Sætrum, A, Kaiser, S, Martinussen, M. User satisfaction with antenatal care in Norway. Birth. 2023; 00: 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1111/birt.12768

Abstract: In Norway, antenatal care is delivered free of charge in the municipality. Satisfaction with care is considered to be an important predictor of utilization of health care. The aim of this study was to examine women's satisfaction with antenatal care, and to identify factors that predict overall satisfaction with the service.

A total of 611 women completed a survey that collected information on demographic variables, pregnancy variables, and aspects of antenatal care; it also contained one open-ended question. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to predict Overall Satisfaction with antenatal care based on four specific scales: User Participation, Accessibility, Information, and Midwife, adjusted for demographic variables.

Survey responses showed that 95% of women were satisfied with antenatal care in general. The expectant mother's age, having Norwegian as the native language, and the scales User Participation, Information, and Midwife were all significant predictors of Overall Satisfaction with antenatal care. The open-ended user comments underlined the important role of midwifes in antenatal care.

The results of this study indicate that women who attended antenatal care in Norway were satisfied with the care they received. Midwives had an important role, and their relational and professional competence was highly valuated by expectant mothers. The findings also suggest that there are still opportunities to improve satisfaction with antenatal care, for example, by increasing the focus on mental health during antenatal consultations.

Kaiser, S., Lillevik, C. C., Jakobsen, K., Hansen, M. B., Martinussen, M. (2020). Parent satisfaction with child health centres for children 0–5 years old in Norway: A cross-sectional study. Nordic journal of nursing research 2021. s1-8.  https://doi.org/10.1177/20571585211031133

Abstract: In Norway, all children are entitled to receive regular health checks. Child health centres for children 0–5 years old (CHC) provide these check-ups and are one of many health services that Norwegian municipalities have to offer. The aim of this study was to examine parents’ satisfaction with CHCs, and to identify predictors for the overall evaluation of the service. The sample comprised 1654 parents who visited a CHC with their children. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to predict the overall evaluation of the service with four user satisfaction scales (i.e. User participation, Public health nurse, Accessibility, and Information).

The STROBE checklist was applied. Most users were satisfied with the service (95%) and with the help they received from it (91%). All four user satisfaction scales were significant in the prediction of the overall evaluation of the service. Users of the CHC seem to be very satisfied with the service, especially with the public health nurse.

Kaiser, S., Patras, J., Adolfsen, F., Richardsen, A. M. & Martinussen, M. (2020).  Using the Job Demands–Resources Model to Evaluate Work-Related Outcomes Among Norwegian Health Care Workers. SAGE Open, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244020947436

Abstract: The job demands-resources (JD-R) model was used to evaluate work-related outcomes among 489 health care professionals working in public health services for children and their families in Norway. In accordance with the JD-R model, the relationship of job demands and job resources with different outcomes (turnover intention, job satisfaction, and service quality) should be mediated through burnout and engagement.

In this study, the relationship between how employees in various healthcare and social professions assessed job demands and job resources in relation to their job satisfaction was examined. The study utilized the Job Demands-Resources model (JD-R model) among 489 individuals, all working in public health services for children and their families. The study investigated various variables related to job demands, job resources, job satisfaction, intention to quit, and service quality as organizational outcomes.

The results of the study were as expected and in line with the JD-R model, where both job demands and job resources were found to be important for employees' job satisfaction and organizational outcomes.

Kaiser, S., Skjesol, I., Sætrum, A., Adolfsen, F. & Martinussen, M. (2020). Parent Satisfaction with the Open Kindergarten in Norway. International Journal of Health Promotion and Education, 0(0). http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14635240.2020.1775674

Abstract: Open kindergartens are a low-threshold pedagogical service that preschool-aged children, accompanied by an adult caregiver, can attend without appointment or registration. The aims of this study were to examine users’ experiences with the open kindergarten in Norway and to identify predictors for the overall satisfaction with the service.

User satisfaction surveys were conducted over a 6-8-week period between 2015 and 2018 in open kindergartens in 11 municipalities in Norway. Every adult user who visited the open kindergarten during the survey period received a survey; 292 completed it (response rate 56%). Most users were mothers with children aged 0-2.

Overall, 96% of the parents were satisfied or very satisfied with the open kindergarten. Most of them found the open kindergarten useful for themselves (84%) and for their child (86%). Parents were most satisfied with the staff and the fact that their children enjoyed their time in the open kindergarten.

The results suggest that the open kindergarten is an important arena that is highly valued by its users. The service complements the other existing communal health-care services for children and their families and fills a gap that no other service covers.  

Bulling, I.S. & Berg, B. (2018). “It's our children!” Exploring intersectorial collaboration in family centres. Child & Family Social Work 23(4): 726-734. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12469

Abstract: Services provided to children and youth are often described as fragmented. To address this challenge, various forms of collaboration between sectors and services are established. To meet the need for greater collaboration, there is increased impetus for establishing interdisciplinary services, such as family centres. This article takes a closer look at the challenges of developing cooperation across sectors to establish comprehensive family support services.

This paper presents the results of a qualitative study based on in-depth interviews and participant observation in 3 Norwegian family centres. Data material consisted of interviews and field notes from participant observation.

The services provided in the centers were from various sectors within the municipality. This posed challenges in terms of center management. In cases where there was no common budget, consensus among the leaders was needed to develop new services. This often resulted in decisions not being made, and discussions about new focus areas lasting for extended periods. Both leaders and staff found it challenging to sustain intersectorial collaboration. One of the key areas discussed in the article is how this work is perceived in relation to what employees and leaders refer to as "the real tasks." Leaders' prioritization decisions appeared to have a significant impact on which practices were maintained and further developed and which practices gradually deteriorated.

This study demonstrates that both managers and professionals struggle with prioritizing intersectorial work, which mainly focuses on prevention and health promotion, over and above their traditional sectoral responsibilities. It also illustrates the necessity of articulating intersectorial collaboration as an explicit aim and exploring its implications and examining how this contributes to family centres building supportive communities. Building integrated services is not the ultimate goal of this particular form of service provision but rather the first step towards building interconnected support systems for all children in the community.

Sabine, K., Joshua, P., & Monica, M. (2018). Linking interprofessional work to outcomes for employees: A meta‐analysis. Research in Nursing & Health, 41, 265-280. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.21858

Abstract: The aim of this meta-analysis of studies of workers in the health and social care sector was to examine the relationship between interprofessional work and employee outcomes of job stress, autonomy, burnout, engagement, job satisfaction, turnover intention, and perceived service quality, and to examine the influence of different moderators on those relationships.

Interprofessional work was weakly negatively associated with job stress, burnout, and turnover intention (range mean r = -.13 to -.22); and was moderately positively associated with autonomy, engagement, job satisfaction, and perceived service quality (range mean r =.33 to .46). When feasible, interprofessional work was categorized as teamwork (most intensive), collaboration, or cooperation.

Teamwork, the most intense of three forms of interprofessional work, promoted lower burnout and turnover intention. The results of this meta-analysis suggest that interprofessional work is linked to better well-being for employees in health and social care.

Bulling, I. S. (2017) En mangfoldig møteplass. Åpen åpenbarnehage som integreringsarena. BARN (ISSN 0800-1669), 35(2-3), 73-87. https://doi.org/10.5324/barn.v35i2-3.3670

I'm sitting on the floor in a room filled with people. Adults and young children. I close my eyes and hear a cacophony of voices—some speaking Somali, one speaking German with her daughter, two ladies chatting in French in a corner. There are several languages I don't recognize, and many are speaking Norwegian. Some with a strong accent. I open my eyes and take in the rest of the scene. Through the door enters a man with a freshly ironed shirt and crisp dress pants, holding two cups of coffee. He navigates carefully around playing children and parents sitting on the floor, heading toward an empty chair almost in the corner of the room. Sitting on the floor in front of the chair is a man dressed in a hoodie. His sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, revealing arms covered in tattoos. 'I figured you'd want a coffee too,' says the man with the pressed shirt as he hands one cup to the man on the floor. More people continue to enter the room. Those who have already found a spot greet and make space among toys and people. (Field notes)

Abstract: This article explores the low-threshold service of the open Kindergarten, a meeting place for children and their caregivers, and discusses how such meeting places can promote integration processes.

Integration has been a central policy direction in the field of immigration for several decades, but the concept is understood differently by various stakeholders. The article is based on a relational concept of integration, focusing on what happens in the interaction between minorities and the majority. This perspective on integration implies mutual responsibility from both parties, in contrast to an understanding where individuals are expected to 'integrate' into an established society.

The open kindergartens in this study are part of the services offered at the Family House, a family center model with co-located municipal services for children, youth, and their families. This article is part of the doctoral project 'The Family House as an Arena for Health Promotion.'

Three centers have participated in the study, for variation in the data material. The data forming the basis for the analyses in the article consists of field notes from participant observation in the open kindergartens and interviews with staff and parents who use the service. The article explores the interaction between the people who meet in the open kindergartens and demonstrates how small interactions in play and everyday activities can be significant for integration processes.

The study shows that open meeting places attractive to a diverse group of people can contribute to a sense of belonging. From an integration perspective, it is essential to establish meeting places where minority and majority populations meet. By exploring such arenas, we can gain an understanding of what open meeting places can contribute and better understand what is essential for different people to want to participate in such settings.

Kaiser, S., Ekelund, B. Z., Patras, J., & Martinussen, M. (2016). Psychometric properties of the Norwegian short version of the Team Climate Inventory (TCI). Scandinavian Journal of Organizational Psychology, 8, 18-28.

Abstract: This article is an evaluation of a shortened version of the Team Climate Inventory (TCI) questionnaire. The questionnaire consists of 14 questions divided into four factors: vision, participative safety, task orientation, and support for innovation. We examined the reliability and factor structure in a Norwegian sample of 1390 employees working in various organizations. Reliability in terms of Chronbach's alpha was good for the total score, adequate for three scales, and inadequate for one scale (support for innovation). Results from the factor analysis indicated a good fit between the theoretical model and the data. Thus, the short version of TCI is a good measuring instrument for assessing team climate in organizations and in scientific research.

Team Climate Inventory (TCI) is a questionnaire that can be used to measure the climate within a team. Vision means that it is important for the team to have clearly defined goals that are understood, accepted, and valued by all members. Participative Safety refers to the importance of members feeling safe to propose new ideas and participate in decisions. Task Orientation means that members are willing to focus on tasks and achieve the best possible outcome. The final factor, support for innovation, involves members accepting and supporting new ideas or innovative attempts.

The original version was developed by Anderson and West in 1994 and consists of 38 questions. The copyright holder in Norway is Døscher, Ekelund, and Taylor, Human Factors AS in Oslo.

Bulling, I. S, (2016). Stepping through the door- Exploring Low-threshold Services in Norwegian Family Centres. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12343

Sammendrag: This article explores low-threshold services in Norwegian family centers, focusing on factors influencing accessibility and participation in these services. Establishing low-threshold services has been one of the strategies chosen by Norwegian municipalities to improve access to services. The goal is to promote health and reduce social inequalities.

The low-threshold services examined in this study are part of the offerings in the Family House, a family center model with co-located municipal services for children, youth, and their families. Three centers participated in the study, for diversity in the data material. Two low-threshold services were included from each center. The data forming the basis for the analyses in the article consists of field notes from participant observation in family centers and interviews with staff and parents using the services. This article is part of the doctoral project 'The Family House as an Arena for Health Promotion'.

The study's findings are presented in four categories that highlight the perspectives of parents and staff on factors influencing participation in low-threshold services: Accessibility, low levels of bureaucracy, collaborative competence, and an inclusive setting. Both parents and staff perceive the services as having a low threshold for participation. However, there are still barriers that hinder access and participation. The study emphasizes the importance of assessing these barriers from multiple perspectives, acknowledging them, and developing strategies to reduce them.

Martinussen, M., Kaiser, S., Adolfsen, F., Patras, J., & Richardsen, A. M. (2017). Reorganisation of healthcare services for children and families: Improving collaboration, service quality, and worker well-being. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 31, 487-496. https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820.2017.1316249

Sammendrag: In the autumn of 2008, a comprehensive mapping and analysis of services for children and youth in Asker municipality was conducted. This work suggests a need for changes regarding interdisciplinary collaboration and coordination of various services aimed at children and youth. Consequently, the municipality decided to establish a Children and Family Unit, which was opened on January 1, 2011. It comprised four departments: Prevention - Children (pregnancy, health services, Home-Start, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy), School-Age and Youth Department (school health services, youth health clinic/boys, outreach work, recreational clubs, etc.), Pedagogy (Educational Psychological Services, speech therapists, special educational preschool teams, and a mobile teaching team), and Measures (mental health, family counseling, etc.). The unit has organized interdisciplinary collaboration through what they call the Interdisciplinary Collaboration System.

In the study, employees in the Children and Family Unit in Asker municipality were followed over a two-year period from before the unit was established until the new organization was in place. At the last measurement, a total of 122 employees (93% women) from various professions participated. The results showed that collaboration between different services had improved after the unit's establishment, and likewise, immediate supervisors were also assessed more positively. The level of job conflict decreased, and the quality of the service was rated higher by the employees. There were no significant changes in work environment variables such as burnout and job satisfaction. The results indicate a positive development in collaboration and quality in line with the project's objectives.