Objectives of AKS
The main objectives are to conduct and to disseminate research that contributes to the quality and safety in healthcare services and that is in the best interest of patients, relatives, healthcare personnel and educators. AKS aims to:
- Strengthen the research collaboration with regional organizations
- Increase the proportion of Høgskolen in Østfold University College (HiØ) researchers with combined positions between the HiØ and other relevant institutions (examples are Brita Fosser Olsen, Ann-Chatrin Leonardsen and Thor-David Halstensen, with combined positions in the HiØ and Østfold Hospital Trust (ØHT)
- Build a strong and visible research profile in line with the HiØ PhD initiative, "The Digital Society"
- Strengthen the quality of scientific publications through colleague-based guidance and discussion
AKS is increasing research activities and publications affiliated with educational programs in acute care-, anesthesia-, critical care- and surgical care nursing (AAIO), as well as paramedicine; and in collaboration with the corresponding wards in the hospital. Through these research activities, the AKS group brings together researchers from different levels including: students receiving further education, clinicians without formal research backgrounds, university lecturers, professors and associate professors, and doctorate degree researchers. Projects in AKS aim also at applying for external funding for PhD candidates, allowing researchers to build supervising competence at the PhD level. In-line with the university college’s PhD initiative, "The Digital Society", future research in the AKS research group will focus more on digitalization in relation to treatment and care of the acute, critically ill patient.
Professional Foundation
The educational programs in acute care-, anesthesia-, critical care- and surgical care nursing and paramedicine have been ongoing for decades. The Høgskolen in Østfold University College (HiØ) was a pioneer in establishing further education for acute care nurses as well as for paramedicine. The research group includes active researchers and members with professional acknowledgement within their respective academic/clinical areas nationally, both through their research, but also as book-editors (Leonardsen and Gulbrandsen), authors of book-chapters (Nystrøm, Fosser Olsen, Bekkhus, Halstensen, Leonardsen and Gulbrandsen), and as editor of a scientific peer-reviewed journal (InspirA- Journal of Anesthesia and Critical Care Nursing, Leonardsen). Moreover, group members have participated in national educational and professional development through different learning-networks. Members collaborate with national and international research-environments in Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and USA.
The society and healthcare services need specialists with knowledge and understanding about patients that need acute treatment for illness or trauma, and with competence in new medical, technical and digital methods.
Acute care nurses’ competence includes working with acute critically ill patients in emergency departments, emergency medical dispatch communication centers, casualities, ambulances and in humanitary organizations in disaster- or war areas.
Nurse anesthetists’ competence includes anesthesia in surgery/medical procedures and examinations, in- and prehospital resuscitation, and in acute care teams.
Critical care nurses’ competence includes providing advanced and specialized nursing care for acute and critically ill patients, as well as possessing the technical knowledge and skills to respond timely and appropriately based on professional assessment of the patient's situation.
Surgical nurses’ competence is related to the advanced and high- tech treatment and interventions provided in different surgical wards.
Paramedicine competence is related to ambulance personnel that specializes in advanced, life-saving aid outside hospital.
Emergency-, anesthesia-, critical care- and operating room nurses work in specialized, high-tech environments. Research linked to innovations and digital solutions, and in connection with specialist-nursing practice, treatment and care of the acute, critically ill patient is a natural progression of professional development. Research group members have conducted and continue to conduct several relevant projects in relation to the university college PhD initiative, “The Digital Society”, such as “Anesthesia personnel’s experiences with digital anesthesia information management systems-AIMS" and "Artificial intelligence as decision-support (in trauma, heart failure and deep vein thrombosis)".
Research Activities
AKS plans, conducts and disseminates research related to the above described areas of interest. Research projects are based on collaboration between the HiØ and the hospital, and, in some cases, also with primary healthcare services. AKS has many ongoing and several planned research projects.
Results from the projects are typically presented in workshops and conferences, and presented to colleagues both at the HiØ and at the hospital.
National Collaborators and Networks
- National Cardio-pumonary resuscitation (CPR) coordinator forum
- National Resuscitation board (NRR)
- National and regional simulation network
- Lovisenberg University College
- National competence center for prehospital acute medicine (NAKOS)
- Oslo Metropolitan University
- University of South-eastern Norway (USN)
- ProACT coordinator forum
- Norwegian Symptom Management Network
- Norwegian Nurses Association group of Critical Care Nurses, NSFLIS: Norsk sykepleierforbunds landsgruppe av intensivsykepleiere
- Norwegian Nurses Association group of surgical nurses, NSFLOS: Norsk sykepleierforbunds landsgruppe av operasjonssykepleiere
- Norwegian Nurses Association group of acute care nurses, NLAS: Norsk sykepleierforbunds landsgruppe av akuttsykepleiere
- Nurse Anesthetists Norwegian Association of Nurses, Anestesisykepleierne NSF
International Collaborators and Networks
- ProACT network international (Sverige & Norge)
- COSTA: network of cardiac arrest researchers from Norway, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands
- EfCCNa: European Federation of Critical Care Nurses Associations
- IFNA: International Federation of Nurse Anesthetists
- Prehospital, Boräs University College
Examples of Projects (but not a complete list)
- PERDA-patient experiences after day-surgery. A collaboration between HiØ, ØHT, USN, Tonsberg Hospital and Ringerike Hospital.
- Healthy Breathing. Collaboration between HiØ and ØHT.
- Efficiacy and medical treatment quality in municipal acute care wards versus hospital. PhD project in collaboration between HiØ, ØHT, all the minicipalities in Østfold, Universities in Oslo (UiO), Lund and Umeå, LHL (National association of persons with respiratory or cardiac diseases), Dam association
- Competence in resuscitation and cardiac arrest on pregnancy- RESPREG. Collaboration between HiØ, ØHT, UiO, and NAKOS
- Intrahospital cardio-pumonary resuscitation. Collaboration between HiØ, ØHT and NAKOS.
- Pain, discomfort and functional dysfunction after positioning- LEIRUS. Collaboration between HiØ and ØHT
- Ultrasound guided nerve blocks within the thoracolumbare area for better postoperative analgesia. PhD project. Collaboration between HiØ, ØHT and UiO
- Cardiac arrests in athletes. Collaboration between HiØ, NAKOS and Olympiatoppen
- Interreg: Better care and survival through decicion-making support by Artificial intelligence (AI). PhD project.