Course Syllabus

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Semester & Location:

Spring 2025 - DIS Copenhagen

Type & Credits:

Elective Course - 3 credits

Major Disciplines:

Political Science, Public Health, Sociology

Research Mentor:

Lone Bilde

(current students, please use the Canvas Inbox)

Research Director:

Susana Dietrich - research@dis.dk

Senior Research Manager:

Jeanette Erbo Wern - jwe@dis.dk   

Academic Support:

research@dis.dk

Time & Place:

See "Course Summary" below

Research Project Description

According to the WHO, the lack of healthcare staff is going to be the biggest challenge for European health systems in the years to come. In the USA, according to a McKinsey survey from 2021, 22% of the registered nurses wish to leave their job. Furthermore, a projection of data from the The National Council of State Boards of Nursing estimates that already by 2027, one fifth on the total of registered nurses (900,000 nurses) will leave their job in the US health sector, resulting in a huge gap between demand and resource input in the US health sector.

In Denmark, already today, there are many testimonials about cancelled or postponed procedures because the surgical wards do not have sufficient staff to carry out the planned surgeries. The gap between the current number of healthcare staff and the current need is estimated to be 5,000 (in 2024). Recruitment of new staff as well as retention of existing staff is becoming a major challenge for Danish hospital departments. This trend is expected to increase in the years to come. The Danish Doctors Association anticipates that there will be a deficit of 40,000 health professionals in 2030 and of 100,000 in 2045. A prognosis from the Ministry of Health and the Interior anticipates that the Danish hospital/health care sector will be lacking 300,000 employees by the year of 2050 if the current trend of nurses leaving their jobs will continue. This gap between the number of nurses needed and the number working or planning to work in the hospitals is one of the main challenges for healthcare not only in Denmark, and the USA, but in most Western countries. This challenge will only be enforced in the future because of the increasing demand for health services due to an ageing population. Also, since nurses are predominant contributors to the patient experience, sense of coherence and patient satisfaction, solutions to address this challenge to this are highly warranted.

It has been said that one of the reasons for the decline in the number of students wishing to become a nurse or trained nurses wishing to stay in their jobs is the relatively low salary for nurses compared to other public employees (e.g. doctors). It has also been stated (in Denmark) that one solution to the current and future understaffing problem is to prevent the nurses from working part time. This project hypothesizes that there are many other, and perhaps more important, reasons for the understaffing problem than salary levels and working time. It seems for instance that there is an asymmetry of assumptions between the governing bodies in Denmark, the regional and local management, and the health care employees.

This project will investigate factors that may have an impact on job satisfaction and job motivation for nurses working in hospital wards in Denmark and in other countries, such as the U.S. It will investigate similarities and differences between the different countries and health organizational settings. It will also assess the extent to which contextual factors, such as health system-related, as well as cultural and organizational differences, may influence retention of nurses in their jobs. Finally, it aims at identifying potential retention strategies that may or may not work in the different settings cultural and organizational.

The project will use a mixed methods approach to investigate the research questions. It will draw on published quantitative and qualitative data and scientific literature as well as “grey” literature (reports from administrative bodies/patient advocacy associations etc.). Also, we will apply interview techniques (individual, semi-structured, and focus group) to map and analyze the elements of a nurse job and its place in a health organization and its environment. The project will be structured in seven work packages, each with a different focus and perspective on the topic. The interviews will be based on semi-structured interview guides based on input/learnings from the work packages.

 

 

Learning Objectives

The primary objective is for you to experience the world of research and gain skills that will prepare you for any future career you choose to pursue. By the end of the term, you will grasp the complexities of the research project and have made your own contribution to the project. You will have learned to communicate ideas
and findings, both orally and in writing, to colleagues within your particular discipline, as well as peers from other disciplines.

Research Mentor 

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Lone Bilde

DIS Copenhagen Semester Faculty

"M.Sc. (Economics and Languages) 1993, B.Sc. (Economics and Languages), 1988, Bi-lingual correspondant (French), Copenhagen Business School,  Completed 8 of10 modules of BA in Leadership, 2009-2012, Copenhagen Business College, ICF - Certified Coach (Sofia Manning), 2024. Furthermore, postgraduate education in health economics, epidemiology, measurement of health-related quality of life, and (bio) statistics.

Lone is an experienced consultant, advisor and leader of healthcare research projects. Her area of expertise is health economics, epidemiology, financing, organization, and the management of the health sector, including health economics evaluation.

She has carried out several research projects for - and together with - multiple stakeholders in Denmark as well as internationally. She has held senior positions at the Danish Institute for Health Services Research (DSI), the Danish Institute for Local and Regional Government Research (KORA), the Danish Institute for Applied Social Research (VIVE), Novo Nordisk, Nycomed, the Danish Cancer Society, and the Danish Technical University. "

Roles and Responsibilities of the Research Assistant

You are expected to spend a minimum of 10 hours per week on the project. The workload may vary over the semester. If you are travelling to do field research in a different location, additional time may be required.

As research assistant, you will engage in some or all of the following:

1. Participate in weekly meetings with your research mentor at a time set collectively at the beginning of the term.
2. Participate in a research orientation at the beginning of the semester 
3. Participate in two research workshops during the semester.
4. Write an assessment of your own strengths and weaknesses in the research
process at the beginning of the semester. Revisit at the end of the semester as part of an evaluation of your own participation in, and learning from, the research project.
5. Keep a research journal and submit it in person or via email every week (or another specified interval) to your research mentor, describing the activities of the week, and outlining goals for the following week.
6. Conduct literature reviews.
7. Participate in carrying out the research project. This may include: familiarizing yourself with core concepts, literature searches, scientific paradigms, perspectives, interview techniques and analyses of data. The specific responsibilities may vary depending on how the project progresses. Be prepared to contribute to tasks that may come up during the semester. Research processes are not always predictable.
8. Present the relevance of the research and/or findings to peer(s) from other
disciplines at the DIS Festival.
9. Make a final oral and/or written presentation of the research you are involved in, depending on what is agreed with your research mentor.

Readings

The readings will be agreed upon with the Research Mentor at the beginning of the semester -the exact content will differ depending on your background. You will receive guidance concerning the basics of relevant concepts, study designs, methods of analysis, etc. There is a list of selected articles and reports to study under "Modules" .

Approach to Teaching

Generally, the mentor will help the students visualize the work ahead, so that you will feel safe about the research contribution you have to deliver in the end. She will do her best to listen to what the students have to say acknowledging that everybody has a important perspective to contribute with. Also, she will endeavour to include the students in the decisions made in the research team.

That means that a lot of brainstorming and discussion on the topic, the material, the hypotheses, the proces, and the findings will be incorporated in the project.

Evaluation and Grading

All research assistants are assessed on their participation, weekly status reports to the research mentor, self-evaluation and presentations to peers from other disciplines. Additional evaluation and grading depends on the individual research project and project phase and is outlined by the research mentor. It may include literature reviews, a poster presentation for an expert panel, a working paper, etc.

Participation*

10% of grade comprises attendance & active participation in the research orientation, research workshops, and DIS Festival

20%

Literature review

5%

Research Project Outline

10%

Presentation at DIS Festival

10%

Final Paper

55%

TOTAL

100%

Research Orientation & Workshops

Days and times are available in the Course Summary, below.

Field Research (if applicable)

Some research projects include field research. Expenses related to fieldwork will be
covered by a DIS travel grant. The fieldwork will be planned with the research
mentor at the beginning of the semester.

Approach to Mentoring

All DIS research mentors have been trained in mentoring students but their approach to mentoring may differ. Mentoring is about engaging at a different - and often deeper - level than what is typical in the class room. However, mentoring also comes with some degree of ambiguity, which is important for you to expect. The research mentor will work closely with you throughout the semester but part of the training is also for you to use your own judgment to make assessments and decisions. As part of planning your tasks and responsibilities for the semester together, the research mentor will talk to you about her/his approach to mentoring.

Expectations of the Research Assistant

The specific expectations of the individual research assistant are agreed upon at the
beginning of the semester. In general, a research assistant is expected to take initiative, take ownership of the project and work independently. You must also be prepared for meetings and be willing to part take in relevant discussions. In cases where more research assistants are involved in the same project, you will be expected to engage in some teamwork. Carrying out a research project is not a straightforward and predictable process. This is part of what makes it exciting. It also means that communication is crucial. You are expected to take responsibility for communicating about problems or issues that arise.

Data

The project will be carried out using mixed methods (see paper on Mixed Methods in the folder "modules"). It will include data from published scientific literature and "grey" literature, e.g. reports, as well as published statistical sources such as OECD health statistics, WHO and various US sources. Also, you will carry out semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders/persons. The interviews will be subject to prior consent (according to the GDPR rules) by the interviewees and data from the interviews will be collected in the form of note-taking. Notes will be deleted after the end of the semester. Also, data from the interviews will be only be used for the purpose of this research project and only in a anonomyous form so that personal statements cannot be recognised. 

Disability and Resource Statement

Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact Academic Support in Copenhagen (acadsupp@dis.dk) or in Stockholm (academics@disstockholm.se), depending on the project location. In order to receive accommodations, students should inform the instructor of approved DIS accommodations within the first two weeks of classes.

DIS Accommodations Statement 

Your learning experience in this class is important to me.  If you have approved academic accommodations with DIS, please make sure I receive your DIS accommodations letter within two weeks from the start of classes. If you can think of other ways I can support your learning, please don't hesitate to talk to me. If you have any further questions about your academic accommodations, contact Academic Support acadsupp@dis.dk. 

Academic Regulations

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There, you will find regulations on:

 

 

DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due