Nursing Science is a two years program that focuses on nursing research, teaching, management, and advanced care. Besides, the doctoral program could have courses but it is not a requirement; therefore, most doctoral programs consist on the development and public defense of a thesis research. More than 1,000 nurses have already completed their master program and over 200 of them are following Doctoral education. Some of these graduates have assumed faculty and administrative roles in nursing education and practice settings across the country. This academic change is promoting the cooperation in nursing research and will enhance nursing outcomes. Nursing as a higher education scientific discipline is finally being recognized in Spain and its curricula is organized within the new framework of reference for the degree, master and doctoral levels of Bolognia declaration. This new educational structure in Spain will also allows us to increase our participation in European research projects like the excellent ones developed in the European Academy of Nursing Science. Adela Zabalegui, Director of Nursing at Hospital Clinic of Barcelona & Esther Cabrera Torres, Nursing professor at Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Spain.

6 UPCOMING EVENT 4 rd European Nursing Congress, Older persons: the future of care 4-7 October 2010, Rotterdam, The Netherlands CALL FOR ABSTRACTS IS OPEN NOW! In the previous newsletter we have announced that EANS is collaborating in the Fourth European Nursing Congress in October 2010 in the Netherlands. As communicated before, EANS decided to support this conference as it is an international conference and many Fellows are sitting on committees. Prof. Jan Hamers (Vice-President of EANS) is chair of the congress program committee, and Professors Theo van Achterberg, Gabriele Meyer, Ingalill Rahm Hallberg, Herdis Svieinsdóttir and Adelaida Zabalegui are members of the scientific advisory board. a proposal and to organize that session. Furthermore, Professor Ingalill Rahm Hallberg (President of EANS) has accepted an invitation as a key-note speaker at the congress. Finally, from the congress organization, we gladly can inform you that the accepted abstracts of the conference will be published in a special issue of the Journal of Clinical Nursing, of which EANS-fellow Professor Roger Watson is the editor-in-chief. For detailed information regarding the congress, see: Jan Hamers Department of Health Care and Nursing Science, Maastricht University, The Netherlands We do think that the conference will be an excellent podium to present the state of the art of research that currently is conducted by EANS fellows, scholars and students. The board of EANS therefore would like to encourage all members to submit abstracts for scientific symposia, oral presentations or poster presentations. The deadline for abstract submissions is January 15, As a partner of the congress, EANS will also have the opportunity to organize an invited scientific session. The board of EANS, in their meeting in January 2009, has decided to invite the Scholars of EANS to make CELEBRATION Academic Nursing Science celebrates in Finland 30 years at the University of Kuopio Department of Nursing Science at University of Kuopio celebrated its 30 th Anniversary on 30 th September The University was the pioneer in Finland providing nursing science as a major subject in university level. Nearly 900 students have graduated as Masters in health sciences with nursing science as the major, and a total of 127 licentiate or PhD degrees have been awarded between 1981 and September In Finnish higher education system this can be considered as a real success story! The Department provides education in three fields of education: teacher in health sciences, nursing management and leadership and preventive nursing science either in Kuopio campus or in Capital Helsinki with special external funding from the ministry of education. An international program called Master s degree program in health promotion in nursing science was launched three years ago with international students from Africa and Asia. The key to success has been the active development of the Finnish Post-Graduate School in Nursing Science that has been co-ordinated from Kuopio during jointly with other nursing units in Finland. The PhD students and staff take part in several international education programmes, such as EANS Summer School. The educational activities have got excellent feedback. Already in 1997 the department got nomination as a centre of excellence in education by ministry. The main recent challenge has been the development of a sound research programme with high level external funding. Research activity at the University was evaluated by international panels during The Department of Nursing Science was ranked among the four best units in the university. This gives us the challenge to focus more on proper research activity and group work.

7 Research at the department is profiled to selected topics: 1) Health and wellbeing of children, youth and families, 2) Learning environments, learning and teaching methods: theoretical and methodological development and evaluation and 3) Research into nursing leadership, management and health services. Study findings have been widely used in evidence based nursing practice, health care education and policy making. The Department had its celebrations on 30 th September 2009 with highly valued speakers. Rector Matti Uusitupa, MD, PhD opened the ceremonies. Minister of Health and Social Service Paula Risikko, PhD and Professor and Dean Huda Abu-Saad, PhD, FEANS from School of Nursing, Lebanese American University talked of global health challenges and nursing research. Main research programmes are also presented by research group leaders. The department is living in a new and interesting situation. Two universities, Kuopio and Joensuu will merge in the beginning of 2010 and form the University of Eastern Finland as part of university reform in Finland. A new faculty has been formulated called Faculty of Health Sciences. The faculty includes medical school with dentistry, pharmaceutical school, department of nursing, AI Virtanen Institute for molecular medicine and other independent institutes. The new university system will give new possibilities for research and education as well as international activities in nursing. The future is ahead! More information about the department is available at our www-pages: Päivi Kankkunen, PhD, senior lecturer, adjunct professor Katri Vehviläinen-Julkunen, PhD, professor, vice rector 30 th Anniversary

8 EANS SUMMER SCHOOL 2009 EANS Summer School 2009 was held in Turku in sunny and warm weather. We had about 105 students, 35 scholars and 25 teachers participating. This year was the last with the Marie Curie funding from the European Union. Marie Curie funding has enabled the organisation to develop summer school to a high quality product that serves well the goals EANS has set to it. EANS Summer School in Turku gave an opportunity to the participating students, scholars and teachers to work in an international environment. Getting to know people from all over Europe is a good basis for future collaboration, be it doing science, teaching or developing nursing practises. On the other hand EANS Summer School is a good market place where you can tell about your research, your department and your University to others, or you can spot potential researchers to your international studies. We in Turku took this opportunity seriously and introduced all our faculty in one way or the other to European colleagues. Many gave lectures but all were involved in the organisation of the scientific program, poster presentations, practical arrangements, or social program. There was a lot of work but it was fun. The scholars have so far had every year a better program than the previous one. This was the case also in Turku. They are a growing group and the future decision-makers of the European Nursing and what could be a better place to meet colleagues from other countries than EANS Summer School. Scholars had also a new element to their program an evening with the teachers. They had prepared program and beverages but the most important was all lively discussions in the event. Thanks to shcholars of this, the evening was enetertaining and witty. The cultural diversity in Europe is rich and it is one of the most fruitful parts of the European Summer School to get to know this diversity in nurisng and nursing science. Nursing has of course basic elements that are the same all over Europe and all around the world but they can be realised in so many different ways. Helth care is organised differently, it is based on different kinds of legistlations and laws, care is conducted differently, nurses are educated differently and nursing science has different strengths. In Turku we were able to hear excellent student preseantations about all of these issues. Many of the teachers have been coming to summer schools year after year. They have been doing so even though they do not get payed and before Marie Curie they even had to pay for their own travel and accommodation expences and that will be the case again next year if there will be no new funding. You could ask why do they still do this? There are probalbly as many answers as there are teacheers. I myself have been participating since 2002 and wouldn t like to miss a year. Summer School is a great way to see the progress in European nursing science, hear about the trends and find collaborators even for a teacher. I have participated because I like the atmosphere, I learn and feel that I am also able to shear things that I have learned, and simply because it is part of my facinating work. Professor Sanna Salanterä, Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, Finland

9 THE EANS SCHOLARS ANNUAL SUMMER MEETING 2009 The 7 th annual EANS scholars meeting in 2009 was held in summerly hot Turku (Finland) during the second week of the EANS summer school from the 30 th of June to the 2 nd of July. Appr. 25 scholars met at the University of Turku for a well organised three day meeting. The work of the EANS scholars network embraces four main topics that have evolved over the years: - Post Doctoral Development - Methodological Research Issues - Collaborative working groups - Formal scholars meeting Post Doctoral Development is concerned with the scholars individual development after their PhD and/ or after finishing the EANS summer school. During the 2009 meeting two activities have taken place with regard to this area: More than half a day was reserved for a Curriculum Vitae (CV) workshop that provided a unique opportunity for scholars to discuss the essentials of academic CVs with EANS fellows, professors Ingalill Rahm Hallberg, Karen Luker, Ian Norman and Jan Hamers, who thankfully agreed to take their time and contribute their expertise to this workshop. In two sub-groups general requirements for academic CVs, outlines of CVs for various purposes and from diffe-rent countries perspective were discussed. Scholars also had the opportunity to address issues concerning their own individual CVs and fellows provided valuable hints of how scholars can do marketing of their own expertise, how CVs are read and perceived by academic employers or other bodies that play an important role in academic career development such as grant holders. The workshop also allowed for raising general issues of post doctoral development such as publication strategies and the development of individual research programmes. This workshop was well perceived and appreciated by all participants. The second activity of post doctoral development during the annual meeting was a presentation by EANS scholar, Dr. Koen van den Heede from the Catholic University Leuven (Belgium) who introduced scholars to the preparation of the large EUfunded project RN4cast. He managed quite well and in an interesting way to illustrate the tremendous work behind such a project, but his presentation also provided a range of useful hints for scholars when preparing their own research proposals and when coordinating a research project with different partners. Two interesting sessions in the programme were dedicated to methodological reserach issues. Prof. Theo van Achterberg presented examples of research on the implementation of evidence-based practice derived from his work at the University of Nijmwegen in the Netherlands. The second presentation was given by Prof. July Taylor from the University of Dundee who shared with scholars her experience of reading between the lines. This presentation addressed all the good and bad things that may happen within research projects and that arise from the interactions between researchers and the practice field or researchers and grant holders and that are not addressed in any of the nursing research textbooks but can only be learned in practice. Both presentations provided a lot of food for thought and initiated active and lively discussions among scholars. Some years ago scholars started collaborative working groups on different subjects. During each scholars meeting a time slot is reserved for these groups to meet and to discuss their work. Working groups on best practices for retaining hospital nurses, the definition of age categories for research purposes and on telematic nursing interventions have been established during previous summer schools. In Turku another group on home care nursing in different countries was established. The formal scholars meeting is an integral part of the annual meetings. It was established in 2005 when scholars felt that some issues (basically those that are related to the scholars place and role within EANS) need to have a somewhat formalised structure to be addressed. The meetings are to discuss the reports of the scholars representatives at the EANS board and the EANS educational committee, to evaluate the general scholars activities and to collect plans and ideas for future collaboration and annual meetings to come. Suggestions for the topics in meeting 2010 in Witten/ Herdecke, Germany, were e.g. related to deepening the knowledge base for the post doctoral research program and Ethical issues. The annual scholars meeting in Turku was framed by a get-2-gether meeting between EANS scholars and fellows in which both were challenged by a quiz that contained difficult questions on history, the arts and other aspects from the different countries in Europe. This event had the potential for becoming a regular part of the annual scholars meeting. Traditionally at the end of the scholars meeting was the participation in the EANS formal dinner. The host University of Turku offered a big surprise by taking all participants on a boat to a restaurant on an island to spent a wonderful evening.

10 The annual meeting of the scholars network would not be possible without the dedicated work and contribution of various people. Scholars are particularly grateful to the organisers of the Summer School from the University of Turku, particularly the scholars Riitta-Liisa Ääri and Mervi Flinkman who did a tremendous job in making scholars feeling welcome and arranging for perfect facilities. Another big thank goes to the secretary of the scholars network, Monique du Moulin, who worked hard and successfully in putting together an interesting programme for these three days. Phil Keeley (Chair), Tove Aminda Hansson (Vice- Chair), Gunilla Borglin (representative at the EANS executive board) and Susanne Kean (represen-tative on the educational committee) also deserve the scholars appreciation for the good work before and during the annual meetings. Andreas Büscher, Institute of Nursing Science at the University of Bielefeld, Germany Asta Heikkilä, Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences, Finland THE EANS SCHOLARS GROUP The EANS Scholars group was formed following at the request of the cohort of doctoral students completing their summer school programme in The purpose of the group was to retain the valuable links with EANS Fellows and students and to facilitate post-doctoral career development in preparation for more senior research roles. The first Scholars meeting occurred in the University of Lund, Sweden alongside the EANS Summer School. Thirteen people attended the meeting and developed a proposal for consideration by the EANS Board. The proposal was formally accepted and the rest is history. It was agreed that applicants to become a Scholar need to meet three criteria: 1) be a nurse or midwife, 2) work in a European state and 3) complete the EANS summer school doctoral programme or have completed a doctoral degree. From small beginnings, the Scholars group has gone from strength to strength. Each year there has been an increase in the number of Scholars registered with EANS and attendees at the summer meeting. At present there are in excess of 80 EANS Scholars and summer meetings attract approximately 30 people each year. The continuing success of the summer meeting is a testament to the value of the developing programme that is organised by Scholars for Scholars. We are fortunate to receive excellent support from EANS Fellows to offer lectures and career development workshops alongside our independent work, for example collaborative research groups. The workforce collaborative group has been the most productive of all the research groups to date, leading to submission of articles for publication, conference presentations and delivery of a symposium at an international conference. At the Scholars group has developed we have had to develop and enhance our systems and structures. In 2008 we held our first formal elections for a Scholars Committee and the following people were appointed: Chair: Phil Keeley Vice-Chair: Tove Aminda Hansen Secretary: Monique Du Moulin Executive Board Representative: Gunilla Borglin Educational Committee Representative: Susanne Kean (already in post) In addition, each year other Scholars are co-opted from the host university to help with the organisation of summer meetings. It is pleasing to note the progress of Scholars and increasing contributions to the work of the Academy. Contributions include presentations to the Annual Scientific meetings, completion of EANS funded projects and contributions to the EANS summer school programme. Evidence of Scholars progress includes promotion to professorial appointments and increasing academic output i.e. publications and successful grant applications. Indeed, the nature of the group is that change will be the norm. New members are welcomed as the complete the summer school programme and /or their doctoral studies whilst Scholars who progress in their research careers will leave to become Fellows of EANS. Looking forward, the Scholars group needs to adapt to address several challenges. Firstly, continuing emphasis needs to be placed on encouraging new people to join the group.

11 Secondly, a succession planning strategy needs to be further developed to ensure colleagues are prepared to take lead roles within the group. Thirdly, the Scholars summer meeting programme needs to be constantly reviewed to accommodate the differing needs of attendees i.e. Scholars who have completed their doctoral studies and others who are in the writing up stage of their thesis. In summary, the Scholars group is a successful initiative that provides a unique opportunity to develop a European research network and to receive post-doctoral career development. It is a vibrant and friendly group that is constantly adapting to the needs of its member. We look forward welcoming new members! Phil Keeley Director of Innovation in Learning & Teaching Manchester University, UK EANS SUMMER SCHOOL FROM A STUDENT S VIEW EANS SUMMER SCHOOL: TO BE OR NOT TO BE IN TURKU The 2009 European Academy of Nursing Science Summer School is now over. This year, the Summer School was in the beautiful city of Turku, Finland. For us, first year students, it was a wonderful two weeks that we shall not forget. Going to the EANS Summer School is more than a privilege, it is to be part of an European movement covering not only nursing science but also research and scientific knowledge. The possibility of sharing ideas and opinions with other PhD students about nursing science and practice as well as about the different health systems all around Europe is a unique opportunity. The EANS summer school sets high standards. Both the preparation and the work requested of the participants during the two weeks of summer school were a good indicator of the high levels that EANS students are expected to achieve. Nevertheless, we could say that this should indeed be expected of the EANS summer school, given the standing of the speakers. It was a real privilege to attend lectures by these researchers. They were able to present and explain important research topics, making them easy and simple to understand. It was not just the way they described the topics, but also the passion and emotion that they showed when speaking during the lectures that made the real difference. As a student, it is easy to get involved when you listen to knowledgeable lecturers speaking with emotion and pleasure about their own work and about different research topics. Listening to them, it is easy to dream of one day becoming an academic researcher and sharing the same passion and emotion. Also, rather surprising was the way you could actually speak with senior researchers about your own PhD study. Asking for advice and for expert opinion, not only during the PhD presentations but also during informal moments was, in fact, quite easy and the feedback was always surprising and extraordinary helpful. We must also not forget the important role that our fellow EANS students have on the summer school. Working with PhD students from such different backgrounds allows you to share opinions and discuss different concepts not only about research and nursing science, but also about the different cultural views and attitudes. The formal presentation and discussion sessions and working in mixed cultural groups allow you to share different opinions and points of view. Giving and receiving constructive criticisms about PhD proposals from our colleagues is indeed an important way to develop better research skills and to raise your PhD to an international level of quality. Research dialogs and scientific discussions were everywhere around EANS summer school during those weeks, whether it was on the Turku s Nursing Department, Turku s restaurants or even in the sauna during the social program. The important thing to notice is that no matter where it was, between whom it was and whichever nationality, PhD studies and nursing science were always the main subject and that is something that only an EANS summer school can do. A final word for the Finish organization. In order to describe the way the summer school 2009 was organised, the word perfection occurs to me. Even though the Finish organization made it look quite simple and smooth, it is obvious that organizing an EANS summer school is not an easy task. It was not only the organization around the lectures, but also wonderful social program which promoted the social informal interaction among students, scholars and lecturers. For all these reasons, I can really say that it is a privilege to be part of the EANS summer school and to put an European level not only to science and PhD research, but also to my new friendships group. Farewell EANS. Hope to see you all again next year in Witton. Hugo Amaro Algarve s University, Portugal 1 st year student

12 MEMORIES FROM EANS SUMMER SCHOOL 2009 NEWSLETTER INFORMATION EANS homepage: Responsible editor: Professor Ingalill Rahm Hallberg Form and layout: Anna K Blomgren