ABSTRACT
The implementation of technology in home-based services takes place in contextualised socio-material practices negotiated through interactions between a diversity of actors. Prerequisites for succeeding in this process are time and competence, and that use of the technology is experienced as meaningful, for both the support staff and the resident. In this article, we investigate how implementation of cognitive assistive technology (CAT) in home-based services for young adults with intellectual disabilities influences the support staff`s professional practice. The participants are eight support staff members, five women and three men. Data were collected through two group interviews, the second one 8 months after the first one. The data were analysed according to a systematic text condensation (STC) approach. Implementation of CAT is a demanding process, revealing different perspectives on professionalism and changing power relations, and entails a new way of working for the support staff.
Subject(s)
Intellectual Disability , Self-Help Devices , Humans , Female , Intellectual Disability/psychology , Professional Practice , CognitionABSTRACT
In Norway, where all citizens are entitled to live in their own homes in their local communities, people with intellectual disabilities receive community-based home care services that aim to promote their ability to live on their own. In our study, we investigated how using an assistive device for cognitive impairment - namely, a memo planner (MP) - in community-based home care services affected the everyday lives of people with intellectual developmental disabilities (IDD). Our sample consisted of seven young adults with IDD and their support staff. Data were collected during field observations and group interviews and analysed via systematic text condensation. The findings illuminate how using an MP can structure the daily lives of young adults with IDD and afford them opportunities to participate in everyday activities. In this article, we discuss how using an MP shapes interactions between people with IDD and their support staff.
Subject(s)
Cognitive Dysfunction , Intellectual Disability , Self-Help Devices , Child , Developmental Disabilities , Humans , Personal Autonomy , Young AdultABSTRACT
It is highly important that nursing students are well educated and become safe and competent practitioners. This article presents the findings from a quantitative study investigating if Norwegian mentors fail to fail nursing students not achieving the learning outcomes in clinical studies in the bachelor's programme in nursing, in addition to the factors influencing their decisions. A survey was conducted among nurse mentors in hospital- and home-based nursing care in two Norwegian municipalities, and 561 nurses answered the questionnaire. The findings indicate that mentors sometimes fail to fail nursing students in clinical studies. Important factors influencing this decision were that the students did not put the patient's life at risk and that the mentors gave the student the benefit of the doubt. The mentors in our study thought that failing to fail students was not related to personal challenges and burdens. They also felt a lack of support from the educational institution. The findings suggest some future directions for nurse education programmes. The training of mentors, especially in managing failing students, and better support from liaison lecturers from the educational institution are important. It is also suggested that nurse education programmes together with mentors discuss the distinction between unsafe practices and learning outcomes for clinical studies.
