Ase, Vinnie's wife, and two daughters, Victoria and Maria, attend Norway's National Day celebration.

Working in Norway

The first step to prepare a career as a nurse in Norway is to obtain authorisation to practise. For most nurses from European Union (EU) or other European Economic Area (EEA) countries, authorisations are granted on basis of the EU directive on mutual recognition of qualifications. Nurses from other countries generally need to provide verification of an education comparable to Norwegian standards for nursing education. Norwegian Healthcare System

Health care expenditures in Norway are slightly above the EU(European Union Countries) and match levels in France, Denmark and Iceland when measured in US$. The most important feature of Norwegian health care system is the predominance of the tax-financed model of public provision. The system covers the health needs and the financial burden of using health care services for the whole of the resident population. The financing mechanism is not premium-based, and the only line between health risks and costs in a small out-of-pocket payment for certain services. The principles governing the Norwegian health care system are universal access to health care services, political decentralisation to local health authorities and health region authorities. In Norway a new system of activity based financing (DRG Diagnose Related Group) is used for general hospital, was introduced on a comprehensive basis in July 1997. The main purpose of this reform was to increase patient activity, so that more patients could receive treatment quickly without reducing the quality. In general funding of hospitals is based on DRG and a fixed DRG price (in 2004 1 DRG = 29 454 NOK, 1 USD = 7 NOK) in combination with block grants. In 2004 this share is 60/40.

The Norwegian public health service faces great challenges. New financing models for the health service are being developed. Local decision-making authority is increasing, at the same time as decisions are being taken outside the political arena. Public budgets are under pressure, and there is greater focus on profitability. The municipalities are encouraged to increase their use of competitive outsourcing, and hospitals are to be run on a commercial basis. The pressure on each employee, working hours and the collective agreements is growing. There is still little correlation between health policy objectives and pay and personnel mechanisms to enable these goals to be reached.

Healthcare reform

n June 2001 the Norwegian Storting (parliament) resolved that central government should take over responsibility for all public hospitals. These hospitals are to be operated as health enterprises and will be wholly owned by central government. From 1 January 2002, responsibility for the hospitals are transferred to central government with establishing five regional health enterprises with subsidiaries

. This reform forms part of the government’s objective of modernizing the public sector. The reform is based on the basic values of the welfare state: equality, justice and solidarity.

The two tenets of the reform are

• Ownership of the hospitals will be transferred to the central government sector, thereby placing responsibility with one owner.
• The hospitals are to be organized as enterprises. This means that they will become separate legal subjects and will thus not be an integral part of the central government administration. Principal health policy objectives and frameworks will be determined by central government and will form the basis for management of the enterprises.

Norwegian Nurses Association

The Norwegian Nurses Association is not affiliated to any political party, and at the end of 2002 the association has approximately 68,800 members. The head office is in Sykepleiernes Hus in Oslo, and branch offices have been established in all the counties in Norway. The association has around 2,850 stewards who hold regular discussions with employers and politicians. This ensures co-determination and influence, and affects the frame conditions for nursing and the health service. In the association, each individual member plays a part in strengthening our profession, spirit of community, work and not least our influence on political authorities and employers. A total of 28 different professional interest groups have been integrated into the organisation. Norwegian operating room nurses association is one of the professional interest group. They represent a strong resource in the association’s work for professional quality in the nursing service, as well as forming a solid fellowship for NNA members who have different interests within the various sections of the nursing profession.

While other associations may experience difficulties in recruiting and retaining members, the situation for the NNA is totally different. The number of members has increased by 6% from 2001 to 2002 alone. The Norwegian Nurses Association now has around 68,800 members.

Membership development:
1998 -> 54,957
1999 -> 57,261
2000 -> 60,864
2001 -> 64,900
2002 -> 68,800

Norway

Norway is located on the Scandinavian Peninsula; its long, craggy coast forms the western margin of the peninsula and fronts the Atlantic Ocean (sometimes known as the Norwegian Sea) for most of the country's length. To the southwest the North Sea separates Norway from the British Isles, and directly to the south the Skagerrak separates it from Denmark. In the east Norway shares an extensive border with Sweden and for a shorter one with Finland and Russia in the north. From north to south, Norway is about 1,770 km long, but for much of the distance it is very narrow, exceeding 160km of breadth only in the south. About one third of the country lies within the Arctic Circle, where the sun shines 24 hours at the height of the summer.

Norway has population of 4 577 457(per Jan. 2004), with a population per km 11,7. and total area is 386 958 m2. The capital Oslo has a population of 521 886. In 2003 GDP was 1 570 317 mill NOK.