Appendix FN3. Overview of Fields and Sections of Sciences. in the Faculty of Nursing

Appendix FN3 Overview of Fields and Sections of Sciences in the Faculty of Nursing May 2008

Contents Introduction... 3 Fields of Sciences... 4 Fields of Sciences-continued... 5 Family Nursing... 6 Home Care Nursing... 7 Midwifery and Antenatal Care... 8 Midwifery with a Focus on Care in Labour and Birth... 9 Nursing Administration... 10 Nursing care of the adult surgical patient... 11 Nursing Care of Children and their Families Pediatric Nursing... 12 Nursing Care of Chronically Ill Adults... 13 Nursing Informatics... 14 Mental health during Childbearing... 15 Oncology Nursing... 16 Psychiatric Nursing... 17 Rehabilitation Nursing... 18 Sexual and Reproductive Health... 19 Sociology of Health and Illness... 20 2

Introduction Scholarly activities in the disciplines of nursing and midwifery reflect their young age within the academia in Iceland as well as internationally. The first empirical project carried out by an Icelandic nurse took place in the late 1970s. In the mid-eighties several projects had been initiated and now some 20 years later the academic work carried out in the of Faculty of Nursing is comparable to academic activities within the University of Iceland and abroad. Publications of the faculty in internationally peer-reviewed journals did increase by 60% between the periods of 2001-03 and 2004-06. The average of research points in 2006, according to the point evaluation scheme of the University of Iceland, was 30 research points on the basis of full-time positions, and had increased by 62% since 1999. The Faculty of Nursing at the University of Iceland is organized into fields of sciences and sections. The fields of sciences and some of the sub-sections are: Family Nursing, Mental Health, Home Care, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Nursing Care of Children and Families, Rehabilitation Nursing, Psychiatric Nursing, Nursing Care of Surgical Patients, Nursing Care of Chronically ill Adults, Nursing Administration, Oncology Nursing, Nursing Informatics, Geriatric Nursing, Antenatal Care, Obstetrics, Postpartum Care, Sociology of Health, Physiology, Embryology and Nutritional Sciences. Each field of science is led by a director who has a leading role in the pursuit of knowledge. The director shapes and develops policy to promote and empower research activities; encourages establishment of research groups, participates in interdisciplinary and international research, advances teaching methods, has responsiblity for teaching at all levels of study, introduces and implements new knowledge and participates in policy making in health institutions. This document contains descriptions of a selection of research activities within the fields of sciences and sections in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Iceland over the last few years and reflects work until May of 2008. Helga Jónsdóttir, Professor 3

Fields of Sciences Fields of science Sections Directors Chairs Field and Sections of Science in the Faculty of Nursing Family Nursing Erla Kolbrún Svavarsdóttir Professor Using knowledge discovery to identify potentially useful patterns in family nursing Brynja Örlygsdóttir, Assistant Professor Family health, prevention and health promotion Families living with acute and chronic diseases and/or dealing with crisis Erla Kolbrún Svavarsdóttir, Professor Minority families / Transcultural families Dysfunction/violence in families Mental Health Mental health education (professions and the public) Community mental health Women / families of childbearing age dealing with psychological, developmental or mental diseases Infants with dysfunctional behaviour Home Care Nursing care of people with functional problems Nursing care related to the skin and perceptions Home, technology and well-being Collaboration with family members Sexual and reproductive health Sexual education Sexuality education Sexual and reproductive health services Reproduction Nursing Care of Children and Families Neonatal and infant nursing Nursing care of toddlers and pre-school children Nursing care of school-aged children, adolescencts and youth Nursing care ofparents and families Neonatal intensive care nursing Rehabilitation Nursing Rehabilitation nursing for individuals Nursing care for people with neurological diseases Psychiatric Nursing Acute psychiatric- and post traumatic stress nursing Nursing care for people with addictions Children and adolescence psychiatric nursing Liason nursing and guidance Mental health nursing for women and particular risk groups Rehabilitation and geriatric psychiatric nursing Nursing Care of Surgical Patients Gender and health Nursing care of patients with wounds Preoperative nursing Postoperative nursing Postoperational discharge patient education Nursing care related to change in body image Nursing care of organ donors/ recipients Nursing care of patients in acute pain Marga Thome, professor Jóhanna Bernharðsdóttir, Assistant Professor Marga Thome, Professor Kristín Björnsdóttir, Professor Kristín Björnsdóttir, Professor Sóley S. Bender, Associate Professor Sóley S. Bender, Associate Professor Guðrún Kristjánsdóttir, Professor Helga Lára Helgadóttir, Assistant Professor Guðrún Kristjánsdóttir, Professor Þóra B Hafsteinsdóttir, Assistant Professor Þóra B Hafsteinsdóttir, Assistant Professor Jóhanna Bernharðsdóttir, Assistant Professor Helga Sif Friðjónsdóttir, Assistant Professor Páll Biering, Associate Professor Jóhanna Bernharðsdóttir, Assistant Professor Herdís Sveinsdóttir, Professor Ásta Thoroddsen, Associate Professor 4

Fields of Sciences-continued Fields of science Sections Directors Chairs Field and Sections of Science in the Faculty of Nursing Nursing Care of Chronically Ill Adults Complementary/Alternative therapies in nursing Nursing care of people with lung diseases Nursing care of people with renal and rheumatoid diseases Nursing care of people with heart diseases Nursing care of people with skin, sexual transmitted diseases and infections Nursing care of people with endocrine and digestive track diseases Nursing Administration Management of human resources and knowledge Leadership in nursing Quality control Evidence based practice Oncology Nursing Psychosocial needs of patients with malign diseases and their families Symptoms and side effects of malign diseases and their treatment Hospice nursing Nursing Informatics Knowledge representation Knowledge management Knowledge discovery Geriatric Nursing Geriatric nursing in institutions Collaboration between families and staff in geriatric nursing Helga Jónsdóttir, Professor Þóra Jenný Gunnarsdóttir, Assistant Professor Helga Jónsdóttir, Professor Helga Bragadóttir, Assistant Professor Birna G. Flygenring, Assistant Professor Helga Bragadóttir, Assistant Professor Hrund Sch. Thorsteinsson, Assistant Professor Sigríður Gunnarsdóttir, Assistant Professor Sigríður Gunnarsdóttir, Assistant Professor Ásta St. Thoroddsen, Associate Professor Ásta Thoroddsen, Associate Professor Connie Delaney, Prof. / Brynja Örlygsdóttir, Assistant Prof. Margrét Gústafsdóttir, Associate Professor Ingibjörg Hjaltadóttir, Assistant Professor Margrét Gústafsdóttir, Associate Professor Midwifery Antenatal Care Health promotion and midwifery care in pregnancy Childbirth education Foetal screening and counselling Obstetrics The midwife during birth Culture and knowledge development in childbirth Homebirths Postpartum Care Care of mother and infant Breastfeeding counselling Parent role and family adjustment Basic Sciences Sociology of Health Physiology Embryology Nutritional Science Helga Gottfreðsdóttir, Assistant Professor Helga Gottfreðsdóttir, Assistant Professor Ólöf Ásta Ólafsdóttir, Assistant Professor Ólöf Ásta Ólafsdóttir, Assistant Professor Hildur Sigurðardóttir, Assistant Professor Hildur Sigurðardóttir, Assistant Professor Rúnar Vilhjálmsson, Professor Jón Ólafur Skarphéðinsson, Professor Guðrún Pétursdóttir, Associate Professor Inga Þórsdóttir, Professor 5

Family Nursing Dr. Erla Kolbrún Svavarsdóttir Professor Dr. Brynja Örlygsdóttir Assistant Professor Theoretical underpinnings of family nursing are taught both at the undergraduate and the graduate level. Courses in advanced clinical family nursing practice are taught at the masters and the doctoral level and methodological issues regarding family nursing research are taught and discussed within courses at the master level and in seminars within the doctoral program. Knowledge development within family nursing is based both on quantitative and qualitative research approach. The main focus of research among faculty members and graduate students within family nursing has been on developing and testing family nursing interventions among families dealing with chronic illnesses. Those research projects have also been developed and worked on in a close relationship with practicing nurses in variety of different clinical areas within Landspitali-University Hospital and in collaboration with community health nurses and midwifes working within different clinical locations in Iceland. The main goal of conducting national as well as international research within family nursing at the UI, is to bridge the gap between theory and practice, to develop new knowledge, to apply new research results into clinical practice and in that way to offer evidence based health care service. Svavarsdottir, E. K. (2008). Connectedness, Belonging and Feelings about School among Healthy and Chronically Ill Icelandic School Children. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 20(1), 1-9. Orlygsdottir, B. (2007). Use of NIDSEC compliant CIS in community-based nursing directed prenatal care to determine support of NMDS objectives. CIN:Computers, Informatics, Nursing 25(5), 283-293 Gisladottir, M., & Svavarsdottir, E. K. (2007). Developing Family Intervention for Young Women with Eating Disorder. The Journal of the Icelandic Nursing Association, 4, 83, 24-29. Gisladottir, M., & Svavarsdottir, E. K. (2007). Eating Disorders and Calgary Family Nursing Intervention. Gedvernd, 1 tbl., 20-24. Svavarsdottir, E. K. (November, 2006). Listening to the Family s Voice: Nurses Movement Towards Family Centred Care. Journal of Family Nursing, 12, 4, 1-22 Svavarsdottir, E. K., & Sigurdardottir, A. O. (September 2006). Developing a Family Level Intervention for Families of Children with Cancer. Oncology Nursing Forum, 33,5, 983-990 Svavarsdottir, E. K., & Orlygsdottir, B. (2006). Health-Related Quality of Life in Icelandic School Children. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 20, 209-215 Svavarsdottir, E. K., & Orlygsdottir, B. (2006). Comparison of Health Related Quality of Life among 10- to 12- year old Children with Chronic Illness and Healthy Children : The Parents Perspective. Journal of School Nursing, 22, 2, 51-58. Svavarsdottir, E. K., & Sigurdardottir, A. O. (2005). The feasibility of offering a family level intervention to parents of children with cancer. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 19(4) 368-372. Svavarsdottir, E. K., Rayens, M. K., & McCubbin, M. (2005). Predictors of Adaptation in Icelandic and American Families of Young Children with Chronic Asthma. Family and Community Health, 28(4) 338-350. Svavarsdottir, E. K., & Rayens, M. K. (2005). Hardiness in families of young children with asthma. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 50(4) 381-390. Svavarsdottir, E. K. (2005). Gender and emotions : Icelandic parents experiencing childhood cancer. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 42, 531-538 Svavarsdottir, E. K. (2005). Surviving childhood cancer: Parents perceptions of their child s health. Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, 22(2) 80-88 Svavarsdottir, E. K. (2005). Caring for a child with cancer: A longitudinal perspective. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 50(2), 153-161. Erlendsdottir, R. O., & Svavarsdottir, E. K. (2004). The Healthy-Sibling s Behaviour: Icelandic Families Caring for a Young Child with Chronic Asthma. Vard I Norden, 71, 24, 14-19 Rayens, M. K., & Svavarsdottir, E. K. (2003). A new methodological approach in nursing research: An actor, partner, and interaction effect model for family outcomes. Research in Nursing and Health, 26, 409-419. Svavarsdottir, E. K., & Rayens, M. K. (2003). American and Icelandic parents perceptions of the health status of their young children with chronic asthma. Journal of Nursing Scholarship. Fourth quarter, 347-354. 6

Home Care Nursing Dr. Kristín Björnsdóttir Professor Within the field of home care nursing the enhancing teaching in the area both at the graduate and undergraduate level has been a major challenge. A clinical course is offered in the fourth year of the BS program and one course is taught within the community health track at the advanced practice level. Three master students have chosen this area for their research projects. In addition two students in gerontological nursing used home care data form the RAI instrument to address theoretical questions related to place of living and the transfer to nursing homes. The research in this field so far has been qualitative and has addressed policy issues. A study named Nursing at home: The needs and outlook among patients living at home was granted a three year grant by the Icelandic Science Foundation. The study had two main aims. In the first place it aims at describing the social and environmental conditions, feelings of well-being or lack thereof and daily life of those individuals who live in a home were an individual needs considerable assistance due to sickness, disability or age related health problems. In the second place the aim of the study is to analyze practices among home care nurses related to the organization of nursing services in the above homes. The research method used was qualitative, and authors (mainly sociologists) who employ an ethnographic approach have primarily been consulted. The theoretical basis of the study was feminist and post structural. In the analysis emphasis was placed on identifying meanings embedded in various discourses noticed in the research materials. The field-notes and transcribed interviews were the primary data in the study. Björnsdóttir, K. (In review). The ethics and politics of home care. International Journal of Nursing Studies. Gottfreðsdóttir, H. Sandal, J. og Björnsdóttir, K. (In review). This is just what you do when you are pregnant : A qualitative study on prospective parents in Iceland who accept nuchal translucency screening. Midwifery Björnsdóttir, K. (In review). Hvenær er heimilið besti kosturinn? Áherslur í uppbyggingu heimahjúkrunar. Tímarit hjúkrunarfræðinga, Purkis, M. E. Ceci, C. og Bjornsdottir, K. (In Revision). Patching up the holes: How might home care be done differently? Canadian Journal of Public Health, Purkis, M. E. og Bjornsdottir, K. (2006) Accounting for knowledge as action in context of practice. Nursing Philosophy, 7, 247-256. Kristín Bjornsdottir (2006). Heimilið sem vettvangur heilbrigðisþjónustu. (The home as a venue for health care). In: H. Jónsdóttir et al. (Eds. ). Frá innsæi til inngripa: Þekkingarþróun í hjúkrun og ljósmóðurfræði. Reykjavík: Hið íslenska bókmenntafélag. Bjornsdottir, K. and Thorgeirsdóttir, S. (2004). Velferðarþjónusta á tímamótum. Siðfræðilegar hugleiðingar um mörkin á milli ábyrgðar einstaklinga og hins opinbera í umönnun sjúkra á heimilum. (Welfare service at a turning point. Ethical thoughts on the border line between the individuals and the state s responsibility in the care of patients in private homes). In: I. Erlingsdóttir (Ed. ), Fléttur II Kynjafræði kortlagning (pp. 273-292). Reykjavík: Rannsóknastofa í kvenna- og kynjafræðum (The Centre for Women s and Gender Studies at the University of Iceland). Bjornsdottir, K. (2002). From the state to the family: Reconfiguring the responsibility for long term nursing care at home. Nursing Inquiry, 9(1), 3-1 7

Midwifery and Antenatal Care Helga Gottfreðsdóttir Assistant Professor Antenatal care is one of the main areas within midwifery. It refers to preparing parents to be for changes in their life following pregnancy and childbirth, prevention of and detection of complications that can accompany this period and provide support, care and suitable intervention. Development in midwifery knowledge aims at supporting normal progress of pregnancy with acknowledgement of complex and diverse socio-economic, cultural and medical factors influencing every aspect of an individual s life, including their needs and expectations with regards to health care and childbirth. This area of research is at a preliminary state within the Department of Midwifery. Within the antenatal care the focus in recent studies has been on prospective fathers and their experience of the antenatal period, antenatal education and decision making in fetal screening (Gottfreðsdóttir, 2005). New practice in fetal screening, nuchal translucency screening has had an affect on service delivery and professional role of midwives. Most recent studies have shown that this is a complex issue which is often shaped by lack of knowledge and ethical dilemma of parents to be (Gottfreðsdóttir, 2006; Gottfreðsdóttir, Björnsdóttir & Sandall, 2008). The result from these studies will inform the policy and practice on fetal screening in the Icelandic context. Recently a research plan was implemented in cooperation with the Primary Health Care in Reykjavík to implement acupuncture for women with pelvic pain during pregnancy. The intervention has already been pre-tested and is now offered to all women who are suitable for the treatment (Stefanía Guðmundsdóttir & Helga Sigurðardóttir, 2006). Helga Gottfreðsdóttir, Jane Sandall, Kristín Björnsdóttir. (2008) This is just what you do when you are pregnant: a qualitative study of prospective parents in Iceland who accept nuchal translucency screening. Midwifery (YMIDW_704.) Helga Gottfreðsdóttir and Kristín Björnsdóttir. Have you had the test? A discourse analysis of media presentation of prenatal screening in Iceland (2007) (In review). Helga Gottfreðsdóttir (2005). Prospective first time fathers and their views on fatherhood in the context of the new policy on parental leave in Iceland. Birth Issues, 14. (4);128-134. Guðrún Kristjánsdóttir, Margrét Eyþórsdóttir and Helga Gottfresdóttir. (2005). Prospective parents involvement in antenatal classes in an Icelandic setting: a randomized clinical population study. (óbirt handrit) Helga Gottfreðsdóttir (2006). Breyttar áherslur í meðgönguvernd í ljósi nýrra aðferða til fósturgreiningar og skimunar (Changed emphasis in antenatal care in the light of new procedure in fetal screening and diagnosis) In Helga Jónsdóttir (ED). Frá innsæi til inngripa: þekkingarþróun í hjúkrunar-og ljósmóðurfræði (From insight to intervention: Knowledge development in nursing and midwifery). Reykjavík: Hið Íslenska bókmenntafélag. Stefanía Guðmundsdóttir og Helga sigurðardóttir (2006). Nálastungur við grindarverkjum á meðgöngu. Ljósmæðrablaðið, 2;84: 8-14 Jónína S Jónasdóttir (2005). Notagildi/árangur foreldrafræðslunámskeiða: Könnun á sjónarhorni foreldra. Unpublished dissertation: University of Iceland, Faculty of Nursing, Department of Midwifery. Supervisor: Helga Gottfreðsdóttir. 8

Midwifery with a Focus on Care in Labour and Birth Dr. Ólöf Ásta Ólafsdóttir Assistant Professor The field of research is within midwifery with a focus on care in labour and birth. It includes using ethnography and narrative qualitative research to explore the culture of childbirth and midwifery in Iceland in relation to place of birth, ideology and developments of different types of midwifery knowledge, especially in relationships between midwives and women. Ethnographic narrative studies have been carried out to explore storytelling of Icelandic midwives working life (Olafsdottir, 2006) as well as birth stories of mothers and fathers (Petursdóttir, 2006, Helgadottir, 2006 Guðmundsdottir, 2007). Until recent decades, midwifery has been based on experiential rather than academic learning. Much of midwifery knowledge is therefore practical or tacit knowledge that has been transmitted and learned by telling birth stories (Olafsdottir and Kirkham, 2008). Research findings (Olafsdottir, 2006) suggest that Icelandic midwives have a common philosophy of care that is associated with a midwifery partnership model, women centred care, incorporated in the ideological statements of the Icelandic midwifery education in Iceland (Olafsdottir, 1995). Information has been gathered about inner knowing of midwives, intuition and spiritual awareness in midwifery practice. The act of being with or yfirseta sitting over at birth has been identified as being crucial for preserving and developing this kind of midwifery knowledge. Three different types have been identified; one developed by learning from practice experience, second is more of spiritual nature, even transcendence. The third type links to connective ways of knowing and reflects the descriptions of intuition as inner connectedness between the midwife and the woman. Descriptions of this type of knowing suggests that it contains elements of the other two types overlapping, enhanced by ways of connective knowing as a whole, between the midwife and the women and in balance with different kind of knowledge systems (Olafsdóttir, 2006, Olafsdóttir, 2008). Olafsdóttir, O. A. (2008) I call this connection. Inner knowing and midwives emotional and spiritual experiences in relationships with women. In Hunter B and Deery R (Eds) Emotions in Midwifery and Reproduction. London: Palgrave Macmillan (Forthcoming) Olafsdottir, O. A., Kirkham, M. (2008) Narrative time stories, childbirth and midwifery In McCourt C. (Ed) Time and Childbirth. Applications of Anthropology, Berghahn. Series editor, Sarah Pink. Forthcoming. Olafsdottir, O. A. (2006) An Icelandic Midwifery Saga - Coming to light: With woman and Connective Ways of Knowing. Unpublished PhD thesis, Thames Valley University, London Ólafsdóttir, O. A. (ed. )(1995). Námsskrá í ljósmódurfraed 1995-. [Midwifery: Curriculum 1995-]. Reykjavík: University of Iceland. Pétursdóttir, A. (2006) Reynsla fedra af yfirsetu ljósmaedra í faedingu - forrannsókn. [Fathers' experience of midwives' presence at birth - A pilot study]. Cand. Obst. thesis. University of Iceland. Supervisor Ólöf Ásta Ólafsdóttir Helgadóttir, E. R. (2006) Reynsla kvenna af yfirsetu ljósmaedra í faedingu - forrannsókn. [Women's experiences of midwives presence at birth - A pilot study]. Cand. Obst. thesis. University of Iceland. Gudmundsdottir, J. S. (2007) Fæðingasögur kvenna og reynsla þeirra af barnsfæðingu fjarri heimili, samfélagi og fjölskyldu [Women s birth stories and their experiences of giving birth away from home, community and families]. Cand. Obst. thesis. University of Iceland. Supervisor: Ólöf Ásta Ólafsdóttir 9

Nursing Administration Dr. Helga Bragadóttir Assistant Professor Birna G. Flygenring Assistant Professor Hrund Sch. Thorsteinsson Assistant Professor Nursing administration is the nursing discipline that integrates nursing science, leadership science, business principles, organizational behaviour, and resource management for nurses to participate as full partners in managing and leading health care organizations. Nursing administration links patient health, care needs, nursing resources and the nursing care processes to the context of health care systems, as well as the social, political and cultural environment of care). Each of these elements as well as their interactions is the area of research in nursing administration at The University of Iceland Faculty of Nursing. Research of faculty and graduate students has been on patient safety and quality of care, resource utilization, human resource management, innovations and leadership. Main programs of research at present are on job satisfaction and retention of nurses and safety in health care, looking at ways to improve the use of knowledge and skills of Registered Nurses and assistive personnel as well as improved use of technology in health care. Recent and ongoing research in the field of nursing administration pertain to nurses job satisfaction and retention (Birna Flygenring, 2005), quality of care and patient satisfaction (Bragadóttir, 1999; Bragadóttir & Reed, 2002; Guðrún Kristjánsdóttir, Helga Bragadóttir & Herdís Gunnarsdóttir,2005; Helga Bragadóttir, Guðrún Kristjánsdóttir & Herdís Gunnarsdóttir,2006; Helga Bragadóttir, Ragnheiður Sigurðardóttir, Herdís Gunnarsdóttir, Auður Ragnarsdóttir & Anna Ólafía Sigurðardóttir,2007), career development of nurses (Helga Bragadóttir,2002; Helga Bragadóttir & Lilja Stefánsdóttir,2007; Sigrún Gunnarsdóttir & Helga Bragadóttir,2007) and innovations in nursing (Bragadóttir, 2008; Helga Bragadóttir,2006). Birna G. Flygenring (2006). Starfsánægja hjúkrunarfræðinga. [Job satisfaction of registered nurses] Í Helga Jónsdóttir (ritstj. ), Frá innsæi til inngripa, þekkingarþróun í hjúkrunar- og ljósmóðurfræði (bls. 65-88). Reykjavík: Hið íslenska bókmenntafélag. Bragadóttir, H. (2008). Computer-Mediated Support Group Intervention for Parents. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 40(1), 32-38. Helga Bragadóttir og Lilja Stefánsdóttir (2007). Klínísk framgangskerfi í hjúkrun og tengsl þeirra við starfsþróun. [Clinical ladders in nursing and their relationship with career development] Tímarit hjúkrunarfræðinga, 83(5), 18-22. Sigrún Gunnarsdóttir og Helga Bragadóttir (2007). Hvað er starfsþróun og fyrir hverja er hún? Að huga að starfsþróun hjúkrunarfræðinga og ljósmæðra. [What is career development and for whome? Looking at career development of nurses and midwifes] Tímarit hjúkrunarfræðinga, 83(5), 14-17. Helga Bragadóttir, Ragnheiður Sigurðardóttir, Herdís Gunnarsdóttir, Auður Ragnarsdóttir og Anna Ólafía Sigurðardóttir (2007). Ánægja foreldra með þjónustu á barnadeildum Barnaspítala Hringsins. [Parental satisfaction with services at the pediatric units at the Childrens Hospital] Tímarit hjúkrunarfræðinga, 83(3), 38-48. Helga Bragadóttir (2006). Heilbrigðisstarfsmenn og sjúklingar 21. aldar. [Health care professionals and patients of the 21st century] Fræðslugrein. Tímarit hjúkrunarfræðinga, 82(5), 12-14. Helga Bragadóttir, Guðrún Kristjánsdóttir og Herdís Gunnarsdóttir (2006). Mikilvægustu þarfir foreldra á barnadeildum og hvernig þeim er fullnægt, niðustöður úr rannsókn á Barnaspítala Hringsins. [Most important need of parents in pediatric unis an how well they are met. Study results from the Childrens Hospital] Tímarit hjúkrunarfræðinga Ritrýndar greinar, 1(1), 20-27. Guðrún Kristjánsdóttir, Helga Bragadóttir og Herdís Gunnarsdóttir (2005). Hverjar eru mikilvægustu þarfir foreldra á barnadeildum? [What are the most important needs of parents in pediatric units?] Ungir íslendingar í ljósi vísindanna. Reykjavík: Umboðsmaður barna og Háskóli Íslands. Helga Bragadóttir (2002). Úthlutun verkefna. [Delegation] Tímarit hjúkrunarfræðinga, 5(78), 273-276. Bragadóttir, H. & Reed, D. (2002). Psychometric instrument evaluation: The Pediatric Family Satisfaction Questionnaire. Pediatric Nursing, 28 (5), 475-482. Bragadóttir, H. (1999). A descriptive study of the extent to which self perceived needs of parents are met in pediatric units in Iceland. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 13(3), 201-207. 10

Nursing care of the adult surgical patient Dr. Herdís Sveinsdóttir prófessor The aim of theory and teaching within the field of adult surgical patient is to deepen knowledge, skills and understanding of nursing care for these patients and their families. Patient s experiences, evidence based practice, patient education, nurse patient interactions as well as development of comprehensive and specific nursing intervention is the main focus of research. The relationship between working environment, occupational health and patient outcome has also been a focus of studies conducted by faculty. Sveinsdóttir, H. & Gunnarsdóttir, H.K. (2008). Predictors of self-assessed physical and mental health of Icelandic nurses: Results from a national survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies. Accepted for publication. Herdís Sveinsdóttir (2008). Experiences of patients having surgery at the University Hospital from January 15th to July 15th 2007: At the hospital and at home six weeks later (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Háskóli Íslands: hjúkrunarfræðideild. Smith, LN (ED), Burke, J., Sveinsdóttir, H. og William, A. (2008). Patient Safety in Europe: Medication Errors and Hospital-acquaired Infection. Amsterdam, Workgroup of European Nurse Researchers. Herdís Sveinsdóttir (2007). Nursing research, research methods and nursing practice, 1987 2007. (In Icelandic) The Icelandic Nursing Journal (2007). 83, 4, 29 36. Herdís Sveinsdóttir, Guðbjörg Linda Rafnsdóttir, Hólmfríður K. Gunnarsdóttir og Ólöf Eiríksdóttir. (2007). Flexible shifts: Attitudes and expectations towards shiftwork (in Icelandic). Í ritstjóri Friðrik H. Jónsson Rannsóknir í Félagsvísindum,2007. Herdís Sveinsdóttir (2007). Researching women (editorial). Scandinavian Journal of the Caring Sciences, 21, 2, 145-146. Herdís Sveinsdóttir (Ed) Nursing Care of Surgical Patients (in Icelandic). (2007). Reykjavík: Institute of Nursig Science at the University of Iceland and the University Hospital. Herdís Sveinsdóttir (2007). Nursing practice and the reality of it. (in Icelandic). Í Herdís Sveinsdóttir Nursing (ed) Care of Surgical Patients (in Icelandic). (2007). Reykjavík: Institute of Nursig Science at the University of Iceland and the University Hospital. Hólmfríður Gunnarsdóttir, Herdís Sveinsdóttir, Guðbjörg Linda Rafnsdóttir (2007). Presentations of ill health among elementary school teachers (in Icelandic). Netla. Veftímarit um uppeldi og menntun. http://netla.khi.is/greinar/2007/002/index.htm Herdís Sveinsdóttir, Hólmfríður Gunnarsdóttir, Hildur Kristjánsdóttir (2007). Self-assessed occupational health and working environment of female cabin crew, nurses and teachers. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 21, 262-273. Herdis Sveinsdottir (2006). Being defenseless and vulnerable within and outside of organisations, with a special emphasis on women s vulnerability (in Icelandic). In Helga Jónsdóttir (ed), Frá innsæi til inngripa. Þekkingarþróun í hjúkrunar- og ljósmóðurfræði. Reykjavík: Hið Íslenska bókmenntafélag bls. 183 200. Herdis Sveinsdottir. (2006). Self-assessed quality of sleep, occupational health, working environment, illness experience and job satisfaction of female nurses working different combination of shifts. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 20; 229-237. Herdís Sveinsdóttir, Páll Biering og Alfons Ramel (2006). Occupational Stress, Job Satisfaction, and Working Environment Among Icelandic Nurses. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 43, 875-889. Herdís Sveinsdóttir og Ragnar Ólafsson (2006). Icelandic women s attitudes towards menopause and the use of Hormon Replacement therapy in the repercussion of the WHI. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 54 (5) 572-584 Hólmfríður Gunnarsdóttir, Herdís Sveinsdóttir, Kristinn Tómasson, Gunnar Bernburg, Hildur Kristjánsdóttir (2006). Lifestyle and self-assessed health of female cabin crew, nurses and teachers. WORK, 27, 165-172. Herdís Sveinsdóttir & Arne Rahmsfeld (2005). Vulnerability (editorial). Scandinavian Journal of the Caring Sciences, 19, 85. 11

Nursing Care of Children and their Families Pediatric Nursing Dr. Gudrun Kristjándóttir Professor Dr. Helga Lára Helgadóttir Assistant Professor Nursing scholarship on children and their families focuses on children of all ages, from infancy through adolescence, and their families facing acute or chronic illness, health risks and challenges, diseases as well as on promoting health and preventing injuries, disease and illness in children individuals, families and the public. The scope of research is diverse and is based on theories and methods that are in the broader fields of developmental research within nursing and the social, humanities and biological sciences. Nursing care of children and families has a holistic perspective and the focus is on the broad aspects of the child, their families, and communities, including physical, psychological, social and spiritual domains. Nursing scholarship as well as practice in paediatric nursing involves understanding the complex and interrelated aspects of each child, as well as the ecology of their experiences and their families being, belonging and becoming (Kristjánsdóttir & Miles, 2000). Nursing scholarship in this field has increased rapidly over the past decades, although the number of studies remains low in comparison to the need. The broad scope of scholarship and the increasing clinical as well as theoretical specialization propose challenges to the holistic perspective. The emphasis is thus on the developmental science perspective along with the traditional nursing scholarship approach in local as well as international context of research and scholarly collaboration. Studies pertaining to the adaptation of parents to their role in the caretaking of their child well or sick, as well as the challenges facing the child itself are the urgent scholarly challenges of the nursing care of children and their families at the University of Iceland. The studies pursued look for the knowledge to the best approach to creating the most suitable and nurturing conditions to develop in, as well as confronting the challenges of intrusive approaches to their limitations and illness such as pain, isolation etc. Kristjánsdóttir, G. (2000). Familial aggregation and pain theory relating to recurrent pain experiences in children. Acta Paediatrica, 89(12), 1403-1405. Helgadóttir, H. L. (2000). Pain management practices in children after surgery. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 15(5), 334-340. Kristjánsdóttir, G. og Vilhjálmsson, R. (2001). Sociodemographic differences in patterns of sedentary and physically active behavior in older children and adolescents. Acta Paediatrica, 90(2) 429-435. Guðrún Kristjándóttir og Helga Bragadóttir (2001). Þarfir foreldra barna á sjúkrahúsum [Research related to the needs of parents of hospitalized children]. Tímarit hjúkrunarfræðinga [The Icelandic Journal of Nursing], 77(2) 89-96. Kristjánsdóttir, G. & Rhee, H. (2002). Risk factors of recurrent back pain in school-children: A search for an explanation to a public health problem. Acta Paediatrica, 91, 849-854. Helga Bragadóttir, Guðrún Kristjánsdóttir, Anna Björg Aradóttir og Bergljót Lindal (2002). Heilbrigðisáætlun til ársins 2010: Hvernig má framfylgja henni frá sjónarhóli barnahjúkrunar [The Govermental Statement of Icelandic Health Care to the year 2010: How to implement its goals the viewpoint of professional nursing of children and their families]. Tímarit hjúkrunarfræðinga [The Icelandic Journal of Nursing], 78(5), 290-292. 12

Nursing Care of Chronically Ill Adults Dr. Helga Jónsdóttir Professor Dr. Þóra Jenný Gunnarsdóttir Assistant Professor Nursing practice that meets complex and comprehensive needs of people with non-curable and life-long disease and their families is one of the main tasks in modern health care. Living life fully, self-care and partnership are key concepts. Knowledge generation that supports this practice needs a multidimensional approach. In the Faculty of Nursing qualitative research on the illness experience has been used as ground to develop several interventions and service programs, particularly primary nursing and nurse-managed outpatient clinics. The experience of people with lung diseases has been the main focus of the qualitative studies revealing the general experience as "isolation and being-closed in" (Jonsdottir, 1998). For women repeatedly relapsing to smoking "being caught in a spider web" was overarching (Jonsdottir & Jonsdottir, 2007) and for families using home ventilators "mixed blessing: life-saving treatment meaningless exertion" was the main theme (Ingadottir & Jonsdottir, 2006a). Practice approaches to assist living with the lung disease have been developed grounded in partnership that centers on the relational core of nursing and with dialogue as the means (Jonsdottir, Litchfield & Pharris, 2003, 2004; Jonsdottir, 2007; Litchfield & Jonsdottir, 2008). A comprehensive smoking cessation treatment (Jonsdottir, Jonsdottir, Geirsdottir, Sveinsdottir & Sigurdardottir, 2004; Jonsdottir & Jonsdottir, 2001), support intervention based on partnership and adjusted to lung patients (Ingadottir & Jonsdottir, 2006b, 2007) and an empowering educational intervention for people with diabetes (Sigurdardottir & Jonsdottir, 2008; Sigurdardottir, Benediktsson & Jonsdottir, 2007) are some of the inteventions that have been developed. Reflexology as one of the key complementary therapies was first studied to develop the methodology (Gunnarsdottir & Jonsdottir, 2007) and later to test it with women living with fibromyaliga (Gunnarsdottir, 2007). The intervention studies have laid basis for service forms with particular relevance for chronic illness. Primary nursing for lung patients was the starting point (Jonsdottir, 1999). Lately, out-patient care has gained an increasing emphasis (Jonsdottir in press, Ingadottir & Jonsdottir, 2007). Gunnarsdottir, Th. J. (2007). Litchfield, M & Jonsdottir, H. (2008). A practice discipline that s here-and-now. Advances in Nursing Science, 31(19, 79-91. Jonsdottir, H. Nursing care in the chronic phase of COPD: A call for innovative disciplinary research (2008). In press Nursing and Healthcare of Chronic Illness, 17, xx-xx. Jonsdottir, H. (2007). Research-as-if-practice. A study of family nursing partnership with couples experiencing severe breathing difficulties. Journal of Family Nursing, 13(4), 443-460. Jonsdottir, R. & Jonsdottir H. (2007). The experience of women with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease of repeatedly relapsing to smoking. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 21(3), 297-304. Sigurdardottir, A., Jonsdottir, H. & Benediksson, R. (2007). Outcomes of educational interventions in type 2 diabetes: WEKA data mining analysis. Patient Education & Counselling, 67, 21-31. Gunnarsdottir, Th. J. & Jonsdottir, H. (2007). Does the experimental design capture the effects of complementary therapy? A study using reflexology for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 16, 777-785. Ingadottir, TH. S. & Jonsdottir, H. (2007) Nurse clinic for people with COPD and their families: Enhancing quality of life despite declining physical capacity, poster presented at a poser session at the 43rd Nordic Lung Congress, Uppsala, Sweden, April 26-28, 2007. Ingadottir, T. S. & Jonsdottir, H. (2006a). Techonological dependency The experience of using home ventilators and long-term oxygen therapy: Patients and families perspective. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 20(1), 18-25. Ingadóttir, Th. S. & Jonsdottir, H. (2006b). Support intervention for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and their families. 16 th Annual Congress of the European Respiratory Society, Messe Munchen Congress Centre in Munich, Germany, September 2-6, 2006. European Respiratory Journal, 28(5), supplement P847. Jonsdottir, H. Jonsdottir, R., Geirsdottir, Th. Sveinsdottir, K. S. & Sigurdardottir, Th. (2004). Multi-component, individualized smoking cessation intervention for lung patients. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 48(6), 594-604. Jonsdottir, H., Litchfield, M. & Pharris, M. D. (2004). The relational core of nursing: Practice as it unfolds. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 47(3), 241-250. 13

Nursing Informatics Ásta St. Thoroddsen Associate professor Dr. Connie Delaney Professor Dr. Brynja Örlygsdóttir Assistant Professor Nursing informatics is a specialty that integrates nursing science, computer science, and information science to manage and communicate data, information and knowledge in nursing practice. Nursing informatics supports patients, nurses and other health care providers in their decision-making in all roles and settings. The goal of nursing informatics is to improve the health of individuals, families and populations by optimizing information management and communication. These activities include the design and use of informatics solutions and/or technology to support all areas of nursing, including but not limited to the direct provision of care, establishing effective administrative systems, managing and delivering educational experiences, and supporting nursing research. Research and developmental projects worked on for the last five years address implementation and use of standardized nursing languages, such as NANDA-I, NIC and NOC, in clinical practice. They have also addressed the development of the electronic health record. Ásta Thoroddsen og Margareta Ehnfors (2007). Putting policy into practice: pre- and post-tests of implementing standardized languages for nursing documentation. Journal of Clinical Nursing,16(10), 1826-1838. Jóhanna Fjóla Jóhannesdóttir and Ásta Thoroddsen (2007). Outcomes oriented patient assessment in acute care. Relationship between concepts documented in patient assessment and outcomes and indicators in the Nursing Outcomes Classification. [In Icelandic]. The Icelandic Nursing Journal, 83(1), 46-54. Ásta Thoroddsen (2007). Can nursing domain knowledge be reflected by nursing diagnoses and interventions? Í: N. Oud, F. Sheerin, M. Ehnfors, W. Sermeus. ACENDIO 2007, 6 th European Conference of ACENDIO. Pp. 269-270. Ásta Thoroddsen (2006). Nursing Documentation at Landspitali University Hospital. Evaluation after implementation of standardized languages to improve documentation. [In Icelandic] Reykjavik: Landspitali University Hospital. Pp. 147. Thoroddsen, A., Ingolfsdottir, V., and Heimisdottir, M. (2006). Clinical informatics for quality of care and patient safety: The Icelandic garden. In: C. A. Weaver, C. W. Delaney, P. Weber and R. L. Carr, eds. Nursing and Informatics for the 21 st Century. An International Look at Practice, Trends and the Future. Chicago, IL. : HIMSS. Ásta Thoroddsen (2006). From data to knowledge: The interrelationship between clinical decision making and nursing informatics [In Icelandic] In: Helga Jónsdóttir, ed. Frá innsæi til inngripa: þekkingarþróun í hjúkrunarog ljósmóðurfræði. Hið íslenska bókmenntafélag og hjúkrunarfræðideild Háskóla Íslands. Pp. 41-64. Ásta Thoroddsen (2005). Applicability of the Nursing Interventions Classification to describe nursing. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 19, 128-139. Elísabet Gudmundsdottir, Connie Delaney, Ásta Thoroddsen og Thorlakur Karlsson (2004). Translation and validation of the Nursing Outcomes Classification labels and definitions for acute care nursing in Iceland. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 46(3), 292-302. Anna Jónsdóttir og Ásta Thoroddsen, (2003). NIC use by urologic nurses in Iceland. International Journal of Nursing Terminologies and Classifications, 14(4), 26-27. 14

Mental health during Childbearing Family, Maternal and Infant Health Dr. Marga Thome Professor Maternal child nursing during childbearing is family oriented and is related to nursing and midwifery. One of several key concepts in this discipline is transition to parenthood and psychosocial adaptation. In recent years knowledge has been developed that enables nurses and midwifes to promote perinatal mental health. Topics of research are related to antenatal- and postpartum perinatal mental health, disregulations of early infancy and breastfeeding (see publications, English). Participation in and/or leading of current studies: 1. A descriptive, longitudinal study of Icelandic women s mental and their children s health from pregnancy to five years of age (interdisciplinary study) 2. A family-oriented intervention for women experiencing severe distress during pregnancy. 3. Evaluation of a theory-based approach (Solihull Approach and Family Nursing) in the well-child care of children aged 0-5 years. Thome M. & Alder B. (1999). A Telephone Intervention To Reduce Fatigue And Symptom Distress In Mothers With Difficult Infants In the Community. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 29(1), 128-137 Thome M. (2000). Predictors of postpartum depressive syptoms in Icelandic women. Archives of Women s Mental Health. 3:7-14. Thome M. (2003). Severe postpartum distress in Icelandic mothers with difficult infants. A follow-up study on their health care. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences;17;104-112 Skúladóttir A., Thome M. (2003). Changes in Infant Sleep Problems After a Family Centered Invervention. Pediatric Nursing, Sept/Oct 29(5):375-78. Thome M, Skuladóttir A. (2005). Evaluating a family-centred intervention for infant sleep problems. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 50 (1), 5-11. Reprinted with permisson of Blackwell Publ. Ltd. in MIDIRS, midwifery Digest 15:3, 2005 Skuladottir A, Thome M. (2005). Improving day and night sleep problems in infants by changing day time sleep rhythm: a single group before and after study. International Journal of Nursing Studies. 42,843-850. Thome M, Skuladottir A. Changes in sleep problems, parents distress and impact of sleep problems from infancy to preschool age for referred and unreferred children. (2005). Scandinavian Journal of Caring Science, 19, 86-94. Thome M., Alder E. M., Ramel A. (2006). A population based study of exclusive breastfeeding in Icelandic women: is there a relationship with depressive symptoms and parenting stress? International Journal of Nursing Studies, 43, 11-20. Eygló Ingadóttir, Marga Thome (2006). Evaluation of a web-based course for community nurses on postpartum emotional distress. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Science, 20, 86-92. 15

Oncology Nursing Dr. Sigríður Gunnarsdóttir Assistant Professor At the University of Iceland, Faculty of Nursing, the aim of cancer nursing is to achieve the integration of theory and practice in clinical practice, education and research. The goal is to improve nursing care of individuals with cancer and their families, improve the knowledge of cancer nurses and to further knowledge in the field of cancer nursing. Cancer nursing is taught both at the undergraduate and graduate level. Research in cancer nursing has been developing in recent years, has mostly been quantitative and focused on providing the basis for further research by developing instruments and conducting descriptive studies. The main focus of research has been on quality of life, symptom experience and symptom management, psychological effects of disease and treatment, family needs, and use of complimentary and alternative methods. Efforts have been made to build interdisciplinary collaborations and to establish international connections through collaboration in multi-cite international research programs. Both education and research has been conducted in close collaboration with specialists at Landspitalinn-University Hospital. Gunnarsdottir, S., Ward, S., & Serlin, R.C. (2008). Attitudinal Barriers to Cancer Pain Management in the Icelandic Population. Cancer Nursing, 31(2), 95-102. Ward S., Donovan, H.S., Gunnarsdottir, S., Serlin, R., Shapiro, G., Hughes, S. A Representational Intervention to Decrease Cancer Pain (RIDcancerPain). (2008). Health Psychology, 27 (1), 59-67. Donovan, H.S., Ward, S.E., Song, M.K., Heidrich, S.M., Gunnarsdottir, S. & Phillips, C.M. (2007). An Update on the Representational Approach to Patient Education. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 39(3), 259-265. Fridriksdottir, N., Sigurdardottir, V., & Gunnarsdottir, S. (2006). Important Needs of Families in Acute and Palliative Care Settings Assessed with the Family Inventory of Needs. Palliative Medicine, 20, 425-432. Molassiotis A, Ozden G, Platin N, Scott JA, Pud D, Fernandez-Ortega P, Milovics L, Panteli V, Gudmundsdottir G, Browall M, Madsen E, Patiraki E, Kearney N. Complementary and alternative medicine use in patients with head and neck cancers in Europe. Eur J Cancer Care 2006;15(1):19-24. Molassiotis A, Scott JA, Kearney N, Pud D, Magri M, Selvekerova S, Bruyns I, Fernadez-Ortega P, Panteli V, Margulies A, Gudmundsdottir G, Milovics L, Ozden G, Platin N, Patiraki E. Complementary and alternative medicine use in breast cancer patients in Europe. Support Care Cancer 2006;14(3):260-7. Gunnarsdottir, S., Serlin, R.C. & Ward, S. (2005). Patient Related Barriers to Pain Management: The Icelandic Barriers Questionnaire II (IBQ-II). Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 29(3), 273-285. Gunnarsdottir, S., Donovan, H. & Ward, S. (2003). Interventions to Overcome Clinician- and Patient- Related Barriers to Pain Management. Nursing Clinics of North America, 419-434. Gunnarsdottir, S., Donovan, H.S., Serlin, R.C., Voge, C., & Ward, S. (2002) Patient related barriers to pain management: The Barriers Questionnaire-II (BQ-II). Pain, 99, 385-396. 16

Psychiatric Nursing Jóhanna Bernharðsdóttir Assistant Professor Dr. Helga Sif Friðjónsdóttir Assistant Professor Dr. Páll Biering Associate Professor The main objectives of the Academic field of Psychiatric Nursing are to provide students with outstanding teaching and clinical teaching environment and to promote and foster interest in psychiatric nursing and psychiatric nursing research both among students and practicing nurses. Emphasis is laid on linking theory to practice, for instance, with developmental projects for the benefit of psychiatric nursing practice, preparation of nurses to become preceptors for undergraduate students and to recruit and interest nurses into a Masters and a Ph. D. programs. Monthly research seminars are held and faculty members provide formal and informal consultation to nurses working in clinic who are involved in research and developmental projects. Active participation of nurses in seminars and lectures arranged by the Center for Research in nursing at the Faculty of Nursing is encouraged. Faculty members conduct research projects in close proximity to practice and the main research areas and research projects are the following: psychiatric and mental health needs of children and adolescents, the experience of living and dealing with a bipolar disease on a daily basis, the need and development of the role of Psychiatric Consultation Liaison Nursing, research on youth violence, social and mental health needs of Icelandic dual diagnosis patients, implementing and researching the care towards families acute psychiatric units, patients and staff attitudes towards supervision of patients in an acute psychiatric unit and research on factors that influence adolescent alcohol abuse in Iceland. Biering, P. Adapting the concept of explanatory models of illness to the study of youth violence. J Interpers Violence 2007;22(7):791-811. Biering, P. Social and mental needs of Icelandic dual diagnosis patients. Rusmiddelmisbrukere og Psykiske Lidelse. Oslo: Helse- og omsorgsdepartementet og Sosial- og helsedirekoratet. 2007. Bls. 160-70. Biering, P., Becker, H., Calvin, A., Susan, J., & Grobe, S. J. (2006). Casting Light on the Concept of Patient Satisfaction by Studying the Construct Validity and Sensitivity of a Questionnaire. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 19, 246-258. Geðhjúkrun barna og unglinga. Í: Helga Jónsdóttir, editor. Frá innsæi til inngripa: þekkingarþróun í hjúkrunar- og ljósmóðurfræði. Reykjavík: Hið íslenska bókmenntafélag; 2006. p. 305-22. Jón Snorrason, Guðrún Úlfhildur Grímsdóttir, Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson. Gátir á bráðadeildum geðsviðs Landspítala: Viðhorf sjúklinga og starfsmanna. Læknablaðið 2007;93(12):833-9. Páll Biering, Linda Kristmundsdóttir, Helga Jörgensdóttir, Þorsteinn Jónsson. Fjölskylduhjúkrun: Reynsla foreldra af því að eiga börn á legudeildum barna- og unglingageðdeildar. Tímarit hjúkrunarfræðinga 2006;82(1):40-5. Sveinsdottir, H., Biering, P., Ramel, A. (2006). Occupational Stress, Job Satisfaction, and Working Environment among Icelandic Nurses. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 43, (7) 787 922. 17

Rehabilitation Nursing Dr. Thóra B. Hafsteinsdóttir Assistant Professor The Rehabilitation Nursing Program focuses on research, education and training of nurses caring for patients who need rehabilitation and aims to increase nurses knowledge in evidence based care in rehabilitation nursing of patients, focusing on physical, psychological and social needs of the patients and partners/carers. A Rehabilitation Nursing Diploma Program is currently running with several modules focusing on rehabilitation nursing. The program is a master s level program and as such it may form a part of Masters Degree in Nursing. Within this field of science there exist close research collaboration with the Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neurosciences, University Medical Center Utrecht and the Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, and the Nursing Science Department, Utrecht University, in the Netherlands. The following are ongoing projects with consequent papers in process: 1. Nursing Rehabilitation Guideline Stroke. The Nursing Rehabilitation Guideline Stroke is being developed and nearly finished in an international collaboration. 2. Research on nutritional status of neurological patients and patients with stroke: Nutritional status of Neurological Patients and Patients with stroke This study was conducted at the departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery at the University Medical Center Utrecht. 3. Clinical Nutritional Nursing Guideline: This guideline was developed in an international collaboration with the Dutch group of nurses and forms a part of the Nursing Rehabilitation Guideline Stroke (above). 4. Clinical Nutritional Nursing Guideline: This implementation of a nursing nutritional guideline in various health care setting: A feasibility study. 5. Clinical Nutritional Nursing Guideline: What are the effects of the daily use of the nutritional nursing guideline on patient outcomes: An outcome study. 6. Early Detection of Post Stroke Depression: This is a PhD-study will be conducted at 12 hospitals. 7. Task oriented training in the nursing care of patients with stroke: This is a PhD-study. Three systematic reviews have been written and preliminary studies are being conducted. 8. How do stroke patients spend the day at a rehabilitation unit in a nursing home? This is observational study was conducted in a Dutch nursing home. 9. The Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) Reliability and Utility by nurses in a rehabilitation setting. This study is ongoing in a Dutch rehabilitation setting. Hafsteinsdóttir TB, Algra A, Kappelle LJ, Grypdonck MHF. Neurodevelopmental Treatment na een beroerte: Een vergelijkend onderzoek. Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde. 2007;151;2045-2049. Hafsteinsdóttir TB, Grypdonck MHF, Kappelle LJ,. Algra A Effects of Bobath Based Therapy on Depression, Shoulder pain and Health Related Quality of Life in Stroke Patients. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine. 2007;39;627-632. Hafsteinsdóttir TB, Kruitwagen C, Strijker K, van der Weide L, Grypdonck MHF. NDT-nursing: Is the NDT implemented on better wards? Assessing quality of nursing care as a confounding variable in an outcome study on Neurodevelopmental treatment. Journal of Nursing Care Quality. 2007;22(4):371-377. Hafsteinsdóttir T. B., Bergs D., Björgvinsdóttir K., Klinke M., Sigurjónsdóttir S., Herbertsdóttir H. Klínískar hjúkrunarleiðbeiningar fyrir heilablóðfallssjúklinga [Clinical Nuring Guidelines for Patients with Stroke]. Tímarit hjúkrunarfræðinga [The Icelandic Nursing Journal] 2007. 1. 83:8-12. Hafsteinsdóttir TB, Algra A, Kappelle LJ, Grypdonck MHF: NDT werkt niet hoe nu verder Tijdschrift voor Verpleegkundigen 2006;3:38-43. Hafsteinsdóttir TB, Algra A, Kappelle LJ, Grypdonck MHF. Neurodevelopmental Treatment after stroke: A comparative study. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. 2005(76):788-792;. Hafsteinsdóttir TB, van Meeteren NLU, Grypdonck MHF. Is Bobath Therapy used by Physiotherapists? Advances in Physiotherapy. 2005 (7)176-182. Hafsteinsdóttir TB, Grypdonck MHF. NDT-competence of nurses caring for patients with stroke. 2004 Journal of Neuroscience Nursing. Oktober 36(5)289-293. Boter H., Hafsteinsdóttir TB, Lensink M. Nursing Reseach in Nursing Practice (Verpleegkundig onderzoek in de praktijk). Tijdschrift voor Verpleegkundigen en ziekteverzorgenden, 2005; 115 (7/8): 48-51 18

Sexual and Reproductive Health Dr. Sóley S. Bender Associate Professor Sexual and Reproductive health implies that people are able to have a responsible, satisfying and safe sexual life and that they have the freedom to decide if, when and how often to have children. Implicit in this are the right of men and women to sexual and reproductive health services and be informed of and to have an access to safe, effective, affordable and acceptable methods of fertility regulation of their choice. Also to have the right of access to appropriate health care services that will enable women to go safely through pregnancy and childbirth and provide couples with the best chance of having a healthy infant. Research in this field can pertain to any aspect of this definition. The most recent studies have focused on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services for young people and the effectiveness of contraceptive counselling. A national randomly based study was conducted in 1996 about the attitudes of young people towards sexual and reproductive health services (Bender, 1999; Bender & Kosunen, 2005). This study has lead to several other studies among young people about SRH services. Most of them have been based on focus groups (Árni M. Haraldsson & Ólafur G. Skúlason, 2006). The results from these studies have been used in Iceland for the development of youth services (Sóley S. Bender, 2006). Part of the national study was repeated in 2007 among a convenient sample of young people attending a central clinic in Iceland about sexually transmitted diseases (Sigrún B. Hafsteinsdóttir & Sigrún Ingvarsdóttir, 2007). The randomly based national study from 1996 is planned to be repeated in the fall of 2008. During April 1999 until May 2000 a randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted among abortion applicants to study the effectiveness of contraceptive counselling (Bender & Geirsson, 2004). The study led to changes of the provision of contraceptive counselling for women post-abortion at the National University Hospital. A counselling model is being developed based on the interviews with abortion applicants. Recently a research plan was conducted to follow-up on the RCT (Sigrún H. Baldursdóttir, 2007). Árni Már Haraldsson og Ólafur Guðbjörn Skúlason (2006). Kynjamunur á viðhorfum unglinga til kynheilbrigðismála. Unpublished BS-project: University of Iceland, Faculty of Nursing. Supervisor: Sóley S. Bender. Bender, S. S. (1999). Attitudes of Icelandic young people toward sexual and reproductive health services. Family Planning Perspectives, 31(6), 294-301. Bender, S. S. & Geirsson, R. T. (2004). Effectiveness of preabortion counseling on postabortion contraceptive use. Contraception, 69:481-487. Bender, S. S. & Kosunen, E. (2005) Teenage contraceptive use in Iceland: A gender perspective. Public Health Nursing, 22(1), 17-26. Sigrún Helga Baldursdóttir (2007). Langtímaáhrif ráðgjafar um getnaðarvarnir eftir fóstureyðingu: Rannsóknaráætlun [Longterm effects of contraceptive counseling after abortion: Research plan]. Unpublished BS-project: University of Iceland, Faculty of Nursing. Supervisor: Sóley S. Bender. Sigrún Birna Hafsteinsdóttir og Sigrún Ingvarsdóttir (2007). Viðhorf ungs fólks til kynheilbrigðisþjónustu [Attitudes of young people towards sexual and reproductive health services]. Unpublished BS-project: University of Iceland, Faculty of Nursing. Supervisor: Sóley S. Bender. Sóley S. Bender (2006). Þróun kynheilbrigðisþjónustu fyrir unglinga [The development of sexual and reproductive health services for adolescents]. In Helga Jónsdóttir (Ed. ), Frá innsæi til inngripa: þekkingarþróun í hjúkrunarog ljósmóðurfræði [From insight to intervention: Knowledge development in nursing and midwifery]. Reykjavík: Hið íslenska bókmenntafélag. 19

Sociology of Health and Illness Dr. Rúnar Vilhjálmsson Professor The field of Sociology of Health and Illness (Medical Sociology) includes the research areas of social epidemiology (social distribution of disease, disability, malfunctioning, and illness, and associated risk factors), life-stress, coping and health, health-risk and health-protective behaviours (life-style), chronic illness and its ramifications, utilization of health services, professions and occupations within health care (their development, characteristics, and relationships), and organization of health services (health systems). Brustad, R., Vilhjalmsson, R., Fonseca, A. M. (2007). Organized sport as a context for physical activity promotion. Awaits publication in: A. Smith og S. Biddle (Eds. ) Youth physical activity and inactivity: Challenges and solutions. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers. Vilhjalmsson. R. (2007). Islenska heilbrigdiskerfid a krossgotum [Icelandic health services at the crossroads]. In: Gunnar Þór Jóhannesson (Ed. ), Rannsóknir í félagsvísindum VIII [Research in Social Sciences VIII] (pp. 197-206). Reykjavík: Félagsvísindastofnun Háskóla Íslands. Stefansdottir, I. K., Vilhjalmsson, R. (2007). Dimensions of health-related lifestyle in young adulthood: Results from a national population survey. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 21, 321-328. Gudmundsdottir, G., Vilhjalmsson, R. (2006). Psychological distress and outpatient help-seeking: A prospective national study of Icelanders. Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care (submitted) Vilhjalmsson. R. (2006). Skipulagt ithrottastarf medal ungs folks: Ahrifathaettir og afleidingar [Organized sport among young porple: Determinants and implications]. In: Úlfar Hauksson (Ed. ), Rannsóknir í félagsvísindum VII [Research in Social Sciences VII] (pp. 161-172). Reykjavík: Félagsvísindastofnun Háskóla Íslands. Vilhjalmsson, R. (2006) Sociodemographic variations in parental role strain: Results from a national general population survey. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 34, 262-271 Vilhjalmsson, R. (2005). Gaedavandinn a haskolastiginu: Edli og astaedur [Quality problems in Icelandic higher education]. In: Friðrik H. Jónsson (Ed. ), Rannsóknir í félagsvísindum VI Viðskipta- og hagfræðideild [Research in Social Sciences VI] (bls. 451-463). Reykjavík: Félagsvísindastofnun. Vilhjalmsson, R. (2005). Failure to seek needed medical care: Results from a national health survey of Icelanders. Social Science and Medicine, 61, 1320-30. Gudlaugsdottir, G. R., Vilhjalmsson, R., Kristjansdottir, G., Jacobsen, R., Meyrowitsch, D. (2004). Violent behavior among adolescents in Iceland: A national survey. International Journal of Epidemiology, 33, 1046-1051. Thorlindsson, T. og Vilhjalmsson, R. (2003). Introduction to the special issue: Science, knowledge and society. Acta Sociologica, 46, 99-105. Vilhjalmsson, R., Sigurdardottir, G. V. (2003).. Hid ofullkomna jofnunartaeki: Afslattarkort og komugjold i islenska heilbrigdiskerfinu [The imperfect equalizing device: Physician care discount cards and out-of-pocket physician care costs in the Icelandic health system]. Laeknabladid [Icelandic Medical Journal], 89, 387-392. Vilhjalmsson, R., Sigurdardottir, G. V. (2003). Bein utgjold islenskra heimila vegna heilbrigdisthjonustu [Out-ofpocket health care costs among Icelandic families]. Laeknabladid [Icelandic Medical Journal], 89, 25-31. Vilhjalmsson, R., Kristjansdottir, G. (2003). Gender differences in physical activity in older children and adolescents: The central role of organized sport. Social Science and Medicine, 56, 363-374. Vilhjalmsson, R (2002). Islenska heilbrigdiskerfid, heilsugaeslan og krofugerd heilsugæslulaekna. [The Icelandic Health Care System and Primary Care Physicians Demands for Change] (Report for the Ministry of Health and Social Insurance). Reykjavík: University of Iceland. Vilhjalmsson, R., Thorlindsson, T. (2002). Central issues in sociology: Globalization, stratification, and gender and deviance. Acta Sociologica, 45, 3-6.. 20