This thesis describes an Action Research (AR) project aimed at the implementation of Evidence Based Practice in a mental health nursing setting in the Netherlands. The main research question addressed in this thesis is: In what way is Action Research with an empowering appropriate to implement Evidence Based Practice in a mental health nursing setting in the Netherlands and what is the effect of this implementation on the care experienced by the client, the nursing interventions and the context in this setting compared to a comparative setting? To answer this main research question, the following questions derived from it were addressed: What is Evidence Based Practice? What is known about implementing evidence-based practice in nursing through Action Research? Which factors have to be dealt with in a mental health nursing setting, so the implementation of EBP with AR with an empowering intent will be more successful? Which factors have to be dealt with in a mental health nursing setting, so the implementation of EBP with AR with an empowering intent will be successful? How is EBP implemented through AR with an empowering intent and what are the outcomes for the use of evidence, the context and the facilitation in the setting? What is the effect of the implementation of EBP in mental health nursing using AR with an empowering intent on the care experienced by the client, the nursing interventions and the context compared to a comparison setting? The first two questions were answered by a search of the literature while the remaining questions were answered during the AR study conducted in two mental health organisations in the Netherlands.
University teacher teams can work toward educational change through the process of team learning behavior, which involves sharing and discussing practices to create new knowledge. However, teachers do not routinely engage in learning behavior when working in such teams and it is unclear how leadership support can overcome this problem. Therefore, this study examines when team leadership behavior supports teacher teams in engaging in learning behavior. We studied 52 university teacher teams (281 respondents) involved in educational change, resulting in two key findings. First, analyses of multiple leadership types showed that team learning behavior was best supported by a shared transformational leadership style that challenges the status quo and stimulates team members’ intellect. Mutual transformational encouragement supported team learning more than the vertical leadership source or empowering and initiating structure styles of leadership. Second, moderator analyses revealed that task complexity influenced the relationship between vertical empowering team leadership behavior and team learning behavior. Specifically, this finding suggests that formal team leaders who empower teamwork only affected team learning behavior when their teams perceived that their task was not complex. These findings indicate how team learning behavior can be supported in university teacher teams responsible for working toward educational change. Moreover, these findings are unique because they originate from relating multiple team leadership types to team learning behavior, examining the influence of task complexity, and studying this in an educational setting.
Participant empowerment is a foundational goal of selforganisedhomeless care. We aim to understand how a selforganisedsetting contributes to participants' empowerment.The data we analysed (56 interviews, both open and semistructured)were generated in a longitudinal participatorycase study into Je Eigen Stek (Your own place, JES), a lowcostshelter for people experiencing homelessness in theNetherlands. JES participants experienced the freedom ofchoice and influence on their living environment. JES' fluidstructure allowed participants to adapt the program to theirdesires and needs, though participants were sometimes aspects to be either enabling or entrapping. We found someaspects (e.g., size, freedom of choice) could be entrapping orenabling, depending on personal factors. Our analysis revealedindividual freedom of choice, balancing freedom of choicewith support, offering opportunities for engagement andmaintaining fluidity in program management as core aspectsof how JES contributed to participants' empowerment.negative about having to live together. Most participantspreferred JES over regular shelters. Unlike empowermentliterature, participants mostly emphasised freedom of choiceover capacity development. JES offered opportunities forsocial and organisational engagement, through which participantsdeveloped roles, skills and self-image. However, alimited number of participants developed leadership rolesthrough self-management. Literature suggests setting
