Merete Røineland Benestad

Merete Røineland Benestad is an Associate Professor at the Department of Health and Caring Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences. Her clinical background as a Paediatric Nurse informs her research focusing on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and mental health outcomes in populations affected by extreme preterm birth.

• Academic affiliation: Western Norway University of Applied Sciences
• Research areas: HRQoL, PROMs, extreme preterm birth, hospital-managed home-care
• Teaching roles: Courses in paediatric nursing, clinical governance, communication, and research methods

Research Focus: Benestad investigates longitudinal health outcomes in adults born extremely preterm, examining physical, psychological, and social dimensions of quality of life. Her work evaluates ethical challenges in neonatal care and contributes to improving clinical governance for vulnerable patient groups.

Recent Publications demonstrate expertise in perinatal epidemiology, patient-reported outcomes, and ethical frameworks in neonatal nursing. Studies analyze respiratory sequelae across decades, parental transition programs, and mental health impacts.

Academic Contributions: As coordinator of the Quality of Life research group (WestPaed Research) and subject responsible for advanced nursing courses, she bridges clinical practice with academic research while supervising Master’s thesis projects.