In this chapter we elaborate a hermeneutical perspective on professionalism and professional development in the wide range of professions and vocational trainings, which fall under the concern of a University of Applied Sciences (UAS). In a joint research programme of the HU UAS and Utrecht University we aim to unveil and make visible that professionals are continuously making interpretations simply by doing their jobs. Unavoidably, with these interpretations, subjectivity and normativity comes along, setting a moral agenda in the respective professional fields. We show how the more conceptual and philosophical reflections in the humanities at the Academia, is brought in interaction with professional development, vocational education and practice-oriented research at UAS. After this we walk through a number of recently completed or still ongoing research projects in the wide range of professionals in religious education (RE) via general and vocational education to non-educational professions. We end up with six developments or ‘movements’ that are taking place and that can be useful for a better understanding of complexity in vocational education and professions as such, and the imperative for change that is given by this.
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Background: Despite trends towards greater professionalisation of the nursing profession and an improved public image in certain countries, studies also show that large proportions of the public still do not fully appreciate nurses’ competencies. Mapping differences in the societal and professional recognition of nurses allows for benchmarking among countries. Aim: To investigate the level of societal recognition of the nursing profession in nine European countries, and the level of professional recognition perceived by European nurses themselves; to compare levels of recognition between countries; and to identify influencing factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Through an online survey, the study surveyed both the general public and nurses from various healthcare settings across nine countries between December 2022 and June 2023. The instrument used was a combination of self-developed questions on societal and professional recognition, the Work Motivation Scale and an adapted version of the Multidimensional Work Motivation Scale. Data were analysed using SPSS v.29.0, with socioeconomic prestige scores for the public and work environment/work motivation scores for nurses calculated accordingly. Results: A total of 1618 adult citizens and 2335 nurses participated. The public predominantly characterised nurses with attributes such as friendliness, warmth, empathy and compassion. The mean socioeconomic prestige score assigned to nurses was 7.2/10 (SD 1.9), with Portugal having the highest score (M 7.5/10, SD 2.0) and Norway the lowest (M 5.8/10, SD 1.4; p < 0.001). Professional recognition experienced by nurses was generally low (54% indicated rather low, 17% very low). Slovenia, the Netherlands and Belgium had slightly higher mean scores (all M 1.4/3) compared to other countries (p < 0.001). High professional recognition could be predicted for 33% by work environment score (OR = 1.21; 95% CI [1.19–1.24]), work motivation score (OR = 1.02; 95%CI[1.01–1.02]), expertise outside the hospital (OR = 1.57; 95% CI [1.25–1.97]) and work experience (OR = 1.01; 95% CI [1.00–1.02]) corrected for country. Conclusion: The study highlights the need for targeted interventions to improve the professional and public image of the nursing profession while addressing disparities in professional recognition between countries. Longitudinal studies are recommended to monitor changes in public perception and professional recognition among nurses.
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This research aims to develop and validate an instrument for measuring primary student teachers’ professional identity tensions. Based on dissonance theory, we transformed existing vignettes (Pillen, Den Brok, & Beijaard, 2013) into to a quantitative Professional Identity Tensions Scale (PITS) and added tensions regarding teaching in urban contexts. We examined the psychometric quality of the PITS by administering this scale to primary student teachers from teacher education institutions in urban areas across the Netherlands. Two studies were conducted in the process of validating the PITS. First, items were tested among a sample of 211 students to explore whether they measure underlying constructs of professional identity tensions. Second, retained items were administered to a new sample of 271 students. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated a similar factor structure. The finalinstrument includes 34 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale measuring nine different professional identity tensions. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
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As the Dutch population is aging, the field of music-in-healthcare keeps expanding. Healthcare, institutionally and at home, is multiprofessional and demands interprofessional collaboration. Musicians are sought-after collaborators in social and healthcare fields, yet lesser-known agents of this multiprofessional group. Although live music supports social-emotional wellbeing and vitality, and nurtures compassionate care delivery, interprofessional collaboration between musicians, social work, and healthcare professionals remains marginal. This limits optimising and integrating music-making in the care. A significant part of this problem is a lack of collaborative transdisciplinary education for music, social, and healthcare students that deep-dives into the development of interprofessional skills. To meet the growing demand for musical collaborations by particularly elderly care organisations, and to innovate musical contributions to the quality of social and healthcare in Northern Netherlands, a transdisciplinary education for music, physiotherapy, and social work studies is needed. This project aims to equip multiprofessional student groups of Hanze with interprofessional skills through co-creative transdisciplinary learning aimed at innovating and improving musical collaborative approaches for working with vulnerable, often older people. The education builds upon experiential learning in Learning LABs, and collaborative project work in real-life care settings, supported by transdisciplinary community forming.The expected outcomes include a new concept of a transdisciplinary education for HBO-curricula, concrete building blocks for a transdisciplinary arts-in-health minor study, innovative student-led approaches for supporting the care and wellbeing of (older) vulnerable people, enhanced integration of musicians in interprofessional care teams, and new interprofessional structures for educational collaboration between music, social work and healthcare faculties.
Centre of Expertise, part of Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen
Centre of Expertise, part of Hogeschool iPabo, Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten, Avans Hogeschool, +3
Centre of Expertise, part of Hanze
