Background
Patients with multimorbidity and complex care needs are among those most likely to experience frequent care transitions between centralized acute care settings and decentralized chronic care settings. For this patient group, transition periods mark vulnerable moments in the provision of care. Achieving high-quality and safe patient care requires coordination within and between multiple teams across organizational boundaries. Multi-team systems (MTSs) consist of two or more component teams that interact to manage a complex healthcare system and achieve a collective goal. Poor communication and incomplete information transfer between MTSs involved in the transition from centralized care settings to decentralized care settings can impede access to needed support and resources. Establishing digital tools to support planning, communication and coordination between MTSs may offer significant advantages and has the potential to support improved communication and collaboration in such cross-organisational transitioning. However, limited evidence of applying digital tools to improve and support coordination processes across MTSs exists.
Approach
This PhD project will focus on Coordination in multi-team healthcare systems. The objectives are to design tools to support transmural patient handovers in multi-team-systems (MTS) by (1) describing how MTS perform (tasks, processes, outcomes) in patient handovers between hospitals and primary care, (2) identifying competencies necessary for MTS to facilitate or hinder the quality and safety of patient handovers and (3) exploring how digital tools can support MTS competencies in patient handovers. The PhD project will be carried out in Norway with data collection in the healthcare practice field.
Our research team
Centre for Resilience in Healthcare (SHARE) constitutes Norway’s largest research group studying quality and safety in healthcare and is affiliated with the Department of Quality and Health Technology at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stavanger. SHARE’s strategic vision is to become an internationally recognized research centre by reforming the understanding of quality and safety in current healthcare systems. SHARE’s main pillar is a solid base of PhD scholars conducting research in areas such as interdisciplinary teamwork and competence, co-production and involvement, telecare, regulation, evaluation of improvement measures, and analysis of healthcare processes.
The doctoral candidate will be a part of the multidisciplinary research group in SHARE consisting of 70 researchers, including nurses, medical doctors, psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapist, lawyers, sociologist, engineers, and safety scientists. The doctoral candidate will work in a Tools4Teams project group at SHARE involving another doctoral candidate, a project manager, and supervisors.
Planned secondments will take place at Amsterdam University Medical Center (location VUmc, Amsterdam Public Health (amsterdamumc.org)), and Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL), Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Your experience
We are looking for applicants with a strong academic background who have completed a five-year master’s degree (3+2) within healthcare or equivalent education, preferably acquired recently, that provides a basis for successfully completing a doctorate.
To be eligible for this position, you must satisfy the following conditions to conform to the Marie Curie admission requirements:
- Must not already hold a doctoral degree
- Must comply with the mobility rule: not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Norway for more than 12 months in the three years immediately prior to their recruitment.
Applicants with an education from an institution with a different grade scale than A-F, and/or with other types of credits than stp/ECTS, must attach a confirmed conversion scale that shows how the grades can be compared with the Norwegian A-F scale and a Diploma Supplement or similar that explains the scope of the subjects that are included in the education. You can use these conversion scales to calculate your points for admission.
You should have good skills in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language upon accession.
Emphasis is also placed on your:
- motivation and potential for research within the field
- your professional and personal skills for completing the doctoral degree within the timeframe
- ability to work independently and in a team, be innovative and creative
- ability to work structured and handle a heavy workload
- having a good command of both oral and written English
Our offer
This PhD position is funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) of the European Union’s “Horizon Europe 2022” research and innovation program under grant agreement No 101072843. The PhD position is vacant from 01.09.2023 and you will be appointed as fulltime PhD for 3 years at the University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway. The MSCA programme offers competitive and attractive working conditions. The successful candidates will receive a gross salary in accordance with the State Salary Scale, l.pl 17.515, code 1017, NOK 501 200 (46 461 Euro approximately) per year with salary development according to seniority in the position. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund. In addition, the candidates will receive a monthly mobility allowance of 600€ and an additional monthly allowance of €660 might be applicable depending on family situation, according to the MSCA regulations. The research project should result in a PhD thesis.
Mobility requirements
Doctoral candidates are required to undertake trans-national mobility (i.e. move from one country to another) when taking up the appointment. At the time of selection by the host organisation, researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies etc.) in the country (Norway) of their host organisation for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date – that is between September 2020 and September 2023. Short stays, such as holidays, are not taken into account.
Specific offer from the University of Stavanger:
- PhD education in a large, exciting, and socially important organisation
- salary in accordance with the State Salary Scale, l.pl 17.515, code 1017, NOK 501 200 gross per year with salary development according to seniority in the position. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
- automatic membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund, which provides favourable insurance- and retirement benefits
- favourable membership terms at a gym and at the SIS sports club at campus
- employment with an Inclusive Workplace organisation which is committed to reducing sick leave, increasing the proportion of employees with reduced working capacity, and increasing the number of professionally active seniors
- “Hjem-jobb-hjem” discounted public transport to and from work
- as an employee in Norway, you will have access to an optimal health service, as well as good pensions, generous maternity/paternity leave, and a competitive salary. Nursery places are guaranteed and reasonably priced
- relocation programme
Diversity
University of Stavanger values independence, involvement and innovation. Diversity is respected and considered a resource in our work and learning environment. Universal design characterises physical and digital learning environments, and we strive to provide reasonable adjustments for employees with disabilities.
You are encouraged to apply regardless of gender, disability or cultural background.
The university aims to recruit more men within the subject area. If several applicants are considered to have equal qualifications, male applicants will be given priority.
Contact information
For more information about the position, you can contact Professor Sissel Eikeland Husebø, tel +47 51834194, e-mail: sissel.i.husebo@uis.no, Professor Karina Aase, tel: +47 51831534, e-mail: karina.aase@uis.no or HR-advisor Annette Lothe Molnes, tel: +47 51831361, e-mail: annette.l.molnes@uis.no.
Application at the University of Stavanger
To apply for this position please follow this link. Your application letter, relevant education and work experience as well as language skills must be registered here. In your application letter, you must state your research interests and motivation for the position.
Project proposal
As an applicant, you must prepare a preliminary project proposal for the outlined doctoral project where your competence in relation to the project is explained and a tentative plan for implementation is developed (theoretical and methodological approach). The project proposal will be included in the competence assessment. During the first three months of the employment period, the project proposal and progress plan will be further developed in cooperation with your supervisors and completed for the final plan for the PhD-project.
The following documents must be uploaded as attachments to your application:
- Project proposal (maximum 5 pages)
- CV with a full summary of your education and experience
- references, certificates/diplomas and other documentation that you consider relevant
- Diploma Supplement or similar and a confirmed conversion scale if this is required
- publications or other relevant research work
Documentation on competence in English might be required in the recruitment process.
Applications are evaluated based on the information available in Jobbnorge at the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above and that you have attached the necessary documentation.
The documentation must be available in either a Scandinavian language or in English. If the total size of the attachments exceeds 30 MB, they must be compressed before upload.
Please note that information on applicants may be published even if the applicant has requested not to be included in the official list of applicants – see Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act. If your request is not granted, you will be notified.
UiS only considers applications and attachments registered in Jobbnorge.
More about the hiring process on our website.
University of Stavanger
The University of Stavanger (UiS) has about 12,000 students and 2.200 employees. The university has high ambitions. We strive to have an innovative and international profile, and be a driving force in knowledge development and in the process of societal change. Our common direction is driven by consideration for sustainable change and equitable social development, through new ways of managing natural resources and facilitating better cities and local communities. Energy, health and welfare, learning for life are our focus areas.
In constant collaboration and dialogue with our surroundings, regionally, nationally and internationally, we enjoy an open and creative climate for education, research, innovation, dissemination and museum activities. Academic life at the University of Stavanger is organised into six faculties comprising various departments/schools and National Research Centres, as well as the Museum of Archaeology. We are a member of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities. The university is located in the most attractive region in the country with more than 300,000 inhabitants. The Stavanger region has a dynamic labour market and exciting cultural and leisure activities.
Together with our staff and students we will challenge the well-known and explore the unknown.
The Faculty of Health Sciences offers bachelor’s programmes in Nursing and Paramedic, master’s programmes in Health Sciences with specializations in Public Health Nursing, in Midwifery, in Drug Abuse and Mental Health, in Prehospital Services and in Nursing with specializations in Anesthesia, Intensive Care or Surgical Nursing, and a continuing education programme in Cancer Nursing.
The faculty further offers research education (PhD) in Health and Medicine and the research school PROFRES – National Research School for Professions-Oriented and Practice-Relevant Research in the fields of Health, Welfare and Education. The Faculty of Health Sciences has the following main research areas: Professional Relations in Welfare Professions, Health Promotion in Chronic Ailments, E-learning, Health Technology and Simulation, Life Phenomena and Caring, and Participation in School and Work. The research centre SHARE – Centre for Resilience in Health Care are also part of the faculty. There are currently 250 employees including students and postdocs, and 1400 students at The Faculty of Health Sciences.
The department´s main objective is to facilitate high-quality care for patients and user in healthcare services. The department’s scientific profile is focused on patient safety, health technology, patients’ rights, and the involvement of service users, patients, and next of kin. Overall, the department emphasise an interdisciplinary approach, featuring engagement from students, patients, users, and healthcare professionals in all core activities. There are currently 105 employees, including research fellows and postdocs, at the departement. Competence among department staff spans all levels of healthcare services.