tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72713968942668083142024-03-14T03:58:58.882+01:00The Lille-StangesFollow our American family of 4 (+ one dog) as we begin our new life in Lillehammer, Norway.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.comBlogger169125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-66103164511059189782015-06-25T16:46:00.002+02:002015-06-25T16:48:18.788+02:00Jackie Kennedy in Birkenstocks<div class="MsoNormal">
Following the <a href="http://www.nrk.no/ho/jordmor-kjempet-mot-staten-i-nesten-fem-ar-1.12370807" target="_blank">NRK TV news report on Tuesday, May 26th</a>, announcing that I had been approved to work as a midwife, and that SAK will now start using the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) to evaluate educations outside of the EU/EØS, our local newspaper in Lillehammer ran a very short article stating the same. We had been hoping it would get a little coverage, as I am repeatedly asked by strangers and acquaintances alike if anything has changed with my work situation. We thought that a little article in the paper would allow me to avoid explaining what has happened over and over again. The little article was short and succinct and we thought that was it. </div>
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Then a journalist called me a few days later. She had written <a href="http://lillestange.blogspot.no/2011/11/me-in-news.html" target="_blank">the very first news story</a> about my situation, about 3.5 years ago. She wanted to do a more in-depth interview for the "portrait" portion of Saturday's paper (there is no Sunday paper) when they do a profile on a local resident who is doing something different. I quickly looked up the previous Saturday's profile: a 42 year old nationally renowned female artist, who has bought an old hotel and is using it as an artist's colony, has lived and trained in Iceland and Berlin, and has just opened a new art exhibit in a new gallery in town. </div>
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And so it came to pass that I was interviewed for the local paper, and the following Saturday the following article, awkwardly translated with the help of Google Translate, was published: </div>
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On the front page, with picture: "Approved and Ready. American Emily Stange has lived in Lillehammer for five years and has had to contend with bureaucracy. Read about the midwife who didn't give up in GD's Saturday's portrait/profile."*</div>
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Headline: "<b>Midwife Emily</b>: Emily Stange is experiencing a bit unfamiliar feeling. She is
optimistic and looking forward to the future. This has not been so for the last
five years.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MyDNqulDFWk/VXVxOISF-GI/AAAAAAAACB8/lkBkJUvEFrw/s1600/IMG_3986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MyDNqulDFWk/VXVxOISF-GI/AAAAAAAACB8/lkBkJUvEFrw/s400/IMG_3986.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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The day is five years ago. In the delivery room at at
hospital in New Hampshire a happy set of parents looks at their little daughter
for the first time. The mother, a yoga teacher and former Olympic athlete for
the USA in kayak, still has contact with the midwife on duty that day (they are
friends on Facebook). Now sitting later in a red house in Søre Ål, she tells
about the birth with stars in her eyes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- “It was such a positive and inspiring experience of a
natural birth without medication. The mother was a strong woman, who knew her
body well. It is a great honor that this was the last birth I attended”, says
Emily Stange. Unknown to the midwife at the time, there would be an
involuntary break of many years until the next time she could assist at a
birth.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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It is not Jacqueline Kennedy that welcomes us in the door
along with a wagging four legged American blend that answers to the the name
Tika. But Emily’s classic good looks mean that she must endure the comparison,
though jeans, striped cotton sweater and Birkenstock shoes certainly does not
match the first lady's outfit.<o:p></o:p></div>
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None of this is why many people, both in Lillehammer and
elsewhere in the country, recognize 40-year-old from Søre Ål.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Her status as a (minor) national celebrity is because she has
fronted the fight against authorization authorities (SAK) for healthcare
professionals with education done outside the EU / EEA can work in Norway.
There have been many rounds of applications and rejections, with overwhelming
support by professionals, politicians and, not least, Kari and Ola Nordmann**.
Words such as abuse of power, uncultured and arrogance are used.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Last week came a "turning point", as it is called
in main character's native language <i>(a phrase I did not use in my interview, neither in my native or second language)</i>. The practice should and will be changed. Education
will increasingly be assessed from the total number of credits and total study
time rather than the number of teaching hours.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thus can Emily Stange, who has a nursing degree and masters
in midwifery and 12 years of practice, finally use her education to work in
Norway.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thus, one would think it is an exuberant and completely
happy lady who has fired up the soapstone stove this rainy day and welcomes GD
for an interview.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But it is not quite so. Emily Stange thinking about, sighs
tiny bit when she answers this question about how she is now:<o:p></o:p></div>
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- “It's hard to explain. I am very relieved that we (husband
Erik has also been involved) can put what happened behind us. It's good to
think that all the energy and effort we have put down will open the doors for
many other nurses and health care workers. Meanwhile, we had the feeling of
being in a fight over the last four and a half years. Thus, it is difficult to
feel completely satisfied and happy”, says Emily, who is quick to add how heartwarming
it has been with all the support she has received from known and unknown.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On social media, people are overwhelmingly supportive, and
people from <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillehammer congratulated the
woman behind the counter at Atelier Kakao*** and told that they supported and
rejoice in the authorization, which Emily says is tremendously appreciated.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The reader must not understand us to mean that there is a sullen,
moping American we have before us sitting in the unique rocking chair in the
bright living room, where there is no doubt that toddlers also live.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Emily Stange laughs often and happily. She doesn’t give up
and serves us coffee with great serenity, in large cups on the coffee table,
neither of which are A4****. It's the fact that she at a college in Minnesota a
handy guy, who crafted fine furniture to the couple's home in various states.
They moved over the pond in 2010 and the furniture allows the family of four
(plus Tika) to feel extra homey in the house they have spent years renovating in
the south of Lillehammer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- “Some day, I want to move back to Norway”, said Erik
Stange to his girlfriend. The active skier was in the country for two years the
mid-90s, partly as a student at Voss folk high school.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Emily thought it sounded exciting, but put Trondheim limit
to how far north they could move. When a job as a researcher at the Norwegian
Institute for Nature Research (NINA) was in the bo for Erik, they moved on,
satisfied with living in a city with ski trails and of Lillehammer size. For a
nurse with many years of work experience to find a job would be the least of
their problems. Or so they thought. . . <o:p></o:p></div>
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They could have moved back, something they have considered
quite often as an alternative when everything around Emily's job situation was
so difficult.<o:p></o:p></div>
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At the same time they felt that the time had not come to
give up.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- “We have invested so much here. My husband has great job
satisfaction. We thrive in Lillehammer. Kids have it well in daycare and
school. We have friends, good neighbors, have renovated our home. . .”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Says Emily, and boy she completely voluntarily used the verb
she hates. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Trives” </i>(thrive)*****. Taking
the short version is not easy when people ask if you thrive in Lillehammer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- “The “Yes-we-thrive-here” version is not quite true.
Mostly because of the job situation, which has been a huge financial and mental
strain. But we could not stay here as long as we have if we did not enjoy it”,
says Emily, and repeat the list from earlier with pluses for a good everyday
life.<o:p></o:p></div>
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-“I can stand in my kitchen window***** and see my kids
playing out in the garden and think about how lucky I am. Life is so good!”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Whoever is looking for a humorous and aptly satirical look
at the life and realities here in the north, you can click onto
lillestange.blogspot.no. Where describes Emily "The Lille-Stange’s"
new life in Lillehammer, Norway. Here you can read, in detail (!), everything
from Norwegian culture and daily life to Bergens language test and how to raise
a Viking (series of pictures where her son Henrik is packed in layers into a
"burrito-baby" to sleep outside). This is not easy to understand “over
there”.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My poor blog, sighs Emily. It has not received much
attention in recent years, largely because the writer thought the message became
so negative about everything that happened on the job front.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- What has puzzled you most here in Norway?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pause. Emily is among those who think about before
answering.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Russ” celebration is something she thinks is strange and
not particularly positive.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- “I've also thought about Norwegians' relationship to summer
vacation. Three weeks in the month of July which everyone has free and even
entire departments of hospitals close. For me it's unbelievable. Meanwhile, it is
also very positive that Norwegians are so protective of their free time.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Where is home? There is uncertainty surrounding the response
from the mother with two small children when we ask her to describe the feeling
of having two countries.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- “We talk about “if” or “when” we will move back. But it is
also a question of where home is in the USA, because we’ve lived so many
different places. When we are in Minnesota, we miss Norway”, says Emily,
telling that her daughter Greta on holiday in Italy missed Norwegian milk and
wanted to go “home” to Lillehammer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- “Although she was born in the United States, knows that
she is American, has an American flag and cheers for the Americans in the
Olympics, she is also very Norwegian. Henrik (two years), also has a US
passport, but he is more Norwegian than all of us and will not recognize the
United States as home. I think it is a little difficult. But it's also kind of
cool. . . “<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I never liked children and babies ... “ The midwife has
started to answer to why she chose this profession itself. GD journalist
proposes an “always” rather “never”*******, to hearty laughter. “I <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">always</b> have liked children and babies,
I mean!”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Actually, it's unfair to mention this little blunder, for
Emily is good at speaking Norwegian. But it fosters interesting reflections on
the experience of not being able to use one’s mother tongue.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- “The hardest part is that I know that I do not portray my
real self. When you have to think so much to find the right words and still not
be able to be precise, it is easy to feel a little silly. Besides humor
difficult in another language. But it's getting better and better. Speaking
Norwegian becomes easier and more natural”, says the one who is proud to have attended
a parent meeting alone, almost without need for help in understanding what was
happening.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Back to the question we started. What is it with the midwife
profession and Emily?<o:p></o:p></div>
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She describes the experience of being present and help
when hours of pain and a lot of hard work is replaced by the joy of being able
to see your baby in your arms for the first time.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- “Being able to be present at such a process is a rich
moment”, she, who, trained as a nurse in Minnesota and had her first job at the
neonatal intensive care at a large children's hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah,
explains. Then she worked on a maternity ward after a growing desire to have
more contact with adults, and wanted to spend time talking with women, informing
and answering the questions that arise during pregnancy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- “The profession is an important part of my identity. It
was impossible for me to think that I should start a new and higher education
in Norway”.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The midwife has regained optimism, and finds it exciting to
be on job hunt.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- Has it been worth the struggle for many years?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thought.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- “We shall see. I think so, when I think of everything
positive that has happened in the past four and a half years. We have bilingual
children, I have learned to speak another language and I have learned how
strong and resilient I am. Living in another country is incredibly exciting and
rich”.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Emily Stange (40)<o:p></o:p></div>
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: Raised and educated as a midwife in the United States, residing
in Lillehammer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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: Recently authorized as a midwife in Norway after nearly
five years of struggle.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Married with Erik. Children Greta (7) and Henrik (2). Dog
Tika.********<o:p></o:p></div>
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(end of article)</div>
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Footnotes:</div>
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<o:p> </o:p>* Greta read this to me and said, "The midwife that didn't give up. When I read that I felt proud of you." To which I thought, "Ok, she's finally starting to get this."</div>
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**A Norwegian saying for “Jane and John Doe” or “the average
Norwegian”.<o:p></o:p></div>
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*** The café where I’ve been working off and on since August.<o:p></o:p></div>
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**** A4 is the standard size of paper in Europe, so A4 is a
Norwegian saying referring to “standard”. An A4 person is a average, standard,
from the box person. People have sighed, hearing my situation as asked, “Why
must bureaurcracies be so A4?” like everything has to fit neatly onto a
standard form and they can’t think outside the box. <o:p></o:p></div>
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***** <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Trives du her?” </i>Norwegians
ask me. “Do you thrive here?” I <b>hate</b> the question. Do you want the short
answer? That depends on the day. On the weather. On how recently I’ve gotten a
letter rejecting my education. On how empty my bank account is. On how many
poopy diapers I’ve changed that day. On if I’ve been able to find quinoa at the
grocery store or not. On how many days it’s rained in the past month. On how
smiley my 7 year old is after spending the day outside. Or do you want the long
answer? <o:p></o:p></div>
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****** The original article read that “I can stand inside and
watch my kids play outside” and I thought it made me sounds like I was afraid
to go out in the cold and play with my kids. Or I was this disengaged, distant mother. We specifically moved our kitchen from the front of the house to the back
of the house, so that our kitchen sink looks out over our back yard. I can
finish up the dishes and watch Greta and Henrik in the sandbox, sled down our
little hill, pick berries, dig in the garden. <o:p></o:p></div>
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******* “Never” is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">aldri<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>“always” is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">alltid. </i>So these words with complete opposite meanings can be
pretty easily switched when one is not thinking and a little nervous. <o:p></o:p></div>
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******** Greta said this was her favorite line in the article.
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-29201261727567392002015-06-15T22:56:00.000+02:002015-06-25T16:47:46.022+02:00GODKJENT! APPROVED!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope I haven't kept you in suspense for the last few weeks. As I wrote on the 19th of May,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-urYwJ5mNmmQ/VX87eUy22AI/AAAAAAAACDc/j8Khp-5QylQ/s1600/IMG_3945.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-urYwJ5mNmmQ/VX87eUy22AI/AAAAAAAACDc/j8Khp-5QylQ/s320/IMG_3945.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seeing is believing!<br />
"Godkjenning autorisasjon"<br />
Sykepleier og jordmor<br />
until I'm 70 years old!</td></tr>
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"all signs point to yes" and actually later that very afternoon <b>my name appeared on the national registry of authorized health professionals, as a <i>godkjent</i> nurse and midwife.</b> It was a little anti-climactic, following a week of suspicion and hope and signs in the right direction, to be notified via an online registry, of which I had been checking pretty obsessively all day long. Erik actually called me from Belgium to tell me he had seen my name. This was not the way I had imagined being notified. </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VEoIo4lKtdU/VXtKmCIokBI/AAAAAAAACC8/bJZVqHG0XL0/s1600/IMG_3959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VEoIo4lKtdU/VXtKmCIokBI/AAAAAAAACC8/bJZVqHG0XL0/s320/IMG_3959.JPG" width="240" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fortunately, I would be able to reenact the way I had always </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">imagined being notified, as NRK (Norwegian broadcasting news) wanted to film the opening of the official letters, which did not arrive for another three days. And since it was a long three day weekend, we actually delayed the opening of the letters--and the filming--until the following Tuesday (one week after we </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">really</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> knew), when the news crew arrived at our house at 9am. Talk about anti-climactic! That evening, the report aired on both the regional 7pm news and the national 9pm news! Erik had even done a kick-ass live interview on NRK radio talking about my case and what it means to many others (I declined to do any non-editable interviewing in Norwegian). So that evening, after sitting on this secret for a week, we decided it was high time we celebrate and invited friends and neighbors over, opened a few bottles of champagne, ate cake and watched the news together. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c8nLq1IOvJ8/VXtKeO_oWEI/AAAAAAAACC0/295K-2mGfkM/s1600/IMG_3957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c8nLq1IOvJ8/VXtKeO_oWEI/AAAAAAAACC0/295K-2mGfkM/s320/IMG_3957.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Erik testing the lighting in our kitchen before the filming</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes,the <a href="http://www.nrk.no/ho/jordmor-kjempet-mot-staten-i-nesten-fem-ar-1.12370807" target="_blank">footage you see</a> is a bit staged. My reaction is a reflection of some good acting genes but probably more accurately finally living out the scene that I have played over and over again in my head for the last 4 years and 7 months, and some genuine emotion of finally seeing the words in print. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are repeatedly asked to comment on our reaction, something that we thankfully had a week to think about. We are grateful, of course, to have this nightmare behind us. I am optimistic about the future and finally being able to work in a field where I am trained to work. We are really proud of the fact that without our efforts, well, it probably would have happened eventually, but we know we were key players in getting the credit transfer system recognized. We are really pleased this will help many other health care professionals from outside of the EU work in Norway. But, I'll be honest, we are pissed as hell that this took 4 years and 7 months, cost us an unknown amount of money, and the amount of blood, sweat and tears it took--the first two mostly Erik's and the last mostly mine--to have people in places of power (politicians, academics, institutional leaders, journalists) recognize the wrongs and the see the need to right them. I know that wasn't a proper sentence, but I don't have the energy to make it into one. You get the point. So, to open a letter that says simply "Godkjent", after all that effort, time, energy, money. . . well, it's a little deflating. </span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vnh6K5F7Heo/VXtKF2B2-WI/AAAAAAAACCs/KwNGFjYpZYs/s1600/IMG_3947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vnh6K5F7Heo/VXtKF2B2-WI/AAAAAAAACCs/KwNGFjYpZYs/s320/IMG_3947.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Congratulations from Erik's colleagues<br />"We say only CONGRATULATIONS WITH THE VICTORY!"</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the nursing professors that has been such a strong and influential supporter called me to congratulate me (after sending me flowers!!!) and when I tried to express my weirdly ambivalent and not entirely happy feelings, she said, "It's like you've been sitting for exams for the last 4 years, using massive amounts of energy and adrenaline to prepare and prove yourself, and suddenly it's over." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so that's where I've been sitting for the last month: the fight is over. I'm approved to work. I can look for a job. It's time to move on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Below I will provide a Google translated version of NRK's written online report.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_cjnMuMuHtI/VXbNxFBPa0I/AAAAAAAACCY/lLOr-6f8HDc/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-06-08%2Bat%2B12.51.32%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_cjnMuMuHtI/VXbNxFBPa0I/AAAAAAAACCY/lLOr-6f8HDc/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-06-08%2Bat%2B12.51.32%2BPM.png" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Making the news again!<br />"Finally she is allowed to work"<br /><a href="http://www.nrk.no/ho/jordmor-kjempet-mot-staten-i-nesten-fem-ar-1.12370807" target="_blank">Link to NRK news report</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Finally she is allowed to work</u></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="notranslate">"I am relieved and happy that I finally received authorization.</span> <span class="notranslate">Now I can finally work as a midwife here in Norway", says Emily Stange.</span></span></i></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="notranslate">Waited nearly five years'</span></span></b></i></div>
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="notranslate"><b>Sad for Norwegian health administration</b></span><span class="notranslate">- On behalf of the family Stange I am now very happy, but on behalf of the Norwegian health administration I am sad.</span> <span class="notranslate">It has long established an uncultured in this management arm, says Kjenseth.</span><span style="border-color: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-style: initial;"></span></span></i><br />
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<figure class="image widget rich" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"><figcaption style="clear: both; color: #636363; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 1px;"><span class="notranslate"><small style="display: block; line-height: 1.3; margin: -2px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></small></span></figcaption></figure><b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="notranslate">Nothing has changed</span><span class="notranslate">Looking ahead</span></span></i></b><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="notranslate" style="color: #26292a;">There have been many rounds of applications and discounts for Emily Stange and family.</span><span style="color: #26292a;"> </span><span class="notranslate"><a class="autonomous" data-id="1.8386379" href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?act=url&depth=1&hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=no&tl=en&u=http://www.nrk.no/ho/amerikansk-jordmor-far-ikke-jobbe-1.8386379&usg=ALkJrhgqybD6JZTt6RsnozU3xrwMnGjQ2Q" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(51, 119, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px;" title="When they came to Lillehammer from Vermont in 2010, thought the job was the smallest problem."><span class="article widget reference" style="margin-bottom: 30px !important;">When they came to Lillehammer from Vermont in 2010, thought the job was the smallest problem.</span></a></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="notranslate">Stange has a bachelor's degree in nursing from the American-Norwegian St. Olaf College, in addition to a master's degree in midwifery and 12 years of practice.</span> <span class="notranslate">She has also taught both nursing and medical students.</span></span></i></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #26292a; line-height: 1.625em; margin-bottom: 1.375em;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="notranslate">But none of the applications Emily has sent to the State Authorization for Health Personnel (SAK) has been approved.</span> <span class="notranslate">They have argued that rod education has not met the formal requirements of the law.</span></span></i></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #26292a; line-height: 1.625em; margin-bottom: 1.375em;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #26292a; line-height: 1.625em; margin-bottom: 1.375em;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="notranslate"><a class="autonomous" data-id="1.11645485" href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?act=url&depth=1&hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=no&tl=en&u=http://www.nrk.no/ho/jordmor-fra-usa-far-ikke-jobbe-1.11645485&usg=ALkJrhhfsRTmqK7tGMgBmz5DyMWlT96N3A" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(51, 119, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none;" title="- Time The number of the applicant in her education, is far below the standard requirements of the EU. Long professional experience can not compensate for this, said Director of the Board, Øyvind Bernatek NRK one year ago."><span class="article widget reference" style="margin-bottom: 30px !important;">- <b>Time</b> The number of the applicant in her education, is far below the standard requirements of the EU.</span></a></span> <span class="notranslate"><a class="autonomous" data-id="1.11645485" href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?act=url&depth=1&hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=no&tl=en&u=http://www.nrk.no/ho/jordmor-fra-usa-far-ikke-jobbe-1.11645485&usg=ALkJrhhfsRTmqK7tGMgBmz5DyMWlT96N3A" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(51, 119, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none;" title="- Time The number of the applicant in her education, is far below the standard requirements of the EU. Long professional experience can not compensate for this, said Director of the Board, Øyvind Bernatek NRK one year ago."><span class="article widget reference" style="margin-bottom: 30px !important;">Long professional experience can not compensate for this, said Director of the Board, Øyvind Bernatek NRK one year ago.</span></a></span></span></i></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #26292a; line-height: 1.625em; margin-bottom: 1.375em;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="notranslate">But now Stange can work as a midwife in Norway anyway.</span> <span class="notranslate">SAK writes:</span></span></i></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #26292a; line-height: 1.625em; margin-bottom: 1.375em;">
<span class="notranslate"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"After a new review of your education as a midwife, we consider that you meet the requirements for certification as a midwife pursuant to the Health § 48 subsection c)."</span></i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #26292a; line-height: 1.625em; margin-bottom: 1.375em;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="notranslate">Several parliamentarians have taken up the cause to Stange.</span> <span class="notranslate">Ketil Kjenseth (V) sits in Health Care Committee and is disappointed over the process.</span> </span></i></div>
<div class=" g50 col fr s5 sl6 sl9 sl12 sl18 image-reference" id="1.11732722.83e6a6c6" style="background-color: white; clear: right; color: #26292a; cursor: pointer; float: right; margin: 0.4em 0px 1em 1.5em; max-width: 230px; position: relative; width: 230px;">
<br />
<figure class="image widget rich" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"><figcaption style="clear: both; color: #636363; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 1px;"><div style="line-height: 1.3; padding: 0px;">
<span class="notranslate"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>THANK Emily's husband</b>: Parliament Politicians Ketil Kjenseth (V) has been involved in Emily case and t<b>hanks her husband Erik Stange</b> to have documented and fought against management practices in this matter.</span></i></span></div>
</figcaption></figure></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #26292a; line-height: 1.625em; margin-bottom: 1.375em;">
<span class="notranslate"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He believes the problem is extensive and talks about a number of queries with similar experiences as Emily.</span></i></span></div>
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</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #26292a; line-height: 1.625em; margin-bottom: 1.375em;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="notranslate"><a class="autonomous" data-id="1.11702894" href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?act=url&depth=1&hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=no&tl=en&u=http://www.nrk.no/ytring/usaklig-forvaltning-1.11702894&usg=ALkJrhgOi-8ywhmYLNySpYJFGxCU9_poPg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(51, 119, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none;" title="Also the Association of Norwegian foreign students ANSA react."><span class="article widget reference" style="margin-bottom: 30px !important;">Also the Association of Norwegian foreign students ANSA react.</span></a></span> <span class="notranslate">They believe SAK wastes with high competence.</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="notranslate"></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="notranslate">- I am very happy at Emily's behalf and for the authorization office has done that we have recommended for a long time, and now look at ECTS (credits) instead of number of hours.</span> <span class="notranslate">Now SAK should go through all similar refusal in recent years and treat them according to the same rules, says the president of ANSA, Madeleine Mowinckel.</span></span></i></div>
</div>
<div>
<span class="notranslate"></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #26292a; line-height: 1.625em; margin-bottom: 1.375em;">
<span class="notranslate"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="notranslate">Study and research director at the College of Gjøvik, Gunn Rognstad has supported Stange from the start.</span> So has <span class="notranslate">also has academ</span>ic staff from colleges in Hedmark, Buskerud and Vestfold. "<span class="notranslate" style="line-height: 1.625em;">Authorization could just as easily gotten four years ago, after taking and passing a test in national health care.</span><span style="line-height: 1.625em;"> </span><span class="notranslate" style="line-height: 1.625em;">The main problem all the way to an unclear understanding of the calculation of the scope of the content of education between SAK, healthcare committee and health ministry about which rules should be applied to process applicants from abroad," says Rognstad.</span></span></i></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span class="notranslate"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- "We do not want to express an opinion on individual cases, but may state that some applicants of SAK was considered to satisfy the conditions for authorization after carrying out a specified period of supervised practice", says Anne Harseth Barlow in SAK.</span></i></span></div>
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<span class="notranslate"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She says that Emily Stange recently took 12 credits in geriatrics, and that this was decisive that she was granted authorization.**</span></i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #26292a; line-height: 1.625em;">
<span class="notranslate"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- "I'm really looking forward to working with what I can and hope the work we have done can help others to get authorization on a more timely basis", says Stange.</span></i></span></div>
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<span class="notranslate"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="notranslate"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #26292a; line-height: 1.625em;">
<span class="notranslate"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">**I haven't blogged about my 12 credits/8 weeks of geriatric clinicals that I completed in February/March and how enlightening and educational they were to my ability to work as nurse. Perhaps I should do that someday. </span></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-58675957169773491242015-05-19T14:20:00.000+02:002015-05-19T14:20:02.104+02:00All Signs Point to Yes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Remember the Magic 8 Ball? </div>
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You ask it a yes or no question, shake it and get a "prediction"?</div>
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My question for the last 4 years and 7 months has been, "Will I be authorized to work as a nurse and midwife in Norway?"</div>
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We , feel that the Magic 8 Ball is telling us:</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GZT_lZrXsYs/VVslLAl0aDI/AAAAAAAACBk/BDunO1jqE60/s1600/signs-point-to-yes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GZT_lZrXsYs/VVslLAl0aDI/AAAAAAAACBk/BDunO1jqE60/s320/signs-point-to-yes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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On May 13th, an unexpected, but very welcome message appeared on SAKs homepage. They announced that they <a href="http://sak.no/om-sak/nyheter/Sider/sak-endrer-beregningsmetode.aspx" target="_blank">would now be evaluating</a> educations from outside of the EU based on the ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) instead of simply counting classroom hours. This is what we have been arguing for <i>years</i> that they have been doing improperly, inaccurately, irresponsibly--the message that we argued in several appeals, with support from colleges and nursing professors, nursing organizations, lawyers and telling to the media and politicians left and right. </div>
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It appears that SAK has finally listened and will be evaluating the educations of foreign nurses with the same measuring stick that the colleges and universities in Norway measure them. </div>
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Here is a link to an NRK news report that came out that day:</div>
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<a href="http://www.nrk.no/ho/myndighetene-endrer-reglementet-for-utenlandske-sykepleiere-1.12359160" target="_blank">NRK and SAK 13. May</a></div>
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You can throw it into Google translate to get the details, but translated below is a transcript of the report that aired on a regional news broadcast that night, with a brief appearance by yours truly. </div>
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<i>Now SAK is changing the rules for authorization of nurses
educated outside of the EU.</i></div>
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<i>“The changes are based on that we are now giving great
weight and credit for the entire course of study and not just classroom time,
and are also looking at the total learning objectives and learning goals, ”
says Anne Herseth Barlo, the director of SAK.</i></div>
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<i>Now SAK will evaluate the competence of its applicants in
terms of total credit hours of nurses, like the nursing educational programs in
Norway do. </i></div>
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<i>“On behalf of the work that has been done on this case thus
far, this is very good news, because this conforms with how this whole time we have
internally evaluated applicants/students here at the College in Buskerud and
Vestfold, and as far as I know, throughout the college and university system
throughout all of Norway,” said Heidi Kapstad, dean of the College in Buskerud
and Vestfold.</i></div>
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<i>Now SAK promises to reverse the decision on hundreds of applicants
who have been denied and look at their application again, for the applicants
who request it.</i></div>
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<i>In the last 5 years, Emily Stange, with a solid American
midwife education, has waited for approval. </i></div>
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<i>“I am very excited. It’s going to be very nerve-wracking in
the next few days when I come to check the mail,” says me. </i></div>
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<i>“From what we have evaluated, and I say this on behalf of
myself. . . I have signed off on Emily’s evaluation, and have gone through all of
the papers, and I can’t say anything other than Emily is approved in Norway,”
said Heidi Kapstad of the College in Buskerud and Vestfold.</i></div>
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That last line in particular is super positive, but unfortunately my dear supporter Heidi Kapstad is not the one that gets to sign off on my authorization. A powerful and influential woman she may be, and having that statement on record is huge, but SAK still remains in power. I sent and received an answer from my case manager, stating my application would be finished early this week. . . </div>
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We are feeling very, <i>very </i>optimistic, and now mostly anxious about just the midwife authorization--the nursing authorization is almost certainly approved.</div>
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It is Tuesday. The mailbox is still empty. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-45357185950036685882015-05-04T20:41:00.000+02:002015-05-05T08:44:44.861+02:00RussIt is May in Norway, which means that for the next three weeks the streets are overtaken by graduating high school students dressed in matching red
overalls, sweatshirts and hats, handing out mini business cards to young children,
driving the streets in red vans and buses, and partying
and celebrating the fact that they have not yet started their final exams but
will in all likelihood graduate. Welcome to <i>Russetid</i> in Norway.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
“<i>Russ</i>” is one of the few Norwegian cultural phenomena that
has perhaps been the most difficult for me to grasp and explain, and certainly
not embrace (although, seeing that I am not 19 years old, it’s not exactly a
cultural experience that I am allowed to participate in). It’s taken me 4 years
of witnessing it and trying to wrap my head around it to finally be inspired enough to write
about it.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bMDEwjBnR7I/VUdrWFFjDuI/AAAAAAAACA0/e8-_EEd42K4/s1600/DSC_0033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bMDEwjBnR7I/VUdrWFFjDuI/AAAAAAAACA0/e8-_EEd42K4/s320/DSC_0033.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clever Russ. . . they changed the word "ferist" (cattle guard) <br />
to "Fest" (party), and made the speed bumps<br />
into breasts and nipples.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bMDEwjBnR7I/VUdrWFFjDuI/AAAAAAAACA0/e8-_EEd42K4/s1600/DSC_0033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bMDEwjBnR7I/VUdrWFFjDuI/AAAAAAAACA0/e8-_EEd42K4/s1600/DSC_0033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><br />
<br />
Norwegian high school takes students through the age of 19,
or through the 13<sup>th</sup> grade, by American standards (college is then 3
years, in comparison). The graduating students are known, during the final
weeks of school, as “<i>Russ</i>”. Beginning in early May, the Russ begin three weeks
of celebrating and partying around the country, culminating on the 17<sup>th</sup>
of May. (The legal age of drinking in Norway is 18. Let’s just put that out
there, in the background of all of this activity.) The 17<sup>th</sup> of May
is Norway’s national holiday, and is historically a day to celebrate the
children of Norway—the future of Norway, and after the sweet, low-key parade of
school children through the streets of towns throughout Norway, the streets are
taken over by the partying Russ, parading through town in red vans and buses,
in their final send-off before entering the world of adulthood. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p> </o:p><br />
<br />
The Russ are immediately recognizable by their clothing:
matching red overalls and sweatshirts, and special Russ caps. (There are also
black and blue Russ, which has something to do with the type of high school
they attended, like a vocational high school, but in Lillehammer most Russ are red). The overalls are personalized with their name and year emblazoned down a leg—our neighbor has
FRIDA* written in rhinestones, for example, and the Norwegian flag. The pants get signed by friends, much like the American yearbook, and are generally worn with the bib down. The rules are that once you start
wearing the Russ clothing, you don’t wear anything else, and you don’t wash
it--our babysitter showed up yesterday in her “<i>russebukser</i>” (Russ pants). The
Russ can earn “knots” for their hats by doing silly, stupid, irresponsible or
illegal activities, which must be witnessed by at least two other Russ.<br />
<br />
I have witnessed Russ on all fours in the aisles of the
grocery stores, barking like dogs; <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YEdPPLBB8SY/VUdrWOk-GtI/AAAAAAAACA4/x2GXp9hy32k/s1600/IMG_0337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YEdPPLBB8SY/VUdrWOk-GtI/AAAAAAAACA4/x2GXp9hy32k/s320/IMG_0337.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
posing in the window of the local H&M
for 10 minutes, assuming various model poses every few minutes; setting up a
small band in the middle of a round-about; running naked across a local bridge
(some Russ confused which bridge was which, and ran—illegally--across the
interstate bridge instead of the old, lesser-used, one-lane bridge). Other
activities that have been reported involve large amounts of alcohol, having
unprotected sex, disruptive activities in the classroom, etc. . .<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qcwTNLEXNUg/VUdrXQz_YfI/AAAAAAAACBA/-sLixItBAjA/s1600/IMG_3861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qcwTNLEXNUg/VUdrXQz_YfI/AAAAAAAACBA/-sLixItBAjA/s320/IMG_3861.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Martin would like you to know that "doing a backflip<br />is like getting a blowjob, you lean your head back and<br />enjoy it 100%". Thank you, Martin, for<br />sharing that piece of wisdom with the children of Lillehammer.<br />You are a fine representative of Norway's<br />Top Athletic High School. May your parents be proud.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Most of the traditions are decades old. For example, Russ always have on hand little business cards,
which is a little reminiscent of the US’s senior photos and yearbooks, but only
a little. . .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These cards have the
Russ’s name, photo, school, phone number, and a little quote that ranges from
the cute and funny to the downright lewd. School children collect these cards
(please don’t ask me why), and run up to the groups of Russ on the street like
they are rock stars. Some children I knew had collected <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hundreds</i> of these cards. I was horrified
and disgusted to read some of them. What I fail to understand is why it is
socially acceptable to hand out pornographic cards to young children—we’re
talking about 7, 8, 9 year old kids. Or why the Russ choose to give the kids
the cards with the sexual quotes on them when they are fully aware that it is
the young kids who collect them—why not make two sets of cards? Or if you only
have lewd cards, don’t give them to the kids?<br />
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3Q7Gc8TXHBw/VUdrWOiBHjI/AAAAAAAACAw/mp-5z7EvRjg/s1600/IMG_0423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3Q7Gc8TXHBw/VUdrWOiBHjI/AAAAAAAACAw/mp-5z7EvRjg/s320/IMG_0423.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bettina, Julie, Stine-Marie and Katrine's bus from last year,<br />
complete with corporate sponsor stickers, like the driving <br />
school and the farm/garden supply store. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p> </o:p>And then there are the “<i>Russebuss</i>” and the “<i>Russetreff</i>”
(buses and gatherings). The Russ get together at multi-day long festivals that are held throughout the country. These gatherings can range from 5,000-15,000
students at a time, and students can travel for a few days to get there (Norway
is a big country). They are a fairly typical concert-type festival—concerts
late into the night by well-known Norwegian bands**, stereo competitions between vans and buses, carnival
rides, prizes for the best bus, cheap food and alcohol, alcohol, alcohol. Lillehammer is host to
one of these Russetreff this coming weekend, and generally has about 10,000
students from around the country. They meet at the Birkebeiner ski stadium, the only location that can
“comfortably” park several thousand vehicles. The students travel and sleep in
vans and buses that they have bought specifically for these three weeks. The
students organize themselves in groups, earn money (or get it “sponsored” or
donated by parents, employers, or local businesses), buy the buses from last years’ Russ, spiff
them up, and hope to resell them again a year later. The buses are usually
painted red, but can also have fantastically painted designs and themes, with the names of the members of the bus written on the side. Mind you, these
buses start appearing around town in the beginning of May, and disappear at the
end of May. I never see a Russebuss driving around town in, say, the middle of
September.<br />
<br />
As one might expect, the students from the wealthier
neighborhoods and cities in Norway tend to spend more on their Russebuss than
the students from the hicks. An article in Aftenposten last year profiled a
group of young men who had been planning their bus since they started high
school, and spent upwards of 300,000 NOK (approx. $40,000). They bought a tour-sized bus, and equipped it with top of the line
stereo equipment. They
saw it as an excellent investment and experience in financial planning.<br />
<br />
What kind of blows my mind, is that all of this activity
happens during the school year, in the weeks leading up to their final exams.
The teachers dread this time of year, as the students are often distracted,
exhausted, hung over or sick, but have no control over when Russ takes place.
It is completely student-run, independent of the schools or communities.
Parents kind of shake their heads and say, “well, I did it, too, so. . . “
There are always reports of violence and rape at various Russetreff; a local
tae-kwon-do studio in Lillehammer offered a free self-defense course to young Russ women. Efforts are made to get the Russ vaccinated against various
communicable diseases, as students inevitably get sick from living in close
quarters with poor hygiene and run-down immune systems. Early May in Lillehammer is not guaranteed "spring" weather--it has been known to snow. All in all—fun times
for all!<br />
<br />
Many will come to the defense of the Russ and say “they’re
not all bad” “a few are ruining the experience for everyone else” “not everyone
spends a gazillion kroner on their bus”, which I’m sure is absolutely true. Our neighbor girl said she is not part of a Russebuss, and said she will spend a few thousand kroner on the clothing and attending the Russetreff, but coming home at night instead of camping in a van. But
as an outsider, the whole experience is not one that I have come to consider a
charming Norwegian rite of passage. In all honesty, I hope that we are back in
the United States by the time Greta and Henrik are 19. Renting a limo and a
hotel room for prom night seems pretty innocent compared to this.<br />
<br />
*Not her real name, as our neighbor is very sweet and in my
mind a very responsible Russ.<br />
** ha ha hahahahahhah ha. . .<br />
<o:p> </o:p><o:p> </o:p><br />
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<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-87119425497119821202015-04-29T13:21:00.003+02:002015-04-29T13:21:56.314+02:00The latest on the "jordmor sak"Writing updates on my quest for authorization as a nurse and midwife here in Norway has become such a daunting, confusing and downright depressing task, that I have opted to avoid writing any blog updates at all, as I felt that I owed you all a professional update first and foremost.<br />
<br />
The last 6 months have been fairly eventful, in terms of national media attention (not just for me) and some forward movement within the political system.<br />
<br />
Last fall, more and more stories of Norwegian nursing students who were educated in Australia began to make their way into the media. These students (most of them finished with their degrees) received financing from the Norwegian government for their college educations--both in the form of scholarships (free money) and loans. Historically, Australian nursing educations have been approved by the Norwegian health professional authorization board (SAK), but suddenly, around the same time that my education was determined to be "unequal" to a Norwegian nursing education, these Australian-educated nurses were being told they too needed to repeat their entire bachelor's degree education in Norway in order to be authorized/licensed as a nurse.<br />
<br />
The stories were crazy. . .<br />
<br />
Two Norwegian students attended nursing school together in Australia, took almost exactly the same courses, with the exception of one course. One nurse moved back to Norway immediately upon graduation and, as they say, "timing is everything", was granted authorization. The second nurse worked for a few years, completed an additional year of study in nursing as a specialist, returned to Norway, and was told her education was unworthy and needed to repeat her <i>entire</i> education.<br />
<br />
Another nurse, educated in Australia, returned to Norway and was given the same response: repeat your whole education. She, in turn, applied for licensure in Sweden. Sweden and Norway have a "Nordic agreement"--Swedish nurses automatically get authorization in Norway. It's actually a bit of a problem--so many Swedish nurses are working in Norway for better pay than Sweden is facing a nursing shortage. Especially in the summer, when Norwegian nurses want to take their 4 weeks of vacation, and Swedish nurses take over Norwegian hospitals. (I am not kidding). Anyway. . . this Australian educated nurse applied for authorization in Sweden, and was told her education was just as good as the Swedish, and after meeting a few other requirements (a nursing exam, for one), she can get Swedish authorization and therefore, Norwegian.<br />
<br />
So how does that work exactly? That Sweden evaluates the educations to be totally equal, yet Norway evaluates the Australian education to be so deficient they need to repeat the <i>entire three years?! </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
It all comes back to SAK's methods of evaluating and comparing credit hours between the Norwegian/European system and the non-European system. Norway counts all out-of-class hours in its "grand total" of study hours, while the non-European system only reports in-class lecture hours. You think this would be a simple problem to solve, as there are more than enough formulas and documents out there explaining how to compare these two credit systems. But, SAK has chosen to remain willfully ignorant and avoids any questions that directly address this issue.<br />
<i><br /></i>
Many nurses had their educations evaluated, were told they needed to complete anywhere from 12-24 weeks of clinical practice (unpaid, supervised), generally in areas of geriatrics, psychiatry and home health, or medical/surgical nursing. After completing this <i>praksis, </i>they resubmitted their applications and were then told "rules have changed" and they would need to repeat their entire education.<br />
<br />
So, as these stories began coming out in the media, we finally begin getting support from various organizations--an international student organization for students who study abroad (ANSA) (as many of these nurses were studying abroad) and the Norwegian organization that evaluates and approves foreign degrees (NOKUT), to name two. The president of ANSA wrote a <a href="http://www.nrk.no/ytring/usaklig-forvaltning-1.11702894" target="_blank">lovely editorial</a> supporting me and others in my situation, and even had as a televised debate with the head of SAK. SAK became more and more defensive about their evaluation methods.<br />
<br />
Erik, in the meantime, for the past year has been meeting and writing various members of Parliament on the Health Care Committee and engaging journalists in the story. A Facebook "support" group was formed for all of us who have been refused authorization--now totaling 90+ members, with our ringleaders being primarily the president of the student study abroad group (ANSA) and my dear husband, due to his deep involvement, knowledge and experience in the bullshit of my case, and a few of the of the really pissed off Australian educated Norwegian nurses, who desperately want to come home and put their degrees to work.<br />
<br />
In February, came the first breakthrough. An American-educated Norwegian nurse (with 20 years work experience in the US) received authorization after she had a Norwegian college evaluated her American nursing education and deemed it <i>jevngod</i> "evenly good", or equal, to a Norwegian education. Interestingly, ironically and infuriatingly enough, this was the EXACT SAME Norwegian college that evaluated MY<i> </i>education, ALSO deemed it <i>jevngod, </i>who ALSO recommended that I be authorized as a nurse, but whose evaluation was then essentially ignored by the Health professional appeals board last May (the board that supposedly "knows better" and can override SAK)!!<br />
<br />
About a month later, another breakthrough. This time, a non-Norwegian Australian educated nurse received authorization after a second Norwegian college evaluated his education and deemed it <i>jevngod. </i>Just as interesting, ironic, and infuriating (you guessed it) this same college deemed my own education <i>jevngod</i> several years ago, but their evaluation was tossed out as it was considered to have been "privately engaged" in my case.<br />
<br />
But, all in all, these last two cases are extremely promising for me. The two aforementioned colleges have rewritten statements and letters of support declaring my education <i>jevngod,</i> along with two more evaluations. As of April 17th, these evaluations and my sixth application for authorization as a nurse and midwife were back in the hands of the powers-that-be at SAK.<br />
<br />
Will keep you updated! Wish us luck!<br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-26898222283247532132014-11-18T15:16:00.000+01:002014-11-18T15:16:13.124+01:00School Start<div class="MsoNormal">
My first-born, now 6-year old missing her 7<sup>th</sup>
tooth, started school in Norway on August 18<sup>th</sup>. There is no kindergarten for 5 year old
in Norway, and I’ve learned at our first parent meeting that had I attended
elementary school in Norway, I would not have begun school until ripe old age
of 7 (as I believe is still the case in Finland)!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Starting school is a huge milestone in any child and
parent’s life, although I realized that my anxiety and excitement about Greta
starting school was definitely heightened due to the fact that she is taking
this step in a foreign country, foreign culture, with foreign expectations.
After Erik and I attended a new parent meeting at Greta’s school back in May, I
was so grateful that I had four years to master the language before attending a
meeting informing me of what a parent could expect with a first grader at our
local school. I can’t imagine being unable to read the “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fredagsbrev</i>” (Friday letter) that is sent home every week, or not
understanding the weekly calendar.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qm0ocVZ4Ous/VGtUA4-0yfI/AAAAAAAAA2g/dx-1QP4O2xc/s1600/DSC_0010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qm0ocVZ4Ous/VGtUA4-0yfI/AAAAAAAAA2g/dx-1QP4O2xc/s1600/DSC_0010.JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Despite the reassurance and preparation we received from our
parent meeting, I discovered on Day One of school that I had expectations that
I didn’t even realize I had until those expectation weren’t met. I found myself
really irritated that we hadn’t received a letter from the classroom teachers
in the weeks leading up to school start explaining what school supplies a 6
year old needs. I found myself <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">highly</i>
irritated that I could not find information anywhere—<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">anywhere</i>—on what the hours of school are for the 1<sup>st</sup>
grade class (they differ from grade to grade, and apparently, from school to
school within the same town!). Not on the school’s website (a public school),
or on the class page, or on the town’s official webpage. . . nowhere! We had
received this information in May at the parent’s meeting on a piece of paper,
but that had long since been misplaced. I eventually emailed the school, who
forwarded it on to one of the classroom teachers, who responed almost
immediately—the day before school started. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
These minor and major surprises will most certainly keep
popping up—expectations I have about how a “normal” first grade class
functions, based solely on my own dim 33 year-old memories and stories I hear
from friends back in the US. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We received a letter from the school the Saturday before
school started, welcoming the parents and children to an official start of
school send-off, meeting outside at the flagpole, at 10am for the new first
graders. With Henrik happily off at barnehage, Erik and I walked the 0.8km with
our growing girl to the local public school—Søre Ål barneskole. We met a mass
of parents, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings gathered at the
flagpole. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Søre Ål skole has what they call an “open” classroom—an
educational approach that has been used very successfully at this particular
school for over 30 years, we are told. None of the other elementary schools in
Lillehammer use this type of set-up, but we have heard that the teachers who
work here are very satisfied and happy with this kind of organization. Greta’s
class has 47 children in it, and three “kontakt” teachers. Each teacher has a
set group of kids that they have primary responsibility for, but the children
interact with each teacher as well. For math class, for example, the class is
divided into three groups. For gym, they might divide into two, and alternate
that activity with music, and then swap teachers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For another lesson, an assistant might come in, and the
class is divided into four. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J-XxFpkLaDY/VGtUAg9GmcI/AAAAAAAAA2k/iiYzYfxx2c0/s1600/DSC_0033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J-XxFpkLaDY/VGtUAg9GmcI/AAAAAAAAA2k/iiYzYfxx2c0/s1600/DSC_0033.JPG" height="231" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The 47 children have two different rooms—one that has a
divider down the middle, and another large open room where all 47 kids can sit
in a circle on the floor. In the main classroom, the kids sit at tables of 5-6
kids (assigned, of course) and I’m told these table assignments will change
over the school year. It is a system that sounds incredibly complicated and
chaotic, but according to every parent that I have spoken to, it works.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So. . . 47 kids, plus their parents,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and potentially their grandparents,
aunts, uncles,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and a few younger
siblings are gathering at the flagpole. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">rektor
</i>(principal) calls each child up individually to stand with their <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">kontakt lære </i>(main teacher). Some kids
are nervous, and haul their parents along, too. Greta hangs back, but bravely
marches forward with a gentle shove from her mamma. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I thought this was it (another expectation I didn’t realize
I held). I thought we’d give her a hug and kiss goodbye , wave, and walk home
for a cup of coffee before I had to turn around and pick her up in 2 hours and
45 minutes at 12:45 (more on that later).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But no. . . . now ALL the parents, grandparents and accessories go into
school together, into the room designed to fit 47 kids in a circle on the
floor. Now 47 kids plus 1-2 parents, some grandparents—let’s estimate 175+
people, shall we?—are trying to fit into a room where the teachers will welcome
the kids and sing silly songs. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fg3cCFPX8vc/VGtUAiCO1yI/AAAAAAAAA2c/Eq5CMc5qfMw/s1600/DSC_0022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fg3cCFPX8vc/VGtUAiCO1yI/AAAAAAAAA2c/Eq5CMc5qfMw/s1600/DSC_0022.JPG" height="236" width="320" /></a>I whisper to another mother, “When do we go?” and she
responded, “Oh-we stay all day!” And so it is in Norway. And so we stayed.
Eventually the children separated from the parents—or most of them—and the
parents hung around in the cloakroom, or outdoors on the picnic tables,
drinking bad powdered coffee, occasionally peeking in on the kids, or quietly
sitting on the edge of the classroom, or sometimes right next to their kids.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Which put me (Erik had since decided only one of us needed
to hang out doing nothing with their day, and left for work, with a handful of
other parents) in the situation that I hate most here in Norway—forced to
mingle with a group of strangers, making small talk in a second language.
Looking back it wasn’t nearly as bad as I perhaps thought at the moment—I now
see these parents nearly every day, and will perhaps see them on a regular basis
for the next upteen years, depending of course on the twists of fate. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qTURpQyEMN4/VGtUBzPT7RI/AAAAAAAAA2w/FyzI_rbOfOs/s1600/DSC_0053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qTURpQyEMN4/VGtUBzPT7RI/AAAAAAAAA2w/FyzI_rbOfOs/s1600/DSC_0053.JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a>The second day of school was how I expected the first day of
school to be; I walked Greta to school, along with two other first-grade girls
from our neighborhood, kissed her good-bye at the steps, and in she went. The
third day of school surprised me—Greta met the two neighborhood girls, and the
three of them walked to school alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And that has continued. For this, I feel very grateful to live in Norway
and Lillehammer—that children are safe not just walking to school, but walking
to school alone. Nearly all the children in the school are within walking
distance to school, and certain neighborhoods organize “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">gågrupper” </i>(walking groups) of children, so the sidewalks and paths
are filled with children in the half hour before school starts. Older children
are allowed to ride their bikes, but city/national laws (seriously—a national
law) does not allow children under the 4<sup>th</sup> grade to ride a bike to
school. In the winter, many children will ski or take a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">spark</i> (kicksled). That will be something to write about for sure.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-58199967973140418672014-05-04T21:09:00.001+02:002014-05-04T21:09:23.935+02:00Coming to the news on May 5thI don't know if this will actually get seen by anyone in Norway early enough for them to see a live feed but tomorrow, Monday May 5th, NRK will air a news report on my on-going, now 3.5 year fight for authorization as a nurse and midwife in Norway.<br />
<br />
The case will be aired on NRK radio, there will be two print versions available on nrk.no in both English and Norwegian, and a report will be on NRK evening news--first on the local Østnytt and hopefully on the national Dagsrevyen.<br />
<br />
I will post links as soon as they are available.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, our fingers are crossed.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-21449491817102622452014-03-07T14:59:00.000+01:002014-03-31T20:31:31.394+02:00The nursing/midwife saga update <div class="MsoNormal">
My blogging efforts of late have been pathetic. But, to cut
to the chase, I feel I need to update those curious on the details of my
continued quest to work in Norway as a midwife. I apologize if this seems
really disjointed (and not at all funny). I have written it several times over in the last few weeks
as information evolves.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In mid-February (2014), I posted on Facebook that my final appeal
for a nursing license had been denied. At that time, I thought that was true,
and believed it was as black and white as “go start your education over again”.
The actual decision, which we learned a few days later once it finally arrived
in the mail, was that I must repeat 6 months of clinical training in
geriatrics, home health care and psychiatric nursing. Then I can be authorized
as a nurse. Then I must work for one year as a nurse in Norway. Then I can <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">re-apply</i> for the fourth time as a
midwife. . . wait 6 months for a decision. . . perhaps need to appeal. . .
.perhaps need to re-train 6-12 months, as was once originally recommended. . .
and then 2-3 years down the road I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">might </i>be
able to work as a midwife. But, no guarantee. ‘Cause I’m not going to get that
answer for another 1.5 years. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In May 2012, <a href="http://lillestange.blogspot.no/2012/05/numb-in-paradise.html" target="_blank">the appeals board had upheld the recommendationof SAK</a> (the Norwegian authorization board) that I begin my entire nursing
education from the beginning. They suggested I contact a nursing school and
that perhaps I could get credit for a few of my American nursing courses.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s what we did. And what we found when contacting
Norwegian nursing schools and nursing educators is that they were
overwhelmingly supportive of my education and, after doing thorough reviews of
my coursework and job experience, maintained that I did not need to repeat <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">any</i> nursing education.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By September of 2013, with the help of an attorney, we finally
managed to send in the following information to the appeals board, demanding
that they do what is essentially an appeal of the original appeal (an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">omgjøringsbejæring)</i>, something that we
didn’t know was an option until we actually spoke with an attorney. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*A four-page letter from a former dean of a local nursing
program that explains how the number of credit hours I have earned as a nursing
student in the United States actually exceeds the Norwegian hours. She points
out that although I have fewer clinical hours than Norwegian, my 12 years of
work experience can compensate for this. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*A letter from the <a href="http://lillestange.blogspot.no/2013/02/hope.html" target="_blank">fiery PhD-educated Norwegian nurse educator</a>, stating the above as well. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*A letter from a third nursing college educator, stating
that he agreed with the other two evaluations, and recommends that I become
authorized as a nurse.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*A letter from a midwife who started the first and only master’s
degree program for midwives in Norway, (of note: I have my master’s degree,
nearly all midwifery programs in the US are master’s programs, and many are
becoming doctoral programs), stating that my midwifery education and work
experience is equal to a Norwegian, and she believes I should be authorized as
a nurse and midwife.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*A letter from the regional office of the Norsk
Sykepleierforbund (the Norwegian nurses union/professional organization)
stating that they support my authorization as a nurse and midwife.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*A letter from the Norsk jordmorforbund (Norwegian midwife
organization/union) supporting my authorization as a nurse and midwife.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*A letter from the Norsk jordmorforening (a second Norwegian
midwife organization/union) supporting my authorization as a nurse and midwife.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In November, we heard that the appeals board would review my
case in December, but they were first sending my paperwork to two <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">new</i> nurse educator/experts to review my
application. They were not given any of the three letters from their fellow
nurse educators to review, contradict, argue against, or agree with. We felt
this was not a fair or complete evaluation, but there was nothing we could do,
even with an attorney helping us out. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A day after the deadline for the new nurse experts to turn
in their evaluations to the appeals board, one of them asked to see the
“reading list” (essentially the syllabi) from my nursing classes at St. Olaf.
This is despite the fact that she had detailed descriptions of every
prerequisite class and every nursing class I took at St. Olaf. Needless to say,
getting ahold of syllabi from 1995-97 was nearly impossible. The nursing
department at St. Olaf bent over backwards trying to locate these, but were
only able to find one</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In mid-January we finally received the two reviews from
appeals board’s experts. The first was completely in agreement with our four—that
while Norwegian and American nursing education programs are different in their
approach, if one looks at the entire content and the final result, combined
with a decade of work experience—I should be granted authorization. The second
evaluation—from the nurse educator who wanted the syllabi—focused on the number
of hours that differed in our clinical training, and felt that if I did 24
weeks of supervised clinical training in geriatrics, home-health care and
psychiatric nursing I could be authorized as a nurse. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The appeals board said they could not give any weight to the
four evaluations that we had submitted, as they were “privately engaged” (even
though they were supported by one of their own independent evaluations). And so
they focused entirely on the evaluation that recommended I repeat 24 weeks of
clinical training, and additionally took phrases <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">out of context </i>from the more favorable evaluation and used them to
support the less favorable evaluation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
The TV journalist who originally <a href="http://lillestange.blogspot.no/2012/11/amerikansk-jordmor-far-ikke-jobbe.html" target="_blank">reported on my case back in November 2012</a> has been hot on this case. The nurses who wrote the independent
positive evaluation have been interviewed, the midwives in charge of the
midwife organizations and midwife education programs have been interviewed, as
well as some of the members of the appeals board. Our house was full of four
journalists a few days ago—TV journalist, print journalist for the online
version, and two camera people—still and film, interviewing Erik and me, and capturing the darling American children speaking English and Norwegian. But I digress. . . The questions are, how can an
appeals board of lawyers and judges, not one with an educational background, an
only one nurse, feel that they are more qualified to evaluate a foreign nursing
education than 6-10 nursing professionals? And how can they give so much weight
to the most negative evaluation over the other 4-5 that are in agreement with
one another? </div>
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Erik and I don't know exactly where this is going. The report will likely air within the next few weeks, and it appears that it will be going national (writing that makes me sick to my stomach). Officially, we don't have any recourse in regards to the appeal aside from a lawsuit, which would cost us somewhere around $18,000 and another 9 months of waiting. <i>That</i> is not going to happen. But, there are enough very angry and powerful nursing professionals out there that, well, who knows what will happen. I am not alone in this fight--these nursing professionals are not fighting for my case alone--there have been dozens of other American-educated nurses turned away because of SAK's inability and unwillingness to recognize and understand the American credit system and acknowledge that there are other countries in the world that can adequately educated a nurse. What this case means for me, and for my fellow RNs. . . .? Only time will tell. </div>
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And hopefully not too much time. To say that I am sick of waiting is the understatement of the century. I need a paycheck, like, yesterday. Those lawyer bills aren't going to pay themselves. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-18798267891037569942014-03-06T10:27:00.003+01:002014-03-06T10:30:15.757+01:00An American's guide to napping your baby outdoors in the winter in Norway**Alternate title (according to my sister-in-law): "How to Raise a Viking"<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u>Step 1</u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Locate a pile of wool and fleece. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sS0pbUQ0Rl4/Uxg4QoCAPgI/AAAAAAAAAyE/dzwnGSlVTZg/s1600/Image+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tqLY1QQ-7dc/Uxg4PCmXBjI/AAAAAAAAAxY/J42-TEHLvc8/s1600/IMG_1710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tqLY1QQ-7dc/Uxg4PCmXBjI/AAAAAAAAAxY/J42-TEHLvc8/s1600/IMG_1710.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<u>Step Two</u></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Locate a sleepy baby. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Make sure he is dressed in a wool onesie (aka "body") and wool tights. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Yes, even if baby is a boy baby, dress baby in tights. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
According to Norwegian folklore, it is of utmost importance that wool be the closest layer to the skin.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Fleece elf booties complete the look.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L_146yTX7O0/Uxg4OorT0VI/AAAAAAAAAxc/CL0tyNLXyHc/s1600/IMG_1716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L_146yTX7O0/Uxg4OorT0VI/AAAAAAAAAxc/CL0tyNLXyHc/s1600/IMG_1716.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u>Step Three</u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Dress the sleepy baby in a wool sweater and fleece overalls.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ImOdCMSup0/Uxg4Owl22II/AAAAAAAAAxU/CZwkpsVm3_E/s1600/IMG_1718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ImOdCMSup0/Uxg4Owl22II/AAAAAAAAAxU/CZwkpsVm3_E/s1600/IMG_1718.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u>Step Four</u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Dress baby in a wool hat that ties under his chin and </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
a painstakingly knit over-sized wool bunting that is too cute for words.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Binky is optional.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v9WFUNxbkI0/Uxg4Pqh37vI/AAAAAAAAAxk/rgxKVrplh74/s1600/IMG_1725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v9WFUNxbkI0/Uxg4Pqh37vI/AAAAAAAAAxk/rgxKVrplh74/s1600/IMG_1725.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<u>Step Five</u></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Wrap baby in a wool blanket. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
You now have a burrito baby.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JhjzrvPYzA0/Uxg4P6u2JJI/AAAAAAAAAxo/2JouQTd6y8M/s1600/IMG_1726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JhjzrvPYzA0/Uxg4P6u2JJI/AAAAAAAAAxo/2JouQTd6y8M/s1600/IMG_1726.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<u>Step Six</u></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Place the burrito baby in a baby-sized sleeping baby.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Most Norwegian mothers will insist on a down bag.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Our baby has survived with fleece and polyfil. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7fZoOW3vHXg/Uxg4RJqgOFI/AAAAAAAAAx8/BwbNprVedkM/s1600/Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7fZoOW3vHXg/Uxg4RJqgOFI/AAAAAAAAAx8/BwbNprVedkM/s1600/Image.jpg" height="170" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u>Step Seven</u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Baby is sleepy and ready for a nap!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(Trust me).</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sS0pbUQ0Rl4/Uxg4QoCAPgI/AAAAAAAAAyE/dzwnGSlVTZg/s1600/Image+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sS0pbUQ0Rl4/Uxg4QoCAPgI/AAAAAAAAAyE/dzwnGSlVTZg/s1600/Image+1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<u>Step Eight</u></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Place baby into the dark and cozy confines of his stroller.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Baby should lie on a stroller liner made of. . . </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
you guessed it! Fleece and wool. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Cover the baby burrito/sleeping unit with a windproof-fleece-lined cover.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pM1YQCSUmzA/Uxg4QGnYtaI/AAAAAAAAAxw/M_MQY7tLfJY/s1600/IMG_1729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pM1YQCSUmzA/Uxg4QGnYtaI/AAAAAAAAAxw/M_MQY7tLfJY/s1600/IMG_1729.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u>Step Nine</u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
If is is snowing/raining/sleeting, you may opt to cover your stroller with a rain cover. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Ours has the zippers open for good air circulation. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Take note of the baby monitor located in the basket under the stroller.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This ensures that the baby's happy gurgles of delight are heard once he awakens in several hours.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WlPoq3zEj1E/Uxg4QhWLhmI/AAAAAAAAAyM/k2XsAVZiPbA/s1600/IMG_1730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WlPoq3zEj1E/Uxg4QhWLhmI/AAAAAAAAAyM/k2XsAVZiPbA/s1600/IMG_1730.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Note:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It seems that the general consensus is that babies not sleep outdoors in temperatures that are below -10C/10F. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-10478350627436989092013-08-04T22:15:00.001+02:002013-08-04T22:15:59.907+02:00Sleep<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">Three days before Henrik was born
in late February, an article appeared in Norway’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aftenposten</i> newspaper; the headline read <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Norsk uskikk at spedbarn skal sove ute. </i>The Norwegian bad habit
that newborns should sleep outside. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was a well-timed article, as I
was well aware of the Norwegian, or perhaps more accurately the Scandinavian
habit (as an article with similar theme appeared on the BBC around that same
time about babies in Sweden) of babies taking their daily naps outside in their
strollers, no matter what the weather. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">Outside?<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">you ask.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">But isn't it cold in Norway, like, 11 and a
half months out of the year? </i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></i><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why yes, it is, but that
doesn't seem to stop anyone. In fact, there are written recommendations from
pediatric health offices stating that it is acceptable for babies to sleep
outside until it is -10C (or 14F)! <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">Napping out in a stroller,
bundled up in layers of wool and downy sleeping bags, is one of the few
Norwegian habits that Greta did not adapt particularly well to upon our move
here when she was 2. 5 years old and she began at the barnehage. It was too
different and she was too curious—she kept peeking out of the stroller to see
what the other kids were doing. Greta was a Champion Napper until this point,
and we felt like had really gotten the nap thing nailed first time around.
Naturally, I was both a little resistant and, I admit, defensive, against the
thought of having to a) adjust my parenting habits which had served us quite
well with baby #1 and b) make me and my baby somehow more “Norwegian”. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">Uhh, Emily?<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">you say. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">There is no one forcing you to have Henrik sleep outside. The worst
that could happen is that the Norwegian Nap Police won't come and award you
with Integrated Foreign Mother of the Year, right? </i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></i><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">True, but. . . that's a
really cool award! Seriously, though. . . once Henrik begins barnehage,
which he will likely do around one year of age, he will be taking his naps
outside in his stroller with all the other one-year olds. So, there is an
incentive to train him to sleep outside now when he is young, otherwise it
could be difficult once he is older. We had even bought a new stroller for baby
#2 that could better accommodate a napping child because we knew this child
would be napping outdoors. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But appearance of this article
just days before Henrik’s birth only added to my mixed feelings on the subject,
and also justified some of my resistance. The article quoted a number of
Norwegian parents and barnehage employees who talk about how healthy it is and
how soundly babies sleep outside. “It has never occurred to me that it was
anything other than healthy than to sleep outside,” said one mother. “The fresh
air is healthy. And she likes her stroller,” said another.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">But apparently a number of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">utenlandsk<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>(foreign) parents are asking the doctors and barnehage
leaders <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">why</i> it is so healthy to sleep
outside, and in this article Norwegian pediatric leaders are admitting, yeah. .
. we actually don’t have any studies proving this is more healthy than sleeping
indoors. One doctor in particular was “very skeptical” that babies should sleep
out, especially in the cold. “I think it’s an odd Norwegian habit, or actually <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bad</i> habit, that infants should sleep
outside, even in the winter.” He continues and says he gave a talk in Buenos
Aires several years ago and told that a “certain percent” of Norwegian SIDS
deaths happen while the babies sleep in their stollers in the winter. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">While alarming, this did not come
as a surprise to me, and in fact confirmed a concern that I have had, as
Norwegians are very fond of piling puffy <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dyner</i>
– down comforters—on and around their sleeping infants in the stroller, very
much against all the anti-SIDS recommendations we have in the US. It is not
uncommon to see babies buried under a thick down comforter even in the middle
of the summer. Unfortunately, the article did not pursue this point at all,
which I found very frustrating, since the SIDS rate is something that I have wondered
about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead the doctor
continued that the bad habit must be a kind of misdirected belief in
“hardening” or toughening up the babies by breathing in cold air, but that
there really isn’t any research or studies to back up any of these long-held
beliefs. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">One barnehage leader was
questioned by a foreign parent about the whys of outside naps, she responded
that there is less danger for spreading infection between the children when
they are all sleeping outside (again—not documented or studied, just a
“belief”). But a belief that I can see some truth in. Interestingly enough, the
sleeping outside habit is so well institutionalized in Norwegian culture that there
probably aren’t any barnehages that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">could</i>
accommodate all of their infant and toddlers sleeping inside—the barnehages are
simply not built with that need in mind. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F5D1B3r71uk/Uf61SGu9H-I/AAAAAAAAAtU/dxLjMGHOgQI/s1600/Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F5D1B3r71uk/Uf61SGu9H-I/AAAAAAAAAtU/dxLjMGHOgQI/s320/Image.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">When Henrik was about 6 weeks old
in the beginning of April and the weather was still in the 30s F, I attended a
postpartum group at the health center. The group was lead by a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">helsesøster</i>—kind of a pediatric
community health nurse—to answer questions we might have. I had taken Henrik
out on walks in his buggy, having dutifully dressed him in a layer of wool long
underwear and bundled inside a baby sleeping bag, and he did seem to sleep
quite well. I had occasionally let him finish off a nap on our porch if we
finished a walk and he was still sleeping, but quite nervously. But I had not
grown comfortable with the idea intentionally putting him outside to sleep, so
I finally asked, “Soooo. . . I’m not Norwegian. (eyebrows raise around the
room, curious looks abound). I’m not used to having my baby sleep outside in
the cold. Or when it’s warm! I never dressed my daughter in wool until she was
nearly 3 years old. What do you dress your baby in when it’s outside? How do
you know it’s warm enough?” <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">And at first, they seemed rather
surprised: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">where does your baby nap if
not in its stroller?</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What do you
dress them in if not wool? </i>Seriously! And not surprisingly, the answers
were basically what I expected: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dress
them in wool </i>(ahh Norwegians and their <a href="http://lillestange.blogspot.no/2012/02/chilly.html" target="_blank">love of wool</a>) and the sound advice
of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">check to see if they are warm. </i>Duh.
The helsesøster laughed,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Did that
help?” she asked. Not exactly, but at least I felt like I wasn’t doing anything
wrong. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">So, don’t leave me in suspense, </span></i><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">you say. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Where does
Henrik take his naps?<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">As the weather warmed this
spring, I became more comfortable with leaving him on our porch in his buggy
after a walk and allowing him to finish off a nap, with a baby monitor in the
side pocket, within full view of my kitchen and living room window, and safely
in our back yard. It wasn’t until about 6 weeks ago, in a moment of
this-kid-won’t-stay-asleep-and-he’s-driving-me-crazy frustration, that I tossed
him into his buggy where he laid calmly and quietly awake for half an hour,
then put himself to sleep and proceeded to sleep for another hour and a half.
Later that afternoon, I started his nap in the buggy. He slept for 3 hours.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fQfYxgYoJwc/Uf6vXLBt44I/AAAAAAAAAtE/TnlTU_QfOns/s1600/Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fQfYxgYoJwc/Uf6vXLBt44I/AAAAAAAAAtE/TnlTU_QfOns/s400/Image.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">He’s been sleeping outside ever
since. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-17427022967688160022013-07-29T12:07:00.000+02:002013-07-29T12:07:28.143+02:00Now that's customer service<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am not alone in saying that Norway is not exactly known for its customer service. Norwegians themselves even admit this. No local grocery store offers to bag your groceries and certainly would never offer a very pregnant woman if they could help her push a heavy grocery cart through the icy, snowy, uneven parking lot or even lift her heavy bags into the cart. Ask me: never happened. Nor does a cashier even bother to push the button to assemble my groceries in a smaller pile at the end of the grocery conveyer belt when I have a small infant strapped to my chest, making it nearly impossible to stretch across the counter and grab those few remaining items that are out of reach. The cashiers instead sit and stare, or better yet, get up and walk away.<br />
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So I was shocked to see the following parking sign at the Norwegian Outlet mall that we stopped at on our recent trip to Sweden.<br />
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Special designated parking spots for families with young children! How novel! How helpful! How very customer friendly!<br />
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But the Norwegian Outlet malls took customer service to a level that I have not even seen in America.<br />
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They have special designated parking spots for their headless, wheelchair bound customers.<br />
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Now <i>that's </i>customer service.<br />
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Yeah, Norway!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-6279209530828034452013-07-18T22:56:00.001+02:002013-07-18T22:56:10.048+02:00America's Newest Citizen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Much to the surprise of many, Henrik is not granted Norwegian citizenship just because he was born in Norway. Norway does not have <i>Jus soli </i>(italics used to highlight Latin and not Norwegian this time, and meaning <i>right of birthplace</i>) unlike the United States. He is, however, an American citizen, due to <i>Jus Sanguinis </i>(right of blood), since Erik and I are American citizens. But, since he wasn't born in the United States, the actual documentation of his American citizenship was not a straightforward case.<br />
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We had to apply for a "consular report of birth abroad" through the American Embassy in Oslo, along with an application for his American passport (necessarily to travel with, even for an infant), and his American social security number. This required that Erik and I make a trip together--along with Henrik, and of course, Greta--to the Embassy in Oslo to apply for these <i>in person</i>, along with a stack of supporting documentation proving Erik and I are who we say we are: our own birth certificates, original marriage certificate, 5+ years of school records (proving we actually lived in the United States), Henrik's Norwegian birth certificate, our own passports (along with Greta's passport, simply so she could enter the Embassy along with us), and the three separate applications for the birth abroad certificate, social security and passport. And then pay about $200.<br />
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But for all of this to happen we first had to have Henrik's Norwegian birth certificate in our hands. We applied for this online a few weeks after he was born. On the website, we had to fill in his first, middle and last name. These names must be on a list of approved names, and if it's not, you must apply for the name and explain your reasons for choosing this name. My Norwegian friend Karianne said that her name--40 years ago--was not on the list! This is something that perhaps the United States should consider, in order to stop people from naming their kids Lemonjello, Se7en, and Neveah Legna (Heaven Angel backwards). Don't get me started on stupid people picking stupid baby names. Oh wait, you already did. . .<br />
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So, interestingly enough, Henrik's middle name "David" was rejected as a "middle" name. In Norway, many people have two <i>first</i> names: Tor Kristian, Jon Gunnar, Mette Marit, Ann Kristin, and they use both names in everyday life. But what we consider to be the space for a "middle" name in the United States, is reserved for a last name--like the mother's maiden name--if the parents aren't doing the hyphenated last name thing. So, you could have, for example Tor Kristian Sandvik Hammarshaug. Or, Tor Kristian Sandvik Hammarshaug-Lien if the parents <i>are </i>hyphenating their names. Confusing, perhaps. But as a result, when we got Henrik's Norwegian birth certificate, it read that his first name is Henrik David with no middle name.<br />
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No biggie.<br />
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The birth certificate itself, however. . . . I'm sorry Norway, but it really made me laugh. It is perhaps the most unimpressive, unofficial-looking official document I have ever seen. It looked as if it was printed on regular printer paper, black and white, no raised ink seal, no watermark, no fancy flowery edging, just a single blue ink stamp at the bottom. I emailed an American friend of mine who has given birth to two babies in Norway, expressing my amusement over this underwhelming official document, and she responded that she had printed more official looking birth certificates from the internet for her cat's kittens than what Norway gives their kids.<br />
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Thankfully, the US pulled through when it came to providing us with an official looking document. Henrik's <i>Consular Report of Birth Abroad </i>certificate arrived in the mail last week, and a more over the top document it could not be. The contrast between the two certificates only make the situation more absurd: fancy watermarked paper with italics and impressive fonts, shiny raised gold seals, a shimmery 3D stripe of colorful stars (not kidding), eagles and tendrils and even the Declaration of Independence.<br />
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God Bless America. Our boy is officially American.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9VaaTyd2nOs/UeEQZBOjSsI/AAAAAAAAAsU/GEkS0hFLKwI/s1600/Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="492" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9VaaTyd2nOs/UeEQZBOjSsI/AAAAAAAAAsU/GEkS0hFLKwI/s640/Image.jpg" width="640" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-72929496112633711112013-04-24T22:19:00.000+02:002013-04-24T22:50:22.144+02:00Will I ever write again???Maybe, maybe not. . .<br />
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I've written some really great blog entries at 4am, while I'm awake and nursing Henrik. Too bad you can't read them, as they are only written in my head.<br />
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Many of my favorite "ex-pat" bloggers seem to have fallen off the wagon as well and months are going by without updates from them, so I know I'm not alone in struggling to sit down and pound out an entry for my loyal readers. I'd love to tell you my experiences with maternity care in Norway (mostly good, but sparten), my stabs at meeting other new Norwegian mothers and finding my BNFF (Best Norwegian Friend Forever (have chickened out a few times), my 5 year-old daughter whittling with a knife--an activity endorsed by her daycare, a 5-year old birthday party hosted by Pippi Longstocking, and my personal internal struggles over the sleep habits of babies in Norway, including that of my own newborn son (involving napping in a stroller outside). And other funny, light-hearted blog entries about garbage and recycling, the graduating high school students who dress up in red overalls every May, paint color choices for Norwegian homes, and the ubiquitousness of black station wagons. All of these you will some day get to read about, if only I had the time. . .<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qq--N7rl35o/UXg9trMyuVI/AAAAAAAAArE/zyiqAy5W0KQ/s1600/DSC_0041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qq--N7rl35o/UXg9trMyuVI/AAAAAAAAArE/zyiqAy5W0KQ/s320/DSC_0041.JPG" width="212" /></a>But, when I sit down to write, I never know if I'm going to have ten minutes or two hours, depending on the still unpredictable napping habits of one young Henrik. And my To Do list includes sorting through boxes of toddler girl clothes that I will now no longer need to hold on to, calling a Serbian nurse who is getting his decision from SAFH over-turned--but in the <i>wrong</i> way, doing my American taxes (yes, I know it's now April 24th), finishing Henrik's baby blanket, and, last but not least, sewing a pair of <i>bunad bukser</i> (Norway's national costume pants) for my dear friend's son, in time for Norway's national holiday on the 17th of May. And, I'll throw in for good measure, my average day includes being the sole source of nourishment for a small human being 24 hours a day, occasionally putting together an evening meal for my family, special laundry loads of poop-stained wool baby clothes, transporting to and from barnehage and also, last but not least, letting the dog in and out of the house TWENTY GAZILLION TIMES BEFORE NOON AND WIPING HER SANDY MUDDY FEET EVERY SINGLE TIME! (But honestly, who can fault her? It's springtime in Norway, and who doesn't want to be outside, soaking up the sunshine, only to realize 10 minutes later that it's really not as warm out as it looks. Even with a fur coat.)<br />
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On that note, goodnight. It's 10pm and someone will likely soon be crying out for a little boob time.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-18707962859562556662013-03-18T20:34:00.000+01:002013-03-18T20:34:08.251+01:00Introducing. . . <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #0c343d;">We were blessed with the arrival of a healthy baby boy on the 23rd of February, just two days before my own birthday. Henrik David weighed in at 3.93 kilograms (8lbs 10oz) and 51cm (20in) long.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d;">Labor was a relatively short and intense experience, as we arrived at the hospital around 8:30pm and Henrik entered the world at 11:23pm. It was a textbook labor and birth, and an even better recovery, leaving this midwife/mom quite relieved and pleased with the whole experience.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d;">Erik had two weeks free from his job after the birth (thank you Norway!) and my mom is now visiting for two weeks. Greta <i>stortrives </i>(is thriving) and is a <i>flink </i>(capable) and <i>stolt</i> (proud) <i>storesøster </i>(big sister). It is all we can do to keep her from smothering him with kisses. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d;">Once we establish a more regular sleeping/nap schedule, I'll make an attempt at writing all the "maternity care in Norway" blog entries that I promised back in November. Until then. . .</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ApeFXKT4xbk/UUdrn_yj85I/AAAAAAAAAp8/KulytTjv2tw/s1600/Velkommen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ApeFXKT4xbk/UUdrn_yj85I/AAAAAAAAAp8/KulytTjv2tw/s320/Velkommen.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: small;">Velkommen hjem Henrik!</span></td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-32580122141725987042013-02-21T13:56:00.002+01:002013-02-21T13:56:17.331+01:00Hope is waning and FAQsI really should have learned my lesson by now, it's been taught to me enough: don't get my hopes up. I admit, I did finally allow myself to get hopeful after meeting with two nursing figures two weeks ago. One all but promised me we would get this straightened out within weeks; her conviction and fearlessness and simple interest and passion in our case--something we haven't gotten from anyone outside our own four walls at home--won us over. I had hope again.<br />
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We spoke with her last evening, after she had a meeting with a higher-up in the authorization office, and she admitted she now has a better understanding of what we are up against, namely Norwegian bureaucracy and Norwegian laws, and that sheer determination mixed with a little piss and vinegar isn't enough to break down those walls. There are official roads that we must take, and none of them are quick. Or easy (but c'mon. . . who was expecting quick and easy after 28 months?). Our two options at this point are essentially using a <i>sivilombudsman </i>(kind of a civil court of judges) to review the case<i> </i>and/or hiring an attorney.<br />
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Fun huh?<br />
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Did I mention that I am now 3 days away from my due date of our second child, and the thought of filing a law suit to fight for the right to work in this country has me (oh, what adjective captures my feelings) . . . a combination of disgusted, infuriated and exhausted. I'm sure the Finns have a word for it.<br />
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I thought I'd take a few minutes and address some of the questions and suggestions (all well-intentioned, of course) that I've received over the last few months about what-exactly-is-the-problem??? (And then maybe I'll stop writing about this for a while, because it's really becoming a way-too common theme of this blog, and I think I'm boring my readers!).<br />
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FAQ:<br />
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<i><b>What exactly do the Norwegian authorities feel is not good enough in your nursing education?</b></i><br />
It essentially boils down to how Europe and the US count credit hours. To put it generally, in Norway--and Europe--the number of hours spent both in and outside of class is included in the grand total of credit hours. In the US, our credit hours reflect the number of "contact hours" that students spend in-class, with the assumption that for every credit hour in class a student is spending 2-3 hours outside of class in preparation, research, projects, group work, etc.<br />
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This is a well-documented fact. There are several references that give guidance on how to convert American to European credits. My advisors and chair department heads at my bachelors and masters degree institutions explained this in depth. A Norwegian college dean compared her nursing program to mine and declared that my degree had more hours than the Norwegian program. My two degrees have been approved by NOKUT (the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education), which recognizes foreign higher education degrees.<br />
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All of this was ignored and not acknowledged by the authorization board and the health professionals appeal board.<br />
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<i><b>Can't you just take a test or something? </b></i><br />
Norway actually does not have a national nursing exam that all newly educated nurses must pass in order to be licensed. Unlike the "nursing boards" in the United States, of which every newly graduated nursing student must take in order to become a Registered Nurse.<br />
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So, no. There is no test for me to take.<br />
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<i><b>Is this happening to other American nurses?</b></i><br />
Yes and No.<br />
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This is where the handling of these cases becomes completely arbitrary and inconsistent.<br />
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Most foreign applicants (from outside of the European Union) for nursing authorization in Norway are required to complete 8+ weeks of clinical time in various areas of nursing training. This most often is in the areas of psychiatry or on a medical/surgical unit.<br />
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It seemed that around the time of my decision from the appeals board (in May 2012) that the authorization board was getting more strict with its decisions regarding American nursing educations, but then I met two American-educated nurses while I took the national nursing course in November. Both of them had been approved by the authorization board--one without a single extra requirement, and with only verbal complaints via telephone, and nothing through the formal channels.<br />
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It is this inconsistency and arbitrary treatment that is infuriating.<br />
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<i><b>You know, Norwegian nurses have the same problem getting a license in the United States. . . </b></i><br />
This may be true. But to be honest, this is not the issue at hand. We're talking about inconsistent, arbitrary and poorly researched treatment of American nurses in Norway, and not vice versa.<br />
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<i><b>Can't you just reapply, just send in all your papers again to a different case manager?</b></i><br />
This was suggested time and time again to me by my fellow students in the national nursing course.<br />
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No. I can't just reapply, and pretend that I haven't been the biggest pain in their ass over the last two years. According to Norwegian law, I have gone through the all of the appropriate legal channels--two written appeals with the authorization board, one appeal with the health professionals appeals board--and now my case is considered completely closed.<br />
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<i><b>Can't someone at a college/university evaluate your transcripts and education and say which classes you would have to take to get a Norwegian nursing degree?</b></i><br />
Funny you should suggest that. . . because we have done that, and a dean at a local college that offers a nursing program has evaluated my transcripts and work experience and has deemed that my education looks whole and complete and that her nursing program can't offer me a single thing.<br />
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Additionally, a college can't just hand me a degree and say "you seem to have done enough work". I need to take at least one years of courses (out of three) before I can be granted a degree.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-50677272878572915252013-02-10T21:26:00.001+01:002013-02-10T21:27:59.926+01:00Hope<span style="color: #0c343d;">Months have sped by, and my motivation to blog through the after-effects of my nursing course, Christmas preparations, two solid months of work, growing a baby and general day-to-day life busyness has been minimal. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0c343d;">But I do owe you a few updates. . . </span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0c343d;">The last real development in my quest for nursing/midwifery authorization was in late November, when a few members of Parliament <a href="http://lillestange.blogspot.no/2012/11/if-only-i-had-guest-blogger.html" target="_blank">spoke out in my behalf</a>. But the buzz and momentum fizzled a bit after that, due to a combination of more pressing healthcare and other political events (hard to believe, I know) and Christmas break. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0c343d;">I cannot be terribly specific in describing with whom we've been consulting, but after months and months of emails and phone calls and referrals from one person to another, we've eventually nailed down a few players in higher-up nursing/midwifery circles who are supportive, understanding, disgusted, and began working "undercover," so to speak. Many feel that they cannot officially come out and support me publicly, which has been a bit frustrating. It was also suggested that we form a Facebook "support group" where people can officially and publicly voice their support and let it be known to <a href="http://www.sak.no/sites/SAK/Sider/default.aspx" target="_blank">SAK</a> (the artists formerly known as SAFH, the Norwegian authroization office for health professionals) that we ain't goin' away. Two who have supported the group include the local county/regional office of the Norsk Sykepleierforbund (the Norwegian nursing association/union) who is calling for SAK to reevaluate my application, based on the evaluation done by the local college research dean who judged that my bachelor's degree nursing education and work experience equaled (and exceeded) what her educational institution could offer me as a new nursing student. Also supporting the group is the member of Parliament who initially spoke out on my behalf. You can find the support group here: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StottegruppeForEmilyStange?fref=ts" target="_blank">Støttegruppe for Emily Stange</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d;">Since then, Erik (and Greta) and I traveled to Oslo this past week, armed with binders of documents and correspondence, and met with the member of Parliament to discuss possible courses of action. We also met with two other powerful nursing figures who seem to have more connections than the Queen herself. For example, when we mentioned that we had been in contact with (names have been changed for the time being. . . ) Kari Nordmann, former head of a midwife organization, who cannot understand the reasoning behind SAK denying my midwife application, one of our two powerful nursing figures said, "Oh yes, she's my best friend. I'm having lunch with her next week. We'll contact this other Powerful Nursing Figure and get this straightened out." </span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0c343d;">I have not allowed my hopes to get raised at all in the past few months, as they have tended to get dashed shortly thereafter. But even I will admit that these were very positive meetings with tremendous potential and--<i>dare I say it outloud</i>--I do have some hope for the first time in a very, very long time. </span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com1Lillehammer, Norway61.1396463 10.37247899999999860.8943468 9.7270319999999977 61.384945800000004 11.017926tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-67505085130707952662012-12-25T20:37:00.001+01:002012-12-26T20:38:54.345+01:00Merry Christmas and God Jul!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OKshnQHnHG4/UNn_D-ZxOSI/AAAAAAAAApE/uv_ccXhclik/s1600/DSC_0060_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OKshnQHnHG4/UNn_D-ZxOSI/AAAAAAAAApE/uv_ccXhclik/s640/DSC_0060_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Merry Christmas from the Winter Wonderland!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We've had nearly a foot of snow over the last few days, with a picture-postcard-perfect snowfall setting the mood for Christmas. We've been enjoying our first real Christmas in our new house and piecing together Norwegian and American customs and traditions and experiencing Christmas through the eyes of a 4-year old.<br />
<br />
I have much I'd love to write about--my month in Oslo, the class experience, the update on the nursing stuff, work-related, Christmas reflections--but it has been a busy and exhausting month.<br />
<br />
A Merry Christmas and here is to prosperous and Happy 2013 to you all!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-39413216218047429132012-11-21T21:06:00.001+01:002012-11-22T21:31:56.964+01:00A Random Act of Kindness in OsloI was walking to class today--my <i>last</i> day of class--which started at noon with an exam review/prep. It's a 20 minute walk from Majorstuen to the Pilestredet campus of the Høyskole i Oslo/Akershus. I stopped in to a bookstore kitty-corner from the nursing building to buy a notebook (yes, on my last day of class) but when I got to the counter to pay, my wallet wasn't in my backpack. I clearly remembered sticking it in the outside pocket when I packed up this morning; I also remembered reaching back to pull out my hat and gloves from the outside pocket 5 minutes into my walk, and noticing that the outside pocket was unbuckled, and thinking nothing of it; but I <i>also </i>remembered flipping through the collection of free coffee cards stored in my wallet as I sat at the kitchen table this morning.<br />
<br />
Did the wallet fall out when I pulled out my hat? Was it sitting on the kitchen table in the apartment? Was it sitting on the sidewalk somewhere along my 2km route?<br />
<br />
I left the store, unable to pay, and stood on the corner wondering what to do. My class was starting now. It wasn't mandatory that I be there, but since the other four weeks have essentially sucked, and this one was discussing how to prepare for the final exam--the only thing that actually counts towards passing or failing this course--it was probably one of the more important classes to attend. My phone rang; I pushed the ignore button and sent it to voicemail. If I walked all the way back to the apartment--20+ minutes and back again--I'd miss almost the entire review. And if I found the wallet in my apartment--a strong likelihood--I'd be ticked at myself. My phone rang again and I let it go to voice mail again. It was probably work or the midwife's office trying to change an appointment.<br />
<br />
I'd go to class and unpack my backpack in a dry, secure environment and listen to the review. My phone rang again. Suddenly I realized: this might be important.<br />
<br />
"Hello?"<br />
<br />
<i>"Er det Emily Stange?" </i>(maybe this is obvious, but "Is this Emily Stange?")<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"Ja, det er det. . . " </i>(Yes, it is. . .)<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"Har du mistet lommaboka di?" </i>(have you lost your wallet?)<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"JA! DET HAR JEG! Har du fant det?" </i>(YES! I HAVE! Have you found it?)<br />
<br />
(We continue in Norwegian, which is <i>not</i> my favorite thing to do on the telephone, especially in conversations that are very important!)<br />
<br />
"I'm in Majorstuen," (where I had just walked from), "Where are you? I'll bring it to you."<br />
<br />
"I'm on Pilestredet, at the college campus."<br />
<br />
"I'm near Bislett stadium, coming down Pilestredet. . . what store is near you?"<br />
<br />
"Uhhh. . . Akademika bookstore (there are only about five of these in the vicinity, as they spread out their subjects into different stores). I'm on the corner of (I sprint across the street) somethingsomething veien and Pilestredet."<br />
<br />
"I'm at Deli de Luca, I think I'm just around the corner. . . "<br />
<br />
"I could meet you at Deli de Luca, " (again, only about a hundred million of these convenience stores in Oslo, so while I knew where the closest one, who knew if it was the one he was driving past at that exact second).<br />
<br />
"I'm coming to a light. . . Yes. . . that's me in the Porsche."<br />
<br />
That's right: my wallet-rescuing-Oslo-hero/angel was driving a gray convertible Porsche, with the top up. He rolls down the window, a ruggedly bearded guy in his late 30s, and hands my wallet to me.<br />
<br />
I gush my thanks to him, and ask him where he found it.<br />
<br />
<i>"On suchandsucha-veien. . . " </i>he explains, and I have no idea where he's talking about, but I'm standing in the middle of the street, and the light begins to turn.<i> </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"Tusen tusen takk!" </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"Ingen problem. . . " </i><br />
<br />
I text Erik a very abbreviated version of the story, and he responds by telling me how very very lucky I am. I text back that it changed my whole perspective of the day.<br />
<br />
His response: "Yay Norway!"<br />
<br />
Yay Norway, indeed.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
***How did he get my cell phone number, you ask? In Norway one just goes to <a href="http://guleside.no/" target="_blank">guleside.no</a> and type in a person's name and you get a phone number (including cell phone) and address. Or type in their phone number and get their name and address. Pretty simple.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-4916862931293651642012-11-19T18:47:00.001+01:002012-11-19T18:49:26.526+01:00Introducing. . . maternity care in Norway<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jeg
er gravid. . . Jeg har baby i
magen. . . Vi venter et barn!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">All Norwegian expressions meaning: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am pregnant. . . I have a baby in
my belly. . . We’re expecting a child!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">All true, my friends. All true. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Although I am now much further
along than when I originally wrote the following post, at 10 weeks gestation
back in late July. You’ll have to forgive me for keeping the news off the blogosphere
for a few months. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I promise this will not morph into
a mommy-blog, or a pregnancy-blog, but will try to keep it true to its roots of
an American-Woman-Making-Her-Way-Through-Life-in Norway-blog. But as an
American midwife, with many friends and colleagues back in the States in the
baby business, my experiences and impressions of pregnancy care in Norway are a
big part of my ex-pat experiences in general. So here goes a back-dated-July
blog:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I had my first <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">svangerskapkontrol </i>(pregnancy appointment) in mid-July at 10 weeks. I should point out that while insurance is "free" in Norway (supported by their hefty taxes), general medical care to adults is <i>not</i> free. Care for children and for pregnant women is, however, 100% covered. Midwives attend approximately 70% of all births in Norway, leaving the
complicated pregnancies and births to the physicians. Midwives are, by law,
required to be available to a pregnant mother in every community in Norway for
her prenatal care as well. Most midwives seem to practice either in the clinic
setting providing prenatal care, or in the hospital setting providing care
surrounding birth, but not both, as most midwives do in the US. Either you are
employed by the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">kommune</i>
(community/city) for prenatal care or by the public hospital for labor/delivery/postpartum care. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Despite this overwhelming presence
of midwives, it is normal for a woman to have her first prenatal appointment
with her <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fastlege. </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fastlege</i>
is her family doctor, whom she may or may not have had many options in
choosing. I had a decent <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fastlege, </i>but
thought he was a bit too male for my liking, and switched to a female <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fastlege</i> who had helped my own dad with
some dental pain. But just four days before my first appointment with her to
diagnose and treat a sinus infection, she began <i>her</i> maternity leave. I was then
automatically switched to a third <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fastlege</i>.
Another male. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So at 10 weeks gestation, with Erik
in tow, we go to meet my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fastlege</i> for
my first prenatal appointment. This pregnancy was much like my first—virtually
undetectable, virtually asymptomatic—of which I dare not complain. That said,
there is something very reassuring about symptoms, however unpleasant they are—you
realize that something is in fact developing deep within your body. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Last time around, I was
well-connected to (ok, employed by) the obstetric department at a major
regional medical center and teaching hospital, and started off the pregnancy
being reassured by rising serial hCG levels (pregnancy hormones) and two early
ultrasounds to help in dating our somewhat surprise pregnancy. All of which
were medically justifiable, in my mind. So, despite any symptoms of nausea or
fatigue last time around, I knew things were OK. This time around, without any medical reasons
for hormone levels or ultrasounds, I just had to trust nature and my body and
my training that everything was proceeding as normal. And I was OK with that,
too. Honestly, I was! (Ok, I was a little uneasy about it. . . but that's normal, too).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">At 10 weeks into a pregnancy, a
health care provider could be able to hear a fetal heartbeat (as my midwife was
able to do when I was pregnant with Greta), although admittedly this is not always possible.
This is really the only reason why I dragged Erik along to this otherwise
rather boring and routine appointment. My <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fastlege</i>,
however, had no intention of attempting to hear the heartbeat. “It won’t give
us any useful information,” he informed me. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Uhhh. . . yes it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can,” </i>I countered, getting a little
testy, and trying to express myself calmly in Norwegian. “For one, it can
reassure me that everything is OK! And, it would give you some idea whether my
dates are accurate or not.” I wasn’t asking for a ultrasound, for Pete’s sake,
just a heartrate check.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Well. . . we don’t actually have
the capability of doing that here at this office anyway,” he responded. Which,
it occurred to me later, is probably bullshit. Even though most women see the
midwife for their prenatal care, some do choose to see their <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fastlege</i> and most women go back for at
least one or two visits with their <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fastlege</i>
during the course of the pregnancy. And if a pregnant woman is showing up at
her <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fastlege</i> for a routine prenatal
visit, would the physician <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> check
the fetal heartbeat? I think not. Somewhere in that damn office was a handheld
Doppler ultrasound. I just knew it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My blood pressure was rising, can
you tell? Five minutes into this visit and I was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> impressed with maternity care in Norway.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Speaking of blood pressure, he then
proceeded to take my blood pressure (surprisingly low, considering) and do the
all-so-informative-yet-obligtory listening to a
perfectly-healthy-woman-in-her-mid-30’s heart and lungs. ‘Cause <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i> would give him so much useful
information. . . </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Next on his list was the gathering
of Important Information to be entered into a computer database: my job, Erik’s
job, my religion, was my first birth a vaginal or c-section delivery, how much
she weighed, and what her Apgar* score was (although when I reported them as 8
and 9 (1 and 5 minutes), he said, “. . . and?. . . “ waiting for the 10 minute
Apgar score. In the US, once you hit a score of 9 at 5 minutes, we don’t do a
10 minute score. Aside from a brief health history, that was the extent to
which he was curious about my previous pregnancy. No questions about use of anesthesia, length of labor, breastfeeding, postpartum depression. . . </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He moved on, namely to the issue of
prenatal genetic testing and/or screening, specifically for Trisomies 18 and
21. As I will be (full disclosure here) right around the ripe young age of 38
when this baby is born, I automatically have the right to genetic testing,
provided and paid for by the Norwegian health care system. Apparently, if you are under the
age of 38, you are not offered these tests (although I’m sure there are some
extenuating circumstances). In the US, it’s really available to any woman of
any age. . . given that your insurance pays for it, of course! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In my previous job, the midwives
used an increasing amount of time of our 60 minute first prenatal visits
counseling our patients on the different options of prenatal testing, so I was quite
informed on what the options were, what information they gave us, how accurate
they were, etc. So, I was a bit surprised when my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fastlege</i> told me we’d have to hurry to get me into the ultrasound
to measure the nuchal translucency (neck thickness), because time was getting
late. “Odd. . . “ I thought. “That’s usually at 12 weeks. I’m only 10 weeks. Do
they do it earlier here? Is this test somehow different? Am I not remember this
correctly?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, I asked him, and inquired about
which hormones they measure along with the ultrasound—is this a first trimester
test only, or a combined test with more labs drawn in the second trimester? The
tests are becoming more extensive and therefore more accurate in the US—the more
hormones you measure, the more information you get, and the more accurate the
screening becomes. His response, “You’ll have to talk to the doctor about that
when you get your ultrasound at the hospital.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Huh? This is the doctor that I am
sent to when I encounter a “complication” in my pregnancy, unless it’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">too</i> complicated, and then I’m sent to
the obstetrician? But he can’t adequately counsel me on a screening test done
immediately following my first prenatal visit? Assuming I knew nothing about
these tests, I would have to base my decision on whether or not to do this
screening based on this crappy counseling? And what if I get to the
ultrasound/screening visit and decide I don’t want the test after all? What a
waste of everybody’s time!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As you might guess, 15 minutes into
this visit and I was even <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">less</i>
impressed with maternity care in Norway. I was quite furious when I left the
office, although I really tried to keep it in perspective. I had high
expectations, or probaby more accurately, I had high <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">standards</i>. To add to my frustration with the whole system, I knew
that the care, reassurance, and counseling that I provided women during their
first prenatal visit was highly superior to what I had just received. If I dare
say so myself. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Coming soon: my screening tests
(more confusion) and first visit with the midwife (she’s wonderful!). So a mix
of annoying and good. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*Apgar score: a score of 0-10 given to a newborn at 1
, 5 and <i>possibly</i> 10 minutes of life,
evaluating their transition to extrauterine life. Their color, tone,
respiratory effort, pulse and reflexes are given points of 0, 1 or 2. A low
score indicates that the baby needs assistance and possibly resuscitation to
transition to life outside the uterus. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-6430557381002413262012-11-18T20:49:00.000+01:002012-11-18T20:49:16.619+01:00If only I had a guest blogger. . . I am beginning week four out of four of my bachelorette month in November. The month has gone by relatively quickly, with weekends at home in Lillehammer and weeknights filled with meeting blogging and Oslo Facebook friends. The <i>nasjonale fag kurs</i> (national nursing course) has been about what I expected: a waste of time and money. But more on that later, like when I find out that I've actually passed it and there aren't any repercussions for telling the truth on the matter.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, there have been some interesting developments regarding my new found media fame as Lillehammer's out of work American midwife. This is where I wish I had a guest blogger--Erik specifically--as he has had more contact with the journalist and media in the last few weeks, as I've been off drinking cappuccinos in Oslo.<br />
<br />
The day after the original report aired, NRK aired a follow-up report, in which they interviewed the leader of the Norwegian Parliament's health committee. He was quoted as saying he found it strange that it was so difficult for me to get authorization, especially since in the "US there is a high level of education", and he kind of laughed in an "that's-an-understatement" kind of way.<br />
<br />
A few days after that, a radio report stated that another member of Parliament on the health committee announced that she had sent a formal letter to the Minister of Health Care Services, demanding that my case--and the appeals board process--be investigated. He apparently has six days to respond to this letter. This particular politician (according to what we are told, 'cause I honestly don't follow Norwegian politics too closely), is rather right-wing and her party has also been known to be rather anti-immigrant. She was questioned as to why she is supporting this (my) case, when they typically take a more anti-immigrant stand, and she essentially responded that, "Look, here is someone who came to Norway because they wanted to work and were not looking for handouts. She is highly trained, highly educated, speaks good Norwegian. . . Norway is never going to survive if we turn away people like this."<br />
<br />
To say that this is all a bit surreal is the understatement of the year. I feel so detached from the whole process it's like this is all happening to someone else. I am not hoping for major changes in the law, as I feel that would both take too long to help me out at all (selfish reason), but also because I don't know that it's necessary. At this point what needs to happen is finding some way to enforce fairness and consistency in the way American nursing educations are evaluated.<br />
<br />
More to come. . . but for now I need to go write a paper on Norwegian health laws. How ironic.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-76644935593935568092012-11-07T16:00:00.003+01:002012-11-07T17:40:47.890+01:00Amerikansk jordmor får ikke jobbe (American midwife doesn't get to work)The news report on my 2 year long battle with SAFH and Helsepersonnelnemd was finally aired last night, first on the Oppland and Hedmark district news on NRK1 at 18:40 and then later in the evening (or so I'm told) on the national news around 9pm. It was replayed the next morning on NRK2 and also apparently turned into a radio report! To watch my NRK news debut, you may click <a href="http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/hedmark_og_oppland/1.8386379?fb_action_ids=10151247620683491&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582" target="_blank">here</a>!<br />
<br />
I will <i>try</i> to write a transcript of the report, but in the meantime here is my translation of the article that is printed below the news report.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-size: 13px; line-height: 24px;">The
little family came to Lillehammer and Norway and it was the child-friendliness,
ski life and nature that brought them here.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Erik
got his dream job as a bioloist while Emily, as an American midwife, was not
good enough for Norway. Therefore she is working as a health care assistant.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“It’s
not a bad job, and I know there are many people who would want it. I’m glad
that I have a job, but this is not what I wanted to do. It is a little
depressing, “ said Stange to NRK.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<u><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Has
delivered several hundred babies<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Her
dream was to work as a midwife. She has a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the
Norwegian-American St. Olaf college, and in addition she has a master’s degree
as a midwife and 12 years of job experience. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Emily
has also taught both nursing and medical students.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In
addition to the formal education, which was approved by NOKUT () she has taught
nursing and midwife subjects. She is also a member of the international honor
society Sigma Theta Tau because she graduated with top grades.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In
six of her 12 years of experience as a midwife, she worked in a hospital and
delivered several hundred babies. But, that’s not enough to work as a midwife
in Norway. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">She
wishes she had researched even better before her family decided to move to
Norway. “I spoke with midwives, nurses, friends and every said that ‘Norway
needs midwives!’ They said that a master’s degree from the United States is
actualy more education than what Norwegian midwives have,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<u><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Must
begin her education from the beginning<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In
the course of the last two years Emily has been in contact with the Government
authorization office for health care personnel to become authorized to work as
a midwfe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">She
appealed her case to the Government appeals board and a decision finally came
before sommer: she must begin her nursing education from the beginning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What
did you think? “I didn’t think anything. I just cried,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In
the decision from the appeals board they say that the American nursing
education has too little theory and clinical practical training when compared
to the Norwegian nursing education.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The
director of the appeals board can’t comment on a specific case, but says they must
take into account patient safety and that they handle all the cases the same.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“In
this case our decision was completely in accordance with decisions we have made
in similar cases. It does not stand out in any way,” says the director for the
Government appeals board, Øyvind Bernatek.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">According
to statistics, Norway will be lacking 28,000 nurses and at least 200 midwives in
the next 20 years. Elisabeth Hals, a midwife at the Lillehammer Hostpial, says
the ned for temporary midwives is huge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Both
with vacations and sick leaves. . . the need is big, “ she said to NRK.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<u><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Odd
that she must do it all from the beginning<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Emily
Stange from the United States wonders if she should do more education (editors
note: actually, I don’t wonder about this. I simply won’t do it.) She has
contacted the College in Gjøvik where they educate nurses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Study
and research director Gunn Rognstad has seen the case and doesn’t understand
why Emily doesn’t get authorized in Norway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">“The education she has from the US in case of
academic level the same as a bachelor’s degree in Europe. It seems a little
strange that she must begin everything from the beginning,” she said.</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Rognstad has now sent a
letter to the Appeals Board, in which she has asked how/what she can arrange
for Emily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For
Emily and her family, their lives are put on hold. She has no desire to begin
again with an education that she already has.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“If
this doesn’t straighten itself out, and I have to begin my education from the
beginning. . . we’ll move back to the US. I will not throw away 6 years of
education and 12 years of work experience.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">NRK
will follow the case further. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--></span><br />
<!--EndFragment--><br />
Erik and I are quite pleased with the report and looking forward to the follow-up news report today and whatever else might come from this. Several people have contacted either me directly or the reporter to voice their support and frustration, or to share their own stories. It's lovely to have the support, but what we need now is someone willing to step up and take it one step further.<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com14Oslo, Norway59.9138688 10.752245459.7865108 10.4363884 60.041226800000004 11.068102399999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-21174500739527240292012-11-05T21:10:00.002+01:002012-11-05T21:10:37.200+01:00Breaking News on NRK 1 for Wednesday 6th of NovemberFinally, after several months of waiting, the news report on my nursing/midwife "case" is being aired on NRK1 Østnytt at 18:40. (this is a regional production of NRK's news, aired in just Hedmark and Oppland <i>fylker</i> in Norway. <div>
<br /></div>
<div>
For any of you who are interested, you can go to <a href="http://tv.nrk.no/serie/distriktsnyheter-oestnytt" target="_blank">NRK's Østnytt site</a> tomorrow evening and watch the evenings news. It will be a 5 minute segment. We had originally hoped that the segment would be aired on the much-viewed national Saturday evening news program, but apparently the editors-in-chief kept changing their minds on what the main focus of the segment should be. We are happy at this point to simply have it on the air, and the journalist has said she plans on filming follow-up interviews beginning tomorrow. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I will post more tomorrow, after the segment airs. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-35302486239116357492012-11-03T21:33:00.001+01:002012-11-03T21:33:06.925+01:00Halloweeeeeeen!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oPFsE1DwiXE/UJV6hC5QGoI/AAAAAAAAAn0/xlDX_NIGWbw/s1600/DSC_0034_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oPFsE1DwiXE/UJV6hC5QGoI/AAAAAAAAAn0/xlDX_NIGWbw/s640/DSC_0034_2.jpg" width="360" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">It's Halloween in Norway, and although I was in Oslo and missed out on the goings-on at home in Lillehammer, I got the report, with pictures to boot. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">Erik bought what may have been the last pumpkin in town on October 30th for about $25. What is particularly amusing about the packaging of the pumpkin--aside from the fact that it actually comes <i>with</i> packaging--is that there are instructions on How To Carve a Pumpkin. Although I can't be so sure, it does sort of appear that #4 instructions the user to put a candle on the top of the pumpkin. . . </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">We were struck with an early arrival of winter in Lillehammer, and had nearly 10 inches of snow on the ground for Halloween. This did not seem to damper the spirits of our little witch (whose costume was bought at Joanne Fabrics in the US a few weeks ago for about $5). As I wrote last year, Norway embraces the "gory" side of Halloween--the ghouls, skeletons, blood, creepy stuff--and it seems to attract mainly elementary school age kids. Having a 3-year-old princess walking around the neighborhood last year collecting candy was a bit of an anomaly--both because she was 3 and because she was a princess. This year she decided to be a witch, which sounded good to us, being a little more in line with the local "customs". (As if respecting the local customs of a 100% imported American holiday is important. . .) Having a 4-year-old witch out trick or treating was strange enough.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Id34M7zYOso/UJV9IA6U6aI/AAAAAAAAAoE/OHC2PgD3wkg/s1600/DSC_0040_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Id34M7zYOso/UJV9IA6U6aI/AAAAAAAAAoE/OHC2PgD3wkg/s400/DSC_0040_2.jpg" width="280" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">Erik stuffed Greta into a snowsuit, stretched the cheap-o witch dress over the snowsuit and pulled her hair back with a black buff and skull cap to fit under the witch's hat. Top it off with some purple mittens (which, along with the purple snowsuit, blended quite nicely with the purple witch's dress) and Greta was set for trick or treatin' Norwegian style. They headed to a slightly more American/British-ized neighborhood where we had success last year, and collected an amusing selection of goodies. Among those were loose, unwrapped <i>pepperkaker</i> cookies (traditional Norwegian Christmas cookies, now being sold in the stores), a candy cane, Christmas chocolates, and a package of single-serving hot chocolate mix!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><br /></span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-8495309370194868712012-10-31T14:42:00.000+01:002012-10-31T14:42:05.951+01:00Bachelorette days in Oslo<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;">I moved into a bachelor's apartment in Oslo on Monday, as I began a four-week long <i>nasjonal fag kurs for sykepleie</i> (a national "subject" course for nurses). This course is required for any nurses seeking authorization in Norway who were educated outside of the European Union, as it addresses the Norwegian health care system, welfare system and spends an inordinate amount of time assuring that we can properly calculate medication administration. For many in the class it is the final step before they are fully authorized. For me, it is actually no longer a requirement, since SAFH and the appeals board decided that rather than doing a few months of clinical experiences like <i>every other person in my class</i>, I should instead begin my nursing education again, or try to get a few measly courses from my pathetic education approved by a nursing program and maybe, just <i>maybe</i>, I can shorten my study period by a few courses. It is no longer a requirement since I would presumably get all of the course information in a real Norwegian nursing educational program. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;">So, why am I taking the class, you ask, since it is no longer required? Well, since I have no intention of ever repeating my basic bachelor degree nursing education, I still cling to the hope that I may someday be authorized through other avenues--media pressure, legal attention, etc. I realize, however, that I will still be required to take this class, if I ever by the grace of God, gain authorization in Norway. And this I have no arguments with. Since I have sat on a waiting list for over a year, and the class is only offered twice a year in two locations in Norway, I had to jump on the opportunity to take it now. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;">Taking a two hour and 11 minute train ride two times every day was not a viable option for me, so after a bit of desperate last-minute scrambling, we found a barely reasonably priced apartment to rent in the Majorstuen neighborhood of Oslo (costing us about $1200 for the month, if you are curious). It is a 20 minute walk from the Pilestredet campus of the Høyskole i Oslo (Oslo University College) and very conveniently located to the metro, shops and even a local campus of my gym. So, I'm living it up in Oslo for the next month! I've always daydreamed--when walking past the lovely brownstone homes in Boston or New York, or the gracious, wrought-iron decorated apartments in Stockholm, Oslo or any other romantic European city--what it would be like to <i>live</i> there. Now, without my husband and daughter and dog, I get to try out that life. I'm looking forward to it, and dreading it as well. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;">I am nervous about so many of the unknowns for the following month: how the class is actually evaluated, if my language skills are up to par, how difficult the written work/reading assignments will be, how much time is demanded of us out of class, how much I will miss my family during the week, how comfortable my living arrangements will be, and not least of all, how lonely I will be. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;">Three days into the experience, all is going well. More on the class to follow. . . </span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069763702777030989noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271396894266808314.post-17180680252801279112012-10-25T13:19:00.000+02:002012-10-25T13:19:30.799+02:00Home Sweet Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">For the first time since we moved to Norway in August 2010, we traveled "home". First that meant one week at home in Minnesota, for a whirlwind visit with four grandparents and a silly aunt and uncle, not to mention a few lucky friends. Then we traveled to New England, namely to the Upper Valley of Hanover, New Hampshire and Hartford, Vermont, which was our home for six years before moving to Norway. There we spent 10 days hopping from one guest room to another, squeezing in as many coffee dates, play dates, dinner get-togethers and two-day trips around the region to visit dear friends as we possibly could. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Le9QKH0t-_Q/UIkaq0YK5pI/AAAAAAAAAm8/LZVmSDq11a4/s1600/photo-5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Le9QKH0t-_Q/UIkaq0YK5pI/AAAAAAAAAm8/LZVmSDq11a4/s400/photo-5.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: small;">The Green at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire<br />snapped as we drove out of town on our last day in the US.</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">We have mixed emotions about going and coming "home"--to Minnesota, New England and now back again to Lillehammer. I was worried, and anticipated, that the trip would be much harder, emotionally. That I wouldn't want to leave the United States and that I would dread and curse coming back to Norway. I'll be honest--there was a little of that, but those feelings were not nearly as strong as I had feared. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">We had a little bright spot along on this trip, happily and easily adapting to new beds, new/old friends that she didn't remember, new/old haunts that she didn't remember. All that our four-year old daughter remembers is life in Norway, and for that I am a little sad. She had no problems whatsoever in switching into full-time use of English, and for that I am very happy.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">As we drove down Main Street of the quintessentially New
Englandy Hanover, New Hampshire, a street which I drove nearly daily for 6+
years, a street</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">where I bought
coffee and Christmas presents, ran into friends and patients, braved snowstorms
and summer heat alike, Greta asked me from the backseat, oblivious to the
emotions spinning ‘round in my head and heart: “Mamma. . .</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">which land (i.e. country) do you like
better: Norway or America?”</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">I sighed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Such
an innocent, simple question. If only the answer were so simple. “Ohhhh. . .
that’s a really difficult question to answer, Greta. . . “</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Undaunted, Greta pressed on, “Pappa? Which land do you like better?”</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Erik responded, also a little torn, but prepared to give a
slightly more diplomatic (and non-binding) answer, “Well, there are parts of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">both</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"> countries that I really like.”</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Greta responded, rather decided in her answer, “I like
Sweden best.” </span><br />
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