Nurses experience stress, fear and anger while they are trying to reconcile their ideals/ goals about health care with its inadequacies and abuses (Jameton, 1984:5), while at the same time trying to stay true to their convictions (Lindh et al., 2010:552). Moral distress is experienced when nurses cannot adhere to these goals (Corley, 2002:637). Conflicting moral principles, stress-provoking and contradicting demands weaken the nurse’s sense of control, power and autonomy (Lützen et al., 2010:213). The current descriptions of moral distress inadequately define the concept, and this might lead to the inconsistent use of the term moral distress. Therefore, conceptual clarity is needed. Current available instruments measure antecedents and situations causing moral distress. Therefore, an instrument measuring the attributes of moral distress is urgently needed. Such an instrument might be used in a variety of clinical departments because it is not based on department-specific situations but on the attributes of moral distress. Moral distress has a great impact on the nurse, patient care and the organization. This research used Benson and Clark’s (1982) method of instrument development as a theoretical framework. It is the aim of this study to develop and validate an instrument to measure moral distress in the clinical health care context of the professional nurse. In order to attain this aim the following objectives were set: To conduct an integrative literature review to identify antecedents, consequences, attributes and empirical indicators of moral distress; to conduct interviews to explore professional nurses’ experience of moral distress; to develop an instrument to measure moral distress in professional nurses; to validate the instrument. A qualitative and quantitative research design with explorative, descriptive and contextual strategies was used. The research process was divided into phases. During Phase One, an integrative literature review was conducted and the population included all available national and international data on moral distress in nurses/ nursing and sampling included all-inclusive sampling. Data analysis was performed through descriptive synthesis.Phase Onealso included semi-structured interviews and the population included professional nurses working in hospitals and clinics in the North-West Province. The sampling method applied was purposive sampling. Tesch’s method was used as data analysis method. During Phase Two, a content validation was conducted and the population included experts in the field of moral distress and instrument validation, and purposive sampling was applied. Data collection was done through the instrument that was developedand data analysis was the content validity index. Phase Twoalso included a qualitative evaluation which was conducted and the population consisted of professional nurses working in hospitals and clinics in the North-West Province and purposive sampling was applied. Data was collected through the developed instrument and a focus group session. Data analysis was conducted through aconsensus discussion. During Phase Three, a pilot study was conducted and the population was professional nurses working ina hospital with different departments and clinics in the Free State Province. All-inclusive sampling was applied and the instrument that was developed was used as data collection. Data analysis included: Descriptive statistics, factor analysis (exploratory, confirmatory and Bartlett’s test of spherity), Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, correlations and ANOVA. According to the results from the face-, content-, exploratory and confirmatory, discriminant- as well as divergent validity, the instrument has been shown to be valid. The Cronbach’s alpha for the Moral Distress Instrument was deemed reliable. Finally, the research was evaluated and limitations were identified. Recommendations for nursing education, -practice, research and policy were formulated. / PhD (Nursing), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Nurses experience stress, fear and anger while they are trying to reconcile their ideals/ goals about health care with its inadequacies and abuses (Jameton, 1984:5), while at the same time trying to stay true to their convictions (Lindh et al., 2010:552). Moral distress is experienced when nurses cannot adhere to these goals (Corley, 2002:637). Conflicting moral principles, stress-provoking and contradicting demands weaken the nurse’s sense of control, power and autonomy (Lützen et al., 2010:213). The current descriptions of moral distress inadequately define the concept, and this might lead to the inconsistent use of the term moral distress. Therefore, conceptual clarity is needed. Current available instruments measure antecedents and situations causing moral distress. Therefore, an instrument measuring the attributes of moral distress is urgently needed. Such an instrument might be used in a variety of clinical departments because it is not based on department-specific situations but on the attributes of moral distress. Moral distress has a great impact on the nurse, patient care and the organization. This research used Benson and Clark’s (1982) method of instrument development as a theoretical framework. It is the aim of this study to develop and validate an instrument to measure moral distress in the clinical health care context of the professional nurse. In order to attain this aim the following objectives were set: To conduct an integrative literature review to identify antecedents, consequences, attributes and empirical indicators of moral distress; to conduct interviews to explore professional nurses’ experience of moral distress; to develop an instrument to measure moral distress in professional nurses; to validate the instrument. A qualitative and quantitative research design with explorative, descriptive and contextual strategies was used. The research process was divided into phases. During Phase One, an integrative literature review was conducted and the population included all available national and international data on moral distress in nurses/ nursing and sampling included all-inclusive sampling. Data analysis was performed through descriptive synthesis.Phase Onealso included semi-structured interviews and the population included professional nurses working in hospitals and clinics in the North-West Province. The sampling method applied was purposive sampling. Tesch’s method was used as data analysis method. During Phase Two, a content validation was conducted and the population included experts in the field of moral distress and instrument validation, and purposive sampling was applied. Data collection was done through the instrument that was developedand data analysis was the content validity index. Phase Twoalso included a qualitative evaluation which was conducted and the population consisted of professional nurses working in hospitals and clinics in the North-West Province and purposive sampling was applied. Data was collected through the developed instrument and a focus group session. Data analysis was conducted through aconsensus discussion. During Phase Three, a pilot study was conducted and the population was professional nurses working ina hospital with different departments and clinics in the Free State Province. All-inclusive sampling was applied and the instrument that was developed was used as data collection. Data analysis included: Descriptive statistics, factor analysis (exploratory, confirmatory and Bartlett’s test of spherity), Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, correlations and ANOVA. According to the results from the face-, content-, exploratory and confirmatory, discriminant- as well as divergent validity, the instrument has been shown to be valid. The Cronbach’s alpha for the Moral Distress Instrument was deemed reliable. Finally, the research was evaluated and limitations were identified. Recommendations for nursing education, -practice, research and policy were formulated. / PhD (Nursing), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

<p>Godkännandedatum: 2016-01-10</p>

Published Article / The reproductive status of animals is of utmost importance to the modern farmer. Decisions concerning the management of the flock are influenced by the knowledge of the percentage of animals that are pregnant at any specific time. The aim of the project was to gain knowledge for the development of an instrument that is affordable and with which a farmer can do pregnancy determination himself/herself, thereby enabling him/her to make the correct management decisions. Experimental data were obtained from pregnant Dorper ewes with the aid of a portable Doppler instrument. Using real data as input, simulations of Wavelet and Short Time Fourier Transforms (STF) were done in MathCAD. In the simulations known levels of noise were added to the Doppler signals. Satisfactory results were obtained from the simulations of Wavelet Transforms. In the simulation of the Wavelet Transforms, signals with a SNR of -6.5 dB were successfully identified. It can thus be concluded that Wavelet Transforms can be used successfully for the detection of the fetal heartbeat in noisy ultrasonic Doppler signals.

Denna studies syfte var att undersöka hur elever i behov av särskilt stöd uppfattade musikundervisning och med ett särskilt fokus på sånginlärning. Frågeställningarna var hur elever beskrev det som de brukade göra på musiklektionerna, hur eleverna uppfattade sin inlärningsmiljö och hur eleverna uppfattade sin sånginlärning. Eleverna var 10-11 år. Elevernas huvudsakliga aktiviteter under musiklektionerna var sång, dans och instrumentalspelande. Medan fria val av musikaktiviteter upplevdes som positivt, upplevdes brist på koncentration som negativt. Svaren visade även betydelsen av lyssning och upprepad övning, utifrån såväl skriven text som i form av härmning av framförd text. I resultatet framkom det att sjunga tillsammans med hela klassen medförde en risk att höras om inte samtliga sjöng med. Det kunde i sin tur medföra en känsla av obehag och resultera i en ovilja att delta i den gemensamma sången. Även den egna rösten upplevdes som främmande. Lite oväntat fanns en skillnad mellan flickor och pojkar i de redovisade svaren. Skillnaden framkom hos både flickor och pojkar, men i olika moment.

L'épuisement professionnel est un syndrome psychologique répandu qui se développe en réponse à des stresseurs chroniques au travail. Le portrait actuel des symptômes de l'épuisement professionnel présenté dans la littérature met l'accent sur l'étape finale de l'épuisement, malgré le fait que ce dernier se développe de façon progressive. Étant donné le peu d'études empiriques portant sur l'évolution des symptômes de l'épuisement professionnel, il apparaît pertinent d'explorer le développement de ces derniers à travers le temps. Cette recherche a une orientation descriptive ainsi qu'exploratoire. Elle a été effectuée auprès de vingt-sept omnipraticiens. Cette étude avait comme premier objectif de décrire l'évolution de l'intensité des différents symptômes de l'épuisement professionnel à travers le temps. Elle avait pour deuxième objectif de vérifier la pertinence de l'instrument de mesure créé par l'auteure de cette recherche, Symptômes de l'Épuisement Professionnel (SEP). Les résultats suggèrent qu'un profil d'évolution de l'intensité se dégage pour la majorité des symptômes de l'épuisement professionnel. Ce profil se caractérise par une augmentation progressive, graduelle et constante de l'intensité. Il ressort aussi des résultats que le SEP semble être un instrument pertinent quant à la mesure de l'évolution de l'intensité de l'ensemble des symptômes de l'épuisement professionnel à travers le temps. En contribuant à décrire l'évolution des symptômes de l'épuisement, cette recherche s'inscrit dans une démarche contribuant à améliorer la prévention ainsi que le traitement de l'épuisement professionnel.

Il existe plusieurs questionnaires destinés à soutenir les gestionnaires au niveau du développement de leurs compétences. Toutefois, la plupart ne font pas référence à des situations d'apprentissage concrètes liées au travail. Or, il semble que les compétences de gestion s'acquièrent principalement sur le terrain. Afin de pallier à cette lacune, la présente recherche propose un outil, le Questionnaire sur les défis de gestion et les stratégies de développement.Il s'appuie sur le postulat théorique que le gestionnaire développe ses compétences dans l'action à travers diverses situations et plus particulièrement lorsqu'elles lui posent un défi.Il est actif dans son processus d'apprentissage et se développe en activant des stratégies de développement. Une version préliminaire de l'outil a d'abord été construite et présentée à trois gestionnaires. Leurs commentaires ont permis d'élaborer une version expérimentale web. Au total, l'outil a été administré à 71 gestionnaires comportant des caractéristiques différentes et provenant d'organisations diverses. À l'aide du questionnaire, les participants ont d'abord identifié trois défis rencontrés dans l'exercice de leurs fonctions, parmi une liste de 44. En référant à chacun d'eux, ils ont ensuite évalué l'utilité de 41 stratégies de développement sur une échelle de type Likert. Les résultats de la recherche démontrent que les propriétés métriques de l'outil sont satisfaisantes pour être utilisé auprès des gestionnaires qui souhaitent développer les compétences liées à leur rôle. Les résultats apportent aussi un éclairage concernant l'apprentissage des compétences de gestion. Ainsi, il semble que peu importe le défi rencontré, travailler sur ses perceptions, se fixer un objectif précis et rechercher du feed-back et des opinions constituent des stratégies utiles pour faire face aux défis. Les résultats indiquent aussi que le contexte particulier dans lequel s'inscrit le défi fait quelque peu varié l'utilité perçue des stratégies de développement. Ce qui démontre aussi l'importance d'une approche individualisée en matière de développement des compétences.

No description available.

<p>Från och med år 2005 ska alla noterade företag upprätta sina koncernredovisningar i enlighet</p><p>med de standarder som utfärdats av IASB och som antagits av EU-kommissionen. En av</p><p>IASB:s grundläggande riktlinjer är att redovisningen ska ge en rättvisande bild av företagets</p><p>situation. Bankindustrin motsatte sig införandet av en standard, IAS 39, då de ansåg att den</p><p>skulle misslyckas med att ge en rättvisande bild. Vårt syfte med uppsatsen är att studera i</p><p>vilken utsträckning banker i sin redovisning kan ge en rättvisande bild av ekonomiska</p><p>händelser i enlighet med IAS 39. Vårt empiriska material baserar sig till största del på</p><p>intervjuer med fyra bankkoncerner samt två revisorer och en analytiker. Under studiens gång</p><p>har vi funnit att åsikterna kring IAS 39 går isär. Bankindustrin är av en åsikt medan</p><p>intressenterna, i de flesta fall, är av en annan. Uppsatsen är till stor del strukturerad efter den</p><p>rättvisande bildens kvalitativa egenskaper. Analysen görs utifrån de kvalitativa egenskapernas</p><p>kännetecken. Studien visar på:</p><p>Relevansen har blivit lägre sett ur kravet förståelse och blivit högre sett ur kravet</p><p>aktualitet.</p><p>Jämförbarheten har blivit lägre enligt bankindustrin och högre enligt intressenterna,</p><p>sett ur kraven lika händelser och spelregler</p><p>Validiteten har blivit lägre enligt bankindustrin och högre enligt intressenterna, sett ur</p><p>kraven fullständighet och neutralitet.</p><p>Verifierbarheten varierar sett ur kraven kontroll och samstämmighet.</p>

<p>Då det sedan 2005 har varit obligatoriskt för företag att värdera sina finansiella tillgångar enligt IAS 39 fann vi det intressant att fördjupa oss i vilka effekter den nya redovisningen gett. Inom banksektorn utgör andelen finansiella tillgångar en stor del av de totala tillgångarna, varför vi beslöt oss för att undersöka just den branschen. För att kunna få ett tillfredsställande djup i uppsatsen valde vi att göra en fallstudie över Swedbank. Den forskningsfråga som vi har valt att undersöka är: Vilka effekter har värdering till verkligt värde av finansiella instrument i Swedbank haft för externa intressenter? Vi har valt att dels använda oss av intervjuer med personer som har olika kunskapsområden, för att få en mer övergripande bild, dels har vi granskat Swedbanks årsredovisningar för att se eventuella effekter i siffror. En modell över kvalitativa egenskaper har använts för att göra en jämförelse med våra undersökningar. Dessutom har vi genom att leta efter eventuella effekter på likviditeten ytterligare analyserat hur Swedbank uppfyller kravet på tillförlitlighet. I analysen har vi kommit fram till att det har skett en förbättring i Swedbanks redovisning då bland annat tillförlitligheten har ökat på flera plan. Bilden av företaget blir mer rättvisande då innebörden redovisas före formen. Dessutom blir det enklare för externa intressenter att göra jämförelser mellan olika företag då redovisningen görs på samma vis. På det generella planet har vi kunnat konstatera att riskerna för försämrad likviditet ökar om värderingsmodeller används vid värderingen. Inom Swedbank har detta dock undvikits genom att de inte använder sig av denna typ av modeller. Till framtida studier föreslår vi en undersökning av flera banker för att få en tydligare överblick av banksektorn.</p>