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This paper reports a study conducted to illuminate older adults' perceptions of multiproffesional team's caring skills as success factors for health support in short‐term goal‐directed reablement. The fact that older adults are given perquisites to live in their own homes puts great demands on the professional care given them at home. An option offered could be short‐term goal‐directed reablement delivered by an interprofessional team. This means after periods in hospitals to strengthen their multidimensional health, older adults' reablement processes are supported to return to their daily life as soon as possible. Crucial in making these intentions a reality seems to be identifying the professional's approach that works as success factors for health support in the reablement process. A descriptive qualitative design with a phenomenographic approach based on interviews with 23 older persons who had received short‐term goal‐directed reablement at home after a period at hospital was used. The study was approved by an ethical board. The analysis revealed four major referential aspects of multiproffesional team's caring skills as success factors for health‐support in short‐term goal‐directed reablement: a motivating caregiver, a positive atmosphere‐creating caregiver, a human fellowship‐oriented caregiver and a caregiver that goes beyond the expected. In this study, all caring skills in the continuum are perceived as positively loaded necessities in different situations during the reablement process. Caring skills as success factors are initially shown at a practical level, such as how the professional caregivers encourage and motivate the older persons in different training situations. At a deeper level, the caregivers open their hearts and have the capacity to go beyond the expected in the professional caregiver–patient relationship. The multiproffesional team's best fit caring skills during the home reablement process need to be addressed as evidence base in the area of elderly home care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In salutogenic theory, individual/contextual, immaterial/material characteristics enabling movements towards health are labelled Specific and Generalised Resistance Resources, SRRs/GRRs, and characteristics counteracting such movements Specific and Generalised Resistance Deficits, SRDs/GRDs. The aim of this paper was to present SRDs and GRDs described by caregivers as stemming from themselves and their care recipient. Guided by salutogenic theory, an explorative design was used to collect data through interviews with 32 Swedish informal caregivers. During the theory‐driven analysis, SRDs were unravelled using within‐case approaches. To be able to unite them as GRDs across cases, a serviceable GRD definition was developed from the existing theoretical GRR definition. In findings, SRDs are visualised in citations and GRDs described in detail. Caregivers’ experiences of SRDs/GRDs are presented as themes: ‘Experiencing personal deficiencies’, when stemming from themselves; and ‘Struggling with an uncooperative co‐worker’, when stemming from their care recipients. Findings indicate that if these themes dominate a caregiver's view of life, she/he seems to have reached the ‘breaking point’ when caregiving ends due to lack of usable SRRs/GRRs. To prolong the time until this occurs, support, making otherwise unusable SRRs/GRRs usable, is needed. When designing this type of ‘salutogenic’ support, it seems essential to involve the target group (e.g. caregivers, care recipients), to ascertain what their SRRs/GRRs and SRDs/GRDs may consist of. Such knowledge regarding SRRs/SRDs could be used to design individualised support, and regarding GRRs/GRDs to design generalised support at group level. This study suggests how such new knowledge regarding resistance resources and deficits could be acquired. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy makers in Sweden and other European Member States pay increasing attention as to how best support working carers; carers juggling providing unpaid family care for older family members while performing paid work. Exploring perceived benefits and challenges with web-based information and communication technologies as a means of supporting working carers' in their caregiving role, this paper draws on findings from a qualitative study. The study aimed to describe working carers' experiences of having access to the web-based family care support network 'A good place' ( AGP) provided by the municipality to support those caring for an older family member. Content analysis of interviews with nine working carers revealed three themes: A support hub, connections to peers, personnel and knowledge; Experiencing ICT support as relevant in changing life circumstances; and Upholding one's personal firewall. Findings indicate that the web-based family care support network AGP is an accessible, complementary means of support. Utilising support while balancing caregiving, work obligations and responsibilities was made easier with access to AGP; enabling working carers to access information, psychosocial support and learning opportunities. In particular, it provided channels for carers to share experiences with others, to be informed, and to gain insights into medical and care issues. This reinforced working carers' sense of competence, helping them meet caregiving demands and see positive aspects in their situation. Carers' low levels of digital skills and anxieties about using computer-based support were barriers to utilising web-based support and could lead to deprioritising of this support. However, to help carers overcome these barriers and to better match web-based support to working carers' preferences and situations, web-based support must be introduced in a timely manner and must more accurately meet each working carer's unique caregiving needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scand J Caring Sci; 2013; 27; 27-35 Clinical decision-making process for early nonspecific signs of infection in institutionalised elderly persons: experience of nursing assistants Aim: To illuminate nursing assistant's experiences of the clinical decision-making process when they suspect that a resident has an infection and how their process relates to other professions. Background: The assessment of possible infection in elderly individuals is difficult and contributes to a delayed diagnosis and treatment, worsening the goal of good care. Recently we explored that nursing assistants have a keen observational ability to detect early signs and symptoms that might help to confirm suspected infections early on. To our knowledge there are no published papers exploring how nursing assistants take part in the clinical decision-making process. Design: Explorative, qualitative study. Setting: Community care for elderly people. Participants: Twenty-one nursing assistants, 22-61 years. Methods: Focus groups with verbatim transcription. The interviews were subjected to qualitative content analysis for manifest and latent content with no preconceived categories. Findings: The findings are described as a decision-making model consisting of assessing why a resident feels unwell, divided into recognition and formulation and strategies for gathering and evaluating information, influenced by personal experiences and preconceptions and external support system and, secondly, as taking action, consisting of reason for choice of action and action, influenced by feedback from the nurse and physician. Conclusion: Nursing assistant's assessment is based on knowing the resident, personal experiences and ideas about ageing. Nurses and physician's response to the nursing assistant's observations had a great impact on the latter's further action. A true inter-professional partnership in the clinical decision-making process would enhance the possibility to detect suspected infection early on, and thereby minimize the risk of delayed diagnosis and treatment and hence unnecessary suffering for the individual. Relevance to clinical practice: In order to improve the clinical evaluation of the individual, and thereby optimise patient safety, it is important to involve nursing assistants in the decision-making process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scand J Caring Sci; 2012; 26; 104-112 My, your and our needs for safety and security: relatives' reflections on using information and communication technology in dementia care Aim: The present paper reports on a study aimed at describing relatives′ reflections on different kinds of information and communication technology (ICT) devices that are used or can be used in the daily care of persons with dementia. Background: Many persons with dementia continue living in their own homes, which requires the support of their relatives. One way to meet the needs of relatives and persons with dementia is to use ICT. Methods: An interview study was conducted in Sweden (2007-2008) with a purposive sample of 14 spouses of a person with dementia. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify categories and themes in the data. Findings: Relatives′ reflections on the use of ICT were described as ICT - a support in daily life, ICT - internal and external conditions and ICT - the decision to use or not use. Based on these categories, a theme was revealed: shifting between different perspectives: my, your and our needs for safety and security. Conclusion: Relatives struggle to create a situation of safety and security in daily life for themselves and the persons with dementia. ICT devices with the right functionality and used at the right time are regarded as useful in solving everyday problems. In the decision to use or not use ICT, the opportunity to create a safe and secure environment overshadows potential ethical problems. Providing early information about ICT to persons with dementia and their relatives could facilitate joint decision-making regarding use of ICT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scand J Caring Sci; 2011; 25; 745-753 Support as a complement, intrusion and right - evidence from ageing and disability support service users in Sweden and Australia How service users conceptualise their personal support services is under researched, even though this understanding is important for responsive policy development and service implementation. This paper tests the proposition that service users understand formal support in three ways: support is a complement to their other arrangements, an intrusion into their personal life and a right. These three concepts were identified using discourse analysis in a Swedish study of older people wanting in-home support services. To test generalisability of these concepts, they were applied to data from an Australian study of people using disability personal support. The analysis found that the three concepts were core to people's views of their support, although the construction of the concepts differed in the two countries. Service users in Sweden asserted their right to services more forcefully than those in Australia, and they had higher expectations that their support needs would be met. These differences reflect the impact of each country's social policy environment on service users' expectations. The analysis suggests that service users and their families want to control their formal support arrangements to complement their informal care and their life preferences and to minimise the intrusive aspects of formal support. The findings imply that the three concepts have utility for theorising service users' perspectives, informing policy and developing implementation strategies which enhance peoples' quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scand J Caring Sci; 2011; 25; 653-660 Paraprofessionals and caring practice: negotiating the use of self Responding to increasing concerns with the quality of care in both Sweden and England, this paper explores the way in which caring practice emerges out of the interplay between personal and social agency. Working from a socio-cultural perspective, results from an English and a Swedish study conducted independently of each other were used to explore the construction of caring practice. The English study drew on practice observations and four interviews conducted at monthly intervals collecting data on life history and critical incidents. The Swedish study drew on group interviews and two interviews with each participant - one at the beginning of an in-service recognition of prior learning process and one at the end. Interview data was transcribed and thematic analysis identified common themes. The findings from both studies suggest that caring practice involves the intentional use of self to build relationships, understand users and provide personalised interventions. Although practice presented as personal and individualistic, it took place within an organisational context requiring co-configured activity. The practitioners' negotiations with work teams were often conflictual or contested. It is argued that workplaces may enhance caring practice by enabling affordances for the use of self through the design of in-house training programmes, supervision and the organisation of teams. Reflexive practice may also be an important part of the effective use of self. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Domestic violence is a prevalent public health issue. While clinical guidelines and care programs for its identification and handling have been formulated in all administrative regions of Sweden, their degree of implementation is largely unknown. This study aims to assess the implementation of one administrative region's care program, including how it is seen to align with and function in clinical practice, and any perceived barriers to or facilitators of its use. Methods: A survey was distributed to first‐line managers for healthcare units with patient contact in the region (n = 807). The responses were analysed using descriptive statistics. Open responses were analysed thematically. Group interviews (n = 5) were held with caregivers (n = 15) working primarily with young patients and analysed thematically. Results: 73% of the survey respondents reported previous awareness of the care program, and 27% reported knowledge of its content. The extent to which their staff knew about and followed the care program was assessed to be relatively low. The survey response rate was 19%. Among interview participants, knowledge of the care program was generally quite low. Survey responses and interview discussions pointed to the importance of developing routines, of collegial and managerial support and of training on domestic violence and the care program. Conclusion: This study indicates that the knowledge and use of the regional care program is limited among healthcare staff, including among those working with young patients. This underscores the importance of information and training for furthering the implementation of clinical guidelines on domestic violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Digitally mediated primary healthcare is increasingly influencing working conditions, raising questions about how digitally mediated patient management is experienced. Aim: The aim of this study was to generate insights, through the lens of postphenomenology, into how digitally mediated primary healthcare affects the work and working environment, by gathering perspectives from primary healthcare professionals who regularly manage patient errands through a digital platform. Methods: Two rounds of interviews were conducted with a diversified sample of primary healthcare professionals at a primary healthcare centre. The first round of interviews was conducted during the initial phase of the deployment of a digital platform for patient management, with the second round conducted a year later (n = 24). The interview transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Four themes relating to digitally mediated care work were identified: 'positive feelings towards digitally mediated primary healthcare', 'seeing a positive work atmosphere as a prerequisite for change', 'experiencing increased control over the pace of workflow' and 'reconfiguration of previous problems'. Conclusion and relevance to clinical practice: Building on postphenomenology, our study adds to the understanding of how material and symbolic aspects mutually affect the mediating role of a digital platform for patient management. Thus, the results indicate that the experience of using digitally mediated care processes is conditioned by the discourse towards digitalisation at the workplace and the management's approach to and inclusion of employees in the digital transition of primary healthcare, as well as the usefulness and usability of the digital platform. The findings can inform both practice and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children with down syndrome (DS) are breastfed to a lesser extent than infants in general, despite research showing that it is possible for these children to breastfeed successfully. Aim: The aim was to describe how mothers of children with DS experienced breastfeeding and breastfeeding support from healthcare professionals. Method: A qualitative study with an inductive approach. Individual interviews were performed with seven mothers from southern Sweden. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Result: The mothers felt that the support varied, as some healthcare professionals were supportive, while others had preconceptions regarding breastfeeding and DS. They also experienced that the guidelines could be an obstacle in the encounter with healthcare professionals thereby affecting the possibility to establish breastfeeding. Information and support were important to the mothers, and when insufficient, they turned to the internet for help. Conclusions: Mothers felt that healthcare professionals were bound to ward routines and guidelines, which could be contrary to their own and the family's wishes. They were also sensitive to the attitudes of healthcare professionals, which can affect their own state of mind. Healthcare professionals' preconceptions regarding breastfeeding and DS have not changed, despite research showing that infants with DS can breastfeed successfully. Increased awareness of the possibility to breastfeed an infant with DS is needed to provide better support to mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although extubation is a high‐risk phase associated with risk of severe complications for patients undergoing general anaesthesia, there is a lack of research about this phenomenon from the perspective of anaesthesiologists' experiences of the process of extubation in the anaesthesia setting. Aim: To describe Swedish anaesthesiologists' experiences of the extubation process in the anaesthesia setting. Methods: A qualitative descriptive design study with individual semi‐structured interviews was conducted in three hospitals in Sweden with a total of 17 anaesthesiologists. A qualitative manifest content analysis method was used to analyse the data. Results: The anaesthesiologists' experiences were described in two categories: To assemble sensibilities, where the anaesthesiologists are receptive to inputs, create tailored plans, are guided by emotions and experiences, and sense the atmosphere in the process of extubation; and To stay focused, where they understand the importance of preparation and being prepared, and of being calm and strategic, and of needing to trust the registered nurse anaesthetist in the process of extubation. Conclusions: Decision‐making regarding the process of extubation does not rely solely on monitoring signs; rather, the anaesthesiologists described how, by looking beyond the monitors and by being receptive to inputs from the patient and other professionals, their experience and intuition guides them through the process of extubation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Difficulty in communicating can lead to stressful situations both for foreign‐born female patients suffering from common mental disorders (CMDs) and for the health care professionals. Aim: The aim of the study was to explore how foreign‐born female patients with CMDs experienced their health care encounters and how they perceived a care manager could be a support during their illness, as well as to explore the care managers' perceptions and experiences concerning this group. Methods: A qualitative method with semi‐structured interview was chosen. The data were analysed with systematic text condensation. The study was conducted in primary care in western Sweden. Eight Persian‐speaking female patients were recruited by the snowball method and participated in the study. Furthermore, nine care managers participated. Results: Foreign‐born female patients felt shame and anxiety because of language difficulties, interpreter presence, mental illness, and feelings of dependency. The care managers and the patients felt that physical meetings, access to translated assessment scales and female telephone interpreters, and early and continuous contact and access to health care personnel with a similar cultural background could facilitate communication. Conclusion: In order to facilitate mutual understanding and knowledge, accessibility and continuity of health care are needed to enable foreign‐born female patients with CMD to support their own health development. Female interpreters, telephone interpreting, translated scales, and telephone contacts combined with face‐to‐face visits could facilitate communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pain is common and often more complex to assess among nursing homes residents with cognitive impairments. Thus, more research is needed of different pain assessment methods in elderly care and how these assessments outcomes are related to quality of life, as there mostly should be a negative relationship. There is a risk that pain are under diagnosed among persons with cognitive impairment. Aim: The aim was to describe and compare pain prevalence among nursing home residents (1) using different pain assessment methods (2) in relation to cognitive status and to (3) examine associations between pain and quality of life or well-being. Methods: A cross-sectional correlational design was used, participants were 213 nursing home residents and data were collected through interviews using standardised protocols. Instrument used were Katz index of ADL, Mini-Mental-State-Examination, Quality of Life in Late-Stage Dementia scale, WHO-5 well-being index, Numeric Rating Scale and Doloplus-2 scale. Results: The results showed high pain prevalence, but no significant difference based on cognitive level. Pain classifi- cation at the individual level varied somewhat when different instruments are used. The results indicated that use of a single-item proxy-measure for pain tends to show higher pain prevalence and was not statistically significant related to quality of life. The relationship with quality of life was statistically significant when self-rated pain instruments or multi-component observation were used. Conclusions: The study shows that it is difficult to estimate pain in residents living at nursing homes and that it continues to be a challenge to solve. Self-rated pain should be used primarily to assess pain, and a multi-component observation scale for pain should be used when residents are cognitively impaired. Both self-rated pain and multicomponent observation also support the well-known link between pain and quality of life. Single-item proxy assessments should only be used in exceptional cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parents' experiences of family health conversations after having a child in need of neonatal intensive care Background: When a newborn child requires neonatal intensive care, it is often the beginning of a journey of stress and worry for the parents. Such situations could cause difficulties in problem-solving and communication within the family and result in decreased family functioning. Studies have shown that nurse-led interventions in the form of Family Health Conversations promote family's well-being and functioning and strengthen their relationships. However, this model has not previous been used and evaluated with families who have a child in need of neonatal intensive care. Aim: To describe parents' experiences of participating in Family Health Conversations after having a child in need of neonatal intensive care. Method: Family interviews were conducted with 12 families from three neonatal intensive care units in southern Sweden, six months after a Family Health Conversations intervention. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Findings: The parents experienced the Family Health Conversations as an opportunity to co-create a comprehensive picture of what had happened after their child was born. Parents shared their experiences of the Family Health Conversations in terms of feeling validated and strengthened as individuals, as a couple, and as a family. They found the conversations to be supportive to their well-being and to processing experiences and becoming equipped for the future. The parents reported that it was valuable to talk with conversational leaders who had knowledge in neonatal care and who thereby understood what the parents were talking about. This provided a different type of support compared with other conversational contacts. Conclusion: These results highlight the importance of having an early onset of family conversations in order to help the parents to cope with their challenges and improve their well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression is a common disorder in old age and increases with hospitalisation. The aim was to investigate whether improvement in depressive symptoms after hospitalisation is associated with education level, age, gender, living situation, self‐efficacy, activities in daily living and quality of life by (1) examining the prevalence of depressive symptoms at baseline and at 1st and 2nd follow‐up (2) examining different factors' association with depressive symptoms at baseline and (3) examining different factors' association with improvement in depressive symptoms at baseline and at 1st and 2nd follow‐up. Methods: The study consisted of 145 patients, 65 years and older. Data were collected between February 2015 and September 2016 through interviews conducted using structured protocols. The instrument used was Katz index of ADL, Geriatric Depression Scale‐20, Life Satisfaction Questionnaire and the General Self‐Efficacy Scale. The participants were interviewed before discharge from hospital, after 1.5 month and after 3 months. Results: The prevalence of depressive symptoms in older persons was high after hospitalisation. Factors associated with improvement of depressive symptoms after hospitalisation were higher educational level, improvement in activities in daily living and quality of life. Non‐significant results were found for improvement of depressive symptoms and gender, age, living situation or self‐efficacy. Conclusions: Depression is a common health problem in older persons, especially after hospitalisation. It is therefore important that healthcare staff screen older persons for depression during hospitalisation, as this allows identification of those in need and a possibility to help them in an appropriate manner. Persons with lower educational level and depressive symptoms need special attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is an acute and reversible type of heart failure that shares common features with acute coronary syndrome. It is usually caused by psychological or physical stress, but for a third, triggers cannot be identified. Patients also suffer from residual symptoms and decreased mental health in the recovery phase and may struggle to comprehend and manage everyday living. Aim: To describe patients' experiences when afflicted by takotsubo syndrome, after discharge from hospital. Method: An inductive explorative design using a qualitative approach with semi‐structured individual interviews. The text was analysed using qualitative content analysis according to Graneheim and Lundman. Result: Ten women and one man afflicted by TTS were interviewed two to twelve months after discharge. Six sub‐categories were identified, and a main category emerged: The process from symptom onset and understanding to increased awareness and changes in life. The patients suffered from emotional reactions and they sought answers and understanding about the underlying causes. The disease led to changes in patients' daily lives as they were affected physically and psychologically. Spouses and/or bystanders had a positive supporting role, but the patients desired more support from the healthcare professionals such as an earlier appointment for follow‐up with a nurse. Conclusion: Being afflicted by TTS can lead to changes in life conditions but these changes vary among patients. Becoming ill was associated to acute physical stress and prolonged psychological stress and they suffered from emotional reactions. The follow‐up care needs to improve as the patients need more guidance from healthcare professionals and earlier appointment for follow‐up with a nurse. A structured and multiprofessional treatment with a person‐centred approach could support patients in their recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mental health problems are one of the most pressing public health concerns of our time. Sweden has seen a sharp increase in mental disorders among children and youth during the last decade. The evidence base for treatment of psychiatric conditions has developed strongly. Clinical practice guidelines aim to compile such evidence and support healthcare professionals in evidence‐based clinical decision‐making. In Sweden, the national guidelines for the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders in children and adolescents were launched in 2010. The aim of this study was two folded, (i) to explore to what extent these guidelines were known and adhered to by health professionals in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and (ii) to investigate factors influencing implementation of the guidelines informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Methods: A qualitative approach was used, and data were collected through interviews with 18 health professionals in Child Mental Health Services in Sweden and a combination of conventional and directed content analyses was used. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research guided and structured data collection and analysis. Results: The guidelines were largely unknown by health professionals in Child Mental Health Services in all the clinics investigated. Adherence to guideline recommendations was reported as very low. Barriers to implementation were found in relation to the characteristics of the intervention, outer setting, inner setting and characteristics of the individuals involved. Conclusions: The government initiative to develop and disseminate the guidelines seems to have made very little impact on health professionals' clinical practice. The guidelines were poorly aligned with the health professionals' knowledge and beliefs about effective mental health services for children and youth with depression and anxiety disorders. Suggestions for future efforts to improve the development and implementation of guidelines in Child Mental Health Services settings are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Care providers in residential care for older people often refer to time shortage, a problem that may generate troubled conscience. Aim: The aim of the study was to describe a PAR process to assist care providers in municipal residential care for older people to constructively deal with their troubled conscience related to an implemented time management system. Method: This intervention study was carried out with 14 care providers and their manager in residential care for older people with the support of participatory action research (PAR). The recorded PAR sessions were transcribed and compiled with inspiration from content analysis. Ethical considerations: The participants were given oral and written information and gave their written informed consent. Findings: The PAR process was found to empower the participants to form their own structure of the practical professional planning, adapted to the residents needs and to their daily work. In this process, participants used their troubled conscience as a driving force and as an asset. Conclusion: Instead of launching change without any deeper information, it is important to carefully prepare, involve and inform those who are going to execute the change. Meeting places should be arranged wherein care providers have the opportunity to share and reflect on challenging situations that can generate troubled conscience, especially when comprehensive changes in their work are going to be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Patients in secure forensic psychiatric care have reduced autonomy because of the constraints imposed on them by compulsion laws. Thus, it is vital that nurses enable patient participation whenever possible. Patient participation, and it′s clinical use in forensic psychiatric care, is an understudied field. Aim: To describe nurses' experiences of their work with patient participation in forensic psychiatric care. Methods: Managers at different secure forensic psychiatric institutions in the south of Sweden approved the study, and oral consent was retrieved from informants. Interviews guided by a semi‐structured interview guide were conducted with nine nurses from five different forensic psychiatric institutions and analysed with content analysis. Findings: Nurses describe diverse understandings and abilities in an inflexible setting. This indicates that what participation is, and how to achieve it, is not the same for nurses as for patients. Moreover, patients have different abilities to participate, and the secure setting in itself is perceived as hindering participatory work. Still, participation is described as a crucial part of work that requires a caring relationship. Furthermore, nurses pronounce potentially excluding attitudes and strategies that may obstruct patient participation for all, and at the same time, they have a belief that improvement is possible. Conclusion: Compulsory forensic psychiatric care is a complex care context that requires constant efforts from nurses to balance patients' rights and needs with mandatory care. The very nature of this caring context appears to be a major obstacle when promoting patient participation. Nevertheless, nurses express that they do aim for patient participation, 'they try'. From a patient's perspective, trying is not sufficient and a need for improvement is evident. The results can be of clinical interest in similar secure forensic psychiatric nursing settings, and a point of departure in future development of care striving for increased patient participation for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sami are an indigenous population with multiple languages and dialects living in northern areas of Sweden, Norway, Finland, and the Kola Peninsula. The South Sami population lives in central regions of Sweden and Norway, and consist of about 2000 people. In this study, 56 older South Sami people from Sweden participated. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted over the telephone and analysed through qualitative content analysis. The main findings show that older South Sami people's expectations of having care providers with a South Sami background speaking South Sami in home nursing care contain contradictions in and between participants. Participants had different preferences regarding having care providers with a South Sami background speaking South Sami in the future. When providing care to older South Sami people, individual adjustments are of importance, and our study showed that participants had different expectations despite having similar backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is part of a larger research project designed to examine the view of home nursing care from the perspective of older South Sami people in Sweden. In the present study, we present findings from the point of view of their expectations of home nursing care. The Sami are an indigenous population living in northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Kola Peninsula, and consist of different Sami people, of which the South Sami population is one. This population consists of approximately 2000 persons living in the central regions of Sweden and Norway. Fifty‐six older South Sami people participated in the study. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted over the telephone and were analysed using latent content analysis. The main findings show how older South Sami people's expectation for home nursing care contains the same care providers over time, individual adjustments and competent care providers and do not differ from the general Swedish population. Interpersonal interaction is a hallmark of nursing care and other healthcare disciplines. Ideally, interpersonal care is achieved when individual care providers have few care receivers, which promote continuity in care, individual adjustments based on the care receivers individual needs and care providers with professional and relational competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Being involved in the care of a loved one is a desire of many next of kin. However, according to several studies of the perceptions of nursing home staff, the involvement of next of kin is not an obvious part of care. To be able to involve next of kin in care at nursing homes, the perceptions of what participation means are an important piece of knowledge. The aim of this study was therefore to describe variations in next of kin's perceptions of the meaning of participation in the care of older persons living in nursing homes. Methods: Eighteen next of kin of older persons living in ten nursing homes in Sweden were recruited for interviews. The study design was based on a phenomenographic approach, focusing on the qualitatively different ways in which a person perceives, experiences or conceptualises a phenomenon or certain aspect of reality. Results: Five categories emerged from analysis of the interviews, representing the next of kin's perceptions of the meaning of participation in the care of older persons in nursing homes: be present; communicate; monitor; do practical tasks; and to represent. The next of kin expressed meanings that belonged to more than one category, and the categories were interdependent. Conclusions: Our results indicate that there are several meanings of next of kin's perceptions of participation at nursing homes. Nursing home staff's knowledge of these perceptions is important to enable next of kin to participate according to their own preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Since health care is facing challenges, with fewer caregivers providing care to more clients, eHealth plays a crucial role. Through eHealth, people are expected to be more involved in their own care. On the part of health care users, eHealth requires use of everyday technology such as telephones and computers, and services through the Internet which might be challenging for older adults with cognitive impairment. Aim: To investigate experiences of using eHealth in contact with health care among older adults with cognitive impairment. Method: Individual, semi‐structured interviews were conducted with nine participants, aged 65–84 years, with cognitive impairments of varying origins. A constructivist Grounded Theory approach was used. Data collection and analysis were performed simultaneously using a constant comparative method. Ethical issues: Ethical approval (Dnr: 2014/906‐32) was obtained from the regional ethical committee, Stockholm. Results: The core category, the eHealth staircase supported by habits, is presented as a model that visualises the result. The model includes three steps showing different ways of being in contact with health care through the use of technological devices and services that mirrors different levels of complexity of eHealth use as follows: (i) Analogue use, (ii) One‐way‐use and (iii) Interactive use. The participants' location on the eHealth staircase was affected by several aspects described in three categories united by habits; A stable relationship with technology: a prerequisite for use; The importance of interpersonal relationships within health care and Being supported by significant others: a prerequisite in contact with health care. Conclusions: Older adults with cognitive impairments seemed to prefer common and less complex eHealth when contacting health care. Therefore, it is necessary that health care providers offer different possibilities for patients to contact them, that is, both through the Internet and by personal telephone service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients’ complaints have been highlighted as important for constructively improving healthcare services. In so doing, it may be important to identify disparities in experiences based on patients’ demographics, such as sex. Aim: To explore hospital recorded complaints addressing potential sex differences and whether complaints were reported by the patient or a relative. Methods: Quantitative study of all 835 closed patient complaints during 2013 at three mid‐sized hospitals in Sweden. The complaints were categorisation based on perceived quality theory and analysed using a probabilistic graphical model. The findings were validated through qualitative interviews. Findings: Female patients were more likely than male patients to report dissatisfaction with interpersonal issues, whereas male patients were more likely to report dissatisfaction with administration. If a complaint from a male patient had been reported by a relative, the matter was more likely to be interpersonal. Improvement suggestions were predominantly reported by staff. However, patients and relatives proved more likely than staff to report improvement suggestions when dissatisfied with interpersonal matters. Conclusion: Using a Bayesian network, this article suggests that complaints in health care should be more holistically understood and the factors should be viewed as interconnected. This article addresses complaints as an important source of identifying not only perceived healthcare deficiencies and sex disparities, but also improvement suggestions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Instruments for evaluating end‐of‐life care by voicing experiences of family members have previously been lacking in Sweden. The objective of this study was therefore to adapt and validate the VOICES (SF) questionnaire to evaluate quality of end‐of‐life care in Sweden. The VOICES (SF) [Views of Informal Carers – Evaluation of Services (Short form)] is a questionnaire about bereaved relatives' experiences of care in the last three months of life of a deceased family member. Methods: This study was performed based on translation and back translation, cross‐cultural adaptation and content validation through cognitive interviewing and feedback from professional experts. For the cognitive interviews, a purposeful sample of 35 bereaved family members was recruited from home care, hospital wards and nursing homes. The participants were 13 men and 22 women (age ranged between 20 and 90+, mean age 66), who were relatives of persons who died from life‐limiting conditions. The bereaved family members' and the professional experts' concerns were summarised and analysed based on clarity, understanding, relevance, sensitivity and alternative response/wording. Results: The main concerns emerging from the content validation related to the understanding and clarity of some of the questionnaire items', and a few concerns regarding the relevance of different response alternatives or items. Only two of the family members found it emotional to complete the questionnaire, and they still deemed completing it to be important and manageable. Significance of results: The VOICES (SF) can be considered as feasible in the Swedish context, provided that cultural adaptation has been achieved, that is translation alone is not enough. The Swedish version will be available for healthcare professionals to use for quality monitoring of the care provided over the last three months in life, and for research, it enables national and cross‐national comparisons between different healthcare places and organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the effects of a case management intervention for community‐dwelling frail older people, with functional dependency and repeated contacts with the healthcare services, focusing on loneliness, depressive symptoms and life satisfaction. Design: A two‐armed, nonblinded, randomised control trial with repeated follow‐ups, of N = 153 participants at baseline allocated to an intervention (n = 80) and control (n = 73) group. Method: Inclusion criteria were the following: ≥65 years of age, living in ordinary housing, in need of assistance in two or more self‐reported activities of daily living, having at least two hospital admissions or at least four visits in outpatient care 12 months prior to enrolment. Case managers (nurses and physiotherapists) provided an intervention of general case management, general information, specific information and continuity and safety. The intervention ranged over 12 months with one or more home visit(s) being conducted per month. An intention‐to‐treat analysis was applied for the primary outcomes of loneliness, depressive symptoms and life satisfaction, along with complete case and sensitivity analyses. Results: During the trial period n = 12 died and n = 33 dropped out. No significant difference was found between the groups at baseline regarding sociodemographic characteristics, subjective health or primary outcomes. The intention‐to‐treat analysis did not result in any significant effects for the primary outcomes at any of the follow‐ups (6 and 12 months). The complete case analysis resulted in a significant difference in favour of the intervention regarding loneliness (RR = 0.49, p = 0.028) and life satisfaction (ES = 0.41, p = 0.028) at 6 months and for depressive symptoms (ES = 0.47, p = 0.035) at 12 months. Conclusions: The use of case management for frail older people did not result in clear favourable effects for the primary outcomes. However, the study indicates that case management may be beneficial in terms of these outcomes. Due to the complexity of the outcomes, an elaboration of the components and assessments is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nurses have expressed doubts about the ongoing digitalisation of Swedish primary health care. Given the potential role of eHealth in primary health care, including supporting interactive self‐management for people with chronic conditions, it is important to highlight nurses’ experiences. This study is part of a larger project aimed at implementing person‐centred interactive self‐management support (iSMS) in primary health care. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe Swedish primary healthcare nurses’ perceptions of using digital eHealth systems and services to support patient self‐management. Methods: Focus group interviews were conducted with primary healthcare nurses (n = 20). The interview transcriptions were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Three themes emerged from the content analysis: caregiving in the midst of digital chaos; a lack of overview and control in daily work; and mixed feelings towards digitalisation. Each theme was subdivided into three subthemes. Conclusion and relevance to clinical practice: The results of this study provide insight into a number of concerns that stand in the way of success when it comes to the implementation and use of digital technology. If nurses are to adapt to the new policies and practices that accompany the current digitalised development in Swedish primary health care, the concept of a nurse's traditional work role needs to be amended in terms of the scope of work tasks and established views of traditional nursing. The study also highlights the need for more research to enable eHealth systems/services to be designed to fulfil multiple requirements. The digitised systems should be a tool for achieving good quality self‐management support as well as giving the primary healthcare nurses adequate resources to support patients’ self‐management while still maintaining the values associated with person‐centred care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The progression of dementia disease implies increasing needs for both informal and formal care and services but also risk of institutionalisation. To better adjust care and services in the phase preceding institutionalisation it is important to find out whether utilisation of formal and informal care and services is determined by increased needs and by who meets the needs. Aim: The aim was to compare persons with dementia (65+) with different levels of cognitive impairment, regarding utilisation of formal and informal care and service at home. Methods: The participants consisted of 177 persons with dementia ≥65 years old and at risk of nursing home admission, divided into groups according to their cognitive function. Structured interviews were conducted based on questionnaires about type and amount of formal and informal care utilised, as well as questions regarding cognitive impairment, dependency in activities of daily living (ADLs) and neuropsychiatric symptoms. To analyse the data, descriptive and comparative statistics were used. Results: The findings revealed that the group with severe dementia used significantly more help with ADLs and supervision in terms of time (number of hours and days) provided by the informal caregiver, compared with the group with moderate dementia. Utilisation of formal care and services was highest in the group with the most severe cognitive impairments (Standardized Mini‐Mental State Examination score of <9). The group with severe dementia were more dependent in ADLs and had more neuropsychiatric symptoms (hallucinations and motor disturbances). They were younger and more often cohabitated with the informal caregiver, compared with the group with moderate dementia. Conclusion: This study shows that in the phase preceding institutionalisation the ADL and supervision needs due to progression of dementia appear to tend to be met first and foremost by the informal caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: A feature of the healthcare system in Sweden, particularly in the care of older people, is its cultural diversity in terms of having considerable numbers of both caregivers and care recipients with an immigrant background. Considering the influence of culture in ethical decision‐making processes, the idea of conscience and the adverse effects of a troubled conscience, it is important to study the concepts of conscience and troubled conscience in culturally diverse populations. There is no published study regarding troubled conscience among immigrant populations that includes enrolled nurses. Aim: To illuminate the meanings of troubled conscience and how to deal with it among enrolled nurses with Iranian backgrounds working in Swedish residential care for Persian‐speaking people with dementia who have emigrated from Iran. Method: The study was conducted with a phenomenological hermeneutic design. Ten enrolled nurses with an Iranian background, with at least one year's experience of taking care of older people with dementia, were interviewed. The study was reviewed by the Regional Ethical Review Board for ethical vetting of research involving humans. Appropriate measures were taken to ensure confidentiality and voluntary participation. Results: The meanings of having a troubled conscience for the participants comprise not being a good person, including being an uncaring person, not acting according to one's values and living in a state of unease. Dealing with a troubled conscience involves trying to compensate for the harm one has caused and trying to prevent similar situations by being a responsible caregiver. Conclusions: The enrolled nurses understood themselves as caring people and not only caregivers. They knew that they should hear their conscience and respond to it by trying to be a caring person and acting according to their values. The findings should be interpreted in the given specific context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to better understand the context of suffering from dementia disorders, greater efforts should be made to understand and identify what persons with such disorders experience when living in a nursing home. The aim of this qualitative study was to gain further understanding of how persons with dementia disorders experienced and coped with their changed life situation after being relocated to a nursing home as described by their family members’ perceptions. Qualitative data were collected from ten interviews with family members and evaluated using content analysis. The main findings suggest that residents with dementia disorders largely maintained their personality intact throughout the trajectory of illness as they were able to keep their habits and interests. The local environment of the nursing home and the residents’ relationships to staff were important in order to feel accepted. Four categories were discerned during the analysis: living in limbo; coming to peace; keeping old habits and relationships; and thoughts about impending death. It is reasonable to believe that old habits and interests may be preserved as the embodiment of such habits are deeply rooted and connected to a person′s identity even when going through various changes and transitions in life. Therefore, to be accepted as the person you are requires care and services to specific needs, i.e. person‐centeredness. Lack of understanding from staff may therefore have an adverse effect on a person's self‐respect and identity. For that reason, staff needs to reflect on their attitudes and relationships as well as extending their knowledge about how to address sensitive topics such as the residents′ impending death. To achieve this support from managers is pivotal. Future research should focus on support to nursing staff to further knowledge and understanding about the individual changes resident go through near the end of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Residential care homes (RCHs) play an important role in end‐of‐life care, being the most common place of death for elderly people in several European countries. Care pathways such as the Liverpool Care Pathway for the Dying Patient (LCP) are used to improve and ensure quality care at the end of life. There is a lack of scientific evidence supporting the use of care pathways. Design: A descriptive qualitative study. Objective: The aim was to describe care professionals’ experiences of using the Liverpool Care Pathway for the Dying Patient in the care of dying residents in residential care homes. Methods: Five focus group interviews and two individual interviews with enrolled nurses (n = 10), Registered Nurses (n = 9) and general practitioners (n = 5) were carried out and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Care professionals expressed that they became confident through a shared approach to care, were supported to tailor the care according to the residents’ individual needs, were supported to involve family members in decision‐making and care and became more aware of the care environment. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the LCP might be a useful tool for care professionals in improving end‐of‐life care in RCHs through increased attention to the goals of care, the individual needs of residents and family involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing health and social care to older persons is challenging, since older persons often have multiple diseases and a complex health situation. Hence many professions and organisations are involved. Lack of interprofessional and interorganisational collaboration leads to fragmented care. Care planning meetings before hospital discharge have long been used to overcome this fragmentation, but meetings conducted at the hospital have limitations in identifying long‐term needs at home. A new model for health and social care planning in collaboration (HSCPC) in older persons’ homes was introduced in two Swedish municipalities. The aim of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the HSCPC‐meeting from the perspectives of older persons, family members, and professionals. Ten care planning meetings from two municipalities were consecutively included. Interviews in retrospect with ten older persons, eight family members, and ten groups of professionals who had attended the HSCPC‐meeting at home were analysed with a hermeneutic approach. Four themes emerged: unspoken agendas and unpreparedness, security and enhanced understanding, asymmetric relationships, and ambiguity about the mission and need for follow‐up. The comprehensive interpretation is that the professionals handled the HSCPC‐meeting mainly as a routine task, while the older persons and family members viewed it as part of their life course. Older persons are in an inferior institutional, cognitive and existential position. However, meeting together in the home partly reduced their inferior position. Findings from this study provide some general suggestions for how HSCPC‐meetings should be designed and developed: attention of power relations, the importance of meeting skills and follow‐up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background To empower patients and improve the quality of care, policy-makers increasingly adopt systems to enhance person-centred care. Although models of person-centredness and patient-centredness vary, respecting the needs and preferences of individuals receiving care is paramount. In Sweden, as in other countries, healthcare providers seek to improve person-centred principles and address gaps in practice. Consequently, researchers at the University of Gothenburg Centre for Person-Centred Care are currently delivering person-centred interventions employing a framework that incorporates three routines. These include eliciting the patient's narrative, agreeing a partnership with shared goals between patient and professional, and safeguarding this through documentation. Aim To explore the barriers and facilitators to the delivery of person-centred care interventions, in different contexts. Method Qualitative interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 18 researchers from seven research studies across contrasting healthcare settings. Interviews were transcribed, translated and thematically analysed, adopting some basic features of grounded theory. Ethical issues The ethical code of conduct was followed and conformed to the ethical guidelines adopted by the Swedish Research Council. Results Barriers to the implementation of person-centred care covered three themes: traditional practices and structures; sceptical, stereotypical attitudes from professionals; and factors related to the development of person-centred interventions. Facilitators included organisational factors, leadership and training and an enabling attitude and approach by professionals. Trained project managers, patients taking an active role in research and adaptive strategies by researchers all helped person-centred care delivery. Conclusion At the University of Gothenburg, a model of person-centred care is being initiated and integrated into practice through research. Knowledgeable, well-trained professionals facilitate the routines of narrative elicitation and partnership. Strong leadership and adaptive strategies are important for overcoming existing practices, routines and methods of documentation. This study provides guidance for practitioners when delivering and adapting person-centred care in different contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Transplantation of organs is one of the most successful medical advances of the past 60 years and transplantation is the treatment of choice for severe organ failure worldwide. Despite this situation, and the general acknowledgement of organ donation as a global priority, demand for organs outstrips supply in virtually every country in the world. Aim The aim of the study was to elucidate factors that influence immigrant's decisions regarding organ donation. Methods Data were collected through three group interviews using open-ended questions and qualitative content analysis. 32 participants, 16 men and 16 women from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Somalia, Lebanon and Kosovo participated in focus group interviews ( FGI). Results Analysis of the collected data resulted in two main categories: 'Information about organ donation' and 'Religious aspects of organ donation and a number of subcategories'. Some of the influencing factors concerning organ donation were mainly related to limited information from society as well as limited information from healthcare professionals. Religious aspects, fear and prejudices about organ donation were other factors that mentioned by participants as hamper regarding organ donation . Conclusion In order to improve immigrants' attitude towards organ donation, information about this issue and identification of the hampering factors, particularly culturally related factors such as the religious aspect, is essential. In this context, different intervention studies are needed to increase monitories groups' attitude towards organ donations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This secondary analysis of qualitative interviews describes how older Swedish men approach the caregiver role for a wife with dementia, over time. An increasing number of male caregivers will become primary caregivers for partners living with dementia at home, and they will likely be caregivers for an extended period of time. It has been stated that caregiving experiences influence how older men think of themselves. The theoretical starting point is a constructivist position, offering an understanding of older caregiving men's constructions and reconstructions of themselves and their caregiver roles. Seven men, who were cohabiting with their wives, were interviewed on up to five occasions at home during a 5- to 6-year period. The findings comprise three themes; me and it, me despite it, it is me, depict how these men gradually take on and normalise the caregiving tasks, and how they develop and internalise a language based on their caring activities. The results provide understanding about the relationship between men as caregivers and how this influences them as individuals. By careful attention to each caregiving man's individual needs rather than making gendered assumptions about men and caring, the aim of the caregiver support for men might best target men's own meaning to the caring in their the everyday practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Living in a nursing home may be challenging to the residents' experience of dignity. Residents' perception of how their dignity is respected in everyday care is important. Aim To examine how nursing home residents experience dignity through the provision of activities that foster meaning and joy in their daily life. Method A qualitative design was used and 28 individual semistructured interviews conducted with nursing home residents from six nursing homes in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The data were analysed with qualitative content analysis. Independent ethical committees in all participating countries granted their approval for the study. Findings The participants highlight two dimensions of the activities that foster experiences of dignity in nursing homes in Scandinavia. These two categories were (i) fostering dignity through meaningful participation and (ii) fostering dignity through experiencing enjoyable individualised activities. Conclusion Activities are important for residents to experience dignity in their daily life in nursing homes. However, it is important to tailor the activities to the individual and to enable the residents to take part actively. Nurses should collect information about the resident's preferences for participation in activities at the nursing home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of the Swedish state-funded healthcare system, housing adaptations are used to promote safe and independent living for disabled people in ordinary housing through the elimination of physical environmental barriers in the home. The aim of this study was to describe the cohabitants' expectations and experiences of how a housing adaptation, intended for the partner, would impact their everyday life. In-depth interviews were conducted with cohabitants of nine people applying for a housing adaptation, initially at the time of the application and then again 3 months after the housing adaptation was installed. A longitudinal analysis was performed including analysis procedures from Grounded Theory. The findings revealed the expectations and experiences in four categories: partners' activities and independence; cohabitants' everyday activities and caregiving; couples' shared recreational/leisure activities; and housing decisions. A core category putting the intervention into perspective was called 'Housing adaptations - A piece of the puzzle'. From the cohabitants' perspective, new insights on housing adaptations emerged, which are important to consider when planning and carrying out successful housing adaptations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Surgical care plays an important role in the acute hospital's delivery of safe, high-quality patient care. Although demands for effectiveness are high in surgical wards quality of care and patient safety must also be secured. It is therefore necessary to identify the challenges and barriers linked to quality of care and patient safety with a focus on this specific setting. Aim To explore situations and processes that support or hinder good safe patient care on the surgical ward. Method This qualitative study was based on a strategic sample of 10 department and ward leaders in three hospitals and six surgical wards in Sweden. Repeated reflective interviews were analysed using systematic text condensation. Findings Four themes described the leaders' view of a complex healthcare setting that demands effectiveness and efficiency in moving patients quickly through the healthcare system. Quality of care and patient safety were often hampered factors such as a shift of care level, with critically ill patients cared for without reorganisation of nurses' competencies on the surgical ward. Conclusions There is a gap between what is described in written documents and what is or can be performed in clinical practice to achieve good care and safe care on the surgical ward. A shift in levels of care on the surgical ward without reallocation of the necessary competencies at the patient's bedside show consequences for quality of care and patient safety. This means that surgical wards should consider reviewing their organisation and implementing more advanced nursing roles in direct patient care on all shifts. The ethical issues and the moral stress on nurses who lack the resources and competence to deliver good care according to professional values need to be made more explicit as a part of the patient safety agenda in the surgical ward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Spousal concordance on risk factors and lifestyle habits exists and can partly be explained by patients' and spouses' health beliefs and underuse of cardiac rehabilitation. However, there have been very few qualitative comparisons of health beliefs between patients and spouses after a cardiac event. Aim To examine and qualitatively compare the health beliefs of patients with coronary heart disease and their spouses about lifestyle habits, 1 year after the cardiac event. Design Explorative and descriptive. Method Semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with patients (n = 14) 1 year after a cardiac event, as well as individual interviews with spouses (n = 8). The transcriptions underwent a deductive qualitative content analysis, within the framework of the Health Belief Model. Findings Patients' and spouses' health beliefs about lifestyle habits qualitatively differed in most predetermined main analytical categories of the Health Belief Model. The patients relied more on their own capacity and the healthcare system than on collaboration with their spouses who instead emphasised the importance of mutual activities to establish lifestyle habits. The spouses therefore experienced problems with different family preferences compared to the patients' wishes. Moreover, only patients believed supervised exercise was beneficial for risk reduction of coronary heart disease and they related barriers for medication to a self-healing body and a meaningless life without relatives and old habits. Patients and spouses agreed that despite the severity of illness, life was captured and that normalisation to a life as usual was possible. Conclusion The patients' and spouses' qualitatively different health beliefs regarding health-related behaviours imply a new approach. Nurses and associated professionals need to follow-up patients' and spouses' in primary health care to support them in a tailored way, for example in problem-based sessions. Recognition and understanding of their different views and otherness could lead to compromises and goals to work with. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To illuminate the experience of nurses providing health care to undocumented migrants in a voluntary network. Methods and sample In a qualitative study, semistructured interviews were conducted with RNs regarding their experience of providing health care to undocumented migrants within a voluntary network. The interview transcripts were analysed using the inductive method of content analysis. Findings Three main categories emerged - structural inadequacy, ethical dilemmas and challenges, and personal impact and insights. The informants were driven by a strong ethical approach and a great sense of responsibility as human beings and as nurses. Conclusion Engaging with the voluntary network allowed the informants to cope with their frustration and feelings of inadequacy which emerged when confronted with institutionalised injustice in the conventional healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To analyse patient and professional perceptions about (in)equity of care and rehabilitation of chronic pain patients from primary health care to assessment at a specialty rehabilitation clinic. Setting and methods This qualitative study consists one focus group interview with eight general practitioners who refer patients to pain rehabilitation clinics, 10 individual interviews with patients who were assessed at a pain rehabilitation clinic and seven interviews with professionals participating in multimodal assessment teams at a pain rehabilitation clinic. Interview analysis was conducted by the grounded theory method. Results The core category Via Dolorosa, the way of suffering and pain, captured how gender and sociocultural context may contribute to advantages and disadvantages during patient journeys from primary health care to a pain rehabilitation clinic. Patients and professionals perceived pain as a low-ranking illness, and women and men used different gendered strategies to legitimise the pain and to be taken seriously. Being 'a proper patient ready to change' and having 'likeness' between patients and professionals were viewed as advantageous in rehabilitation of pain patients. Patients with higher educational levels were perceived as easier to interact with and had better access to health care. Professional thoughts about gender norms influenced the rehabilitation options. The rehabilitation programme was seen by several professionals to be better suited for women than men, which could lead to unequal care. Conclusion From an equity and gender perspective, our study highlights the complexity in rehabilitation of chronic pain patients - both from patient and professional perspectives. Awareness of gendered and the biased preconceptions and norms is crucial when professionals struggle to offer equitable health care and rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Family caregivers' experiences of formal care when caring for persons with dementia through the process of the disease is sparsely investigated. Aims To investigate family caregivers' experiences of formal care when caring for a person with dementia, through the stages of the disease. Design A qualitative approach with focus group interviews. Methods Four focus group interviews were conducted in October 2011 with 23 spouses and adult children of persons with dementia and analysed with content analysis. Results The participants' experiences of formal care when caring for a person with dementia were captured in the theme 'Family caregiving requires collaboration with formal care to get support adjusted to needs specific to the stages of dementia'. This can be broken down into the categories 'The dementia diagnosis - entry into formal care as a novice family caregiver', 'Needing expanded collaboration with formal care to continue care at home' and 'Being dependent on a nursing home and trying to maintain involvement'. Conclusion Family caregiving requires collaboration with formal care to get support adjusted to the individual's needs, specific to the stages of dementia. Caregivers experience a transition process with three main turning points: the dementia diagnosis; when they realise increased need for formal care to continue caring at home; and when the person with dementia is moved into a nursing home. The interviewed caregivers experience formal care reactive to their needs and this often promoted unhealthy transitions. Formal care needs to be proactive and deliver available care and support early on in the dementia trajectory. Interventions should focus on facilitating a healthy transition for family caregivers through the trajectory of the dementia disease to ensure their well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Interlinked aspects, as demographic changes, accentuation on home-based community care, increase the amount of informal caregivers to older adults. To preserve and enhance their health are subsequently essential and a reoccurring topic on political agendas. How this may be achieved is vividly debated and mainly focused on elimination of risks and stresses associated with caregiving. Within health promotion, the salutogenic approach focusing on resources to health is recognised and this approach was used to acquire necessary knowledge to enhance caregivers' health 'the salutogenic way'. Aim To present Generalised and Specific Resistance Resources ( GRRs/ SRRs) described by caregivers as stemming from themselves and their carerecipients. Methodology To unravel caregivers' GRRs/ SRRs, a theory-driven, explorative design guided by definitions of GRRs/ SRRs was utilised. Data were collected through salutogenically guided interviews with 32 Swedish caregivers in one municipality. Inductively, data were analysed using content analysis to identify each caregiver's SRRs and thereafter deduction to identify the population's GRRs. Findings The synthesis of findings, caregivinghood, encompasses several domains of GRRs seemingly involved in caregivers' movements towards health. In the caregiver domain, 'Being someone significant in my own eyes' unites the essence of having access to GRRs stemming from oneself and 'Being 'blessed' with a co-operative co-worker' that of having access to GRRs stemming from the carerecipient. This may be the core in an orientation to life which creates positive life experiences, since it enables caregivers to find a 'fit' between the possible and desired when resolving challenges. Conclusion and implications Health-promoting initiatives should be conducted as partnerships between formal and informal sources due to the versatility of GRRs. It also seems essential to empower both parties so that they may make sense of their situation and use their available GRRs/ SRRs in this 'joint venture' of managing. Thereby, their motivation to continue the journey through Caregivinghood may be enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients in the hospital environment are suffering from disrupted sleep, which adversely affects their recovery process, health and well-being. The aim of this study was to explore nurses' experiences and their strategies to promote inpatients' sleep. An empirical qualitative design was applied. Eight nurses at a hospital in Sweden were purposefully selected to be included in semi-structured interviews. Burnard's method for inductively analysing interview transcripts was applied. The findings are presented in four categories: (i) prevention and planning as a sleep-promoting nursing strategy; (ii) adaptation of the environment as a sleep-promoting nursing strategy; (iii) use of drugs as a sleep-promoting nursing strategy; and (iv) caring conversation as a sleep-promoting nursing strategy. Using strategies to promote sleep is important as it affects the recovery of the patients. We argue for the use of simple strategies of sensory reduction as cost-effective sleep-promoting measures that also reduce the use of sedative drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale Besides a growing demand for safe high-quality care for older people, long-term care ( LTC) often struggles to recruit appropriately qualified nursing staff. Understanding what LTC staff value in their work may contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of what can attract staff and support person-centred care. Aim To explore staff experience of the advantages of working in LTC settings for older people. Methods Narrative descriptions of 85 LTC staff in Ireland, the Netherlands and Sweden on what they value in their work were analysed with qualitative content analysis. Ethics Ethical approval was obtained according to the requirements of each country, and participants provided informed consent prior to the individual interviews. Findings Working in LTC signifies bonding with the older people residing there, their next of kin and the team members. It means autonomy in one's daily tasks amalgamated with being a part of an affirmative team. Participants reported a sense of accomplishment and fulfilment; caring meant consideration and recognition of the older people and the relationships formed, which provided for professional and personal growth. The sharing of compassion between staff and residents indicated reciprocity of the relationship with residents. Study limitations The findings may be transferable to LTC in general although they address only the positive aspects of caring for older people and only the experiences of those staff who had consented to take part in the study. Conclusions The findings add to what underpins the quality of care in nursing homes: compassion in the nurse-resident relationship and person-centred care in LTC. They indicate reciprocity in the relations formed that may contribute to the empowerment of older people, but further studies are needed to explore this in more detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-term outcome of any intervention for people suffering from chronic pain relies on the patient's ability for self-care. This study explores patient experiences of self-care in relation to a rehabilitation programme at an anthroposophic clinic. In a qualitative interview study with a hermeneutic approach, individual interviews were conducted, recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed. Interviews were conducted with ten women who were taking part in a year-long rehabilitation programme for chronic pain and overlapping illness. The women told stories of suffering with a focus on lives that were not functioning well. In this context, pain is like secondary. For many, the experience of loving care at the clinic became a turning point, a chance to be vulnerable, to be recognised, to reflect and to begin life anew. Signs of self-care could then be witnessed. The women described a process whereby they regained contact with their bodies and their fellow human beings; they were able to identify their needs and when to stand up for them. Everyday life at the clinic is guided by universal aspects of love, life and meanings. The care gives patients glimpses of a move towards community in contrast to past isolation, towards love in contrast to past alienation, and towards joy and inspiration in contrast to past suffering. Through receiving caritative and compassionate care, these women were able to identify their needs as a first step towards self-care. In the context of chronic pain, self-care needs to be more than advice, education and training. Health can be attained when the sufferer experiences what it is to be cared for. This study supports the potential of a caritative caring culture to help patients participate in a compassionate community both with others and with the self. This forms the basis for the reawakening of their natural self-care ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Older people with cognitive impairment represent a large group of patients in acute care settings. Research show that these acute care environments can be unsafe and even unfriendly for frail older patients. Research and clinical experience show that being a nurse in acute/specialised medical facilities means to work in a high-speed, technologically complex and demanding environment. When caring for older patients with cognitive impairment, nurses' workload and responsibilities have been shown to increase. This is largely dependent on how easily it is to connect with and help patients understand what to do, and what is best for them. Aim This study aimed to illuminate meanings of caring for older patients with cognitive impairment in acute care settings as experienced by nursing staff. Method A purposeful sample of thirteen nurses experienced in caring for older people with cognitive impairment in acute care settings participated in the study. Narrative interviews were conducted during autumn 2012 and interpreted using a phenomenological hermeneutic method. Findings Caring for older, acutely ill cognitively impaired patients was found to be very complex. The meanings of caring for these older patients seemed to change depending on the nurses' perceptions of the patients and the gap between what they could do (real) and wanted to do (ideal) in providing care for them. The greater this gap was felt to be and the more care was perceived as meaningless, the more serious was the threat to nurses' personal-professional integrity which could be at risk, compromised or harmed. Conclusion The comprehensive understanding indicates that being a nurse and having to care for older patients in acute care settings means providing nursing care in an environment that does not support possibilities to protect and develop nurses' personal-professional integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conscience can be perceived as an asset that helps care providers to provide good care, but it can also be a burden that generates stress of conscience (stress related to a troubled conscience). Participatory action research ( PAR) has been shown to be successful in supporting care providers in residential care of older people to learn to deal with their troubled conscience in challenging and demanding care situations. The aim of the study was to describe an intervention process to assist care providers in residential care of older people to constructively deal with their troubled conscience related to perceptions of deficient teamwork. The study design was grounded in PAR. Nine enrolled nurses ( ENs), two nursing aids ( NAs), one Registered Nurse ( RN) and their manager participated in 12 PAR sessions. All sessions were tape-recorded, and a domain analysis of the transcriptions was performed. Findings show that a PAR-based intervention can support care providers to understand, handle and take measures against deficient teamwork. Using troubled conscience as a driving force can increase the opportunities to improve quality of care in residential care for older people. During the PAR process, participants raised their awareness of the need to view the team in a wider sense and that the manager and the Registered Nurse should also be members of the team to improve team outcome. To improve clinical practice, we suggest that teams in residential care of older people should be enabled to share and reflect on challenging situations that generate troubled conscience. However, as shown in this study, care providers might need support in order to facilitate and promote sharing and reflecting on what their conscience tells them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to deepen the understanding of student nurses' processes of understanding and becoming nurses. The study is phenomenological-hermeneutic in design, comprising data from three focus group interviews in two Scandinavian countries. The process of student nurses' understanding and becoming a nurse emerged as a hermeneutical movement. A caring student-preceptor relationship and a growth-promoting preception in a supportive and inclusive environment provide the frame within which the movement happens. The movement towards understanding and becoming is initiated as students, based on their level of knowledge, are given responsibility. In order to fulfil the responsibility imposed on them, students take their entire repertoire of knowledge into consideration. By tying these threads together, they found the basis for conscious action, and care is provided according to what the current situation requires. The experiences obtained are reflected on and integrated with earlier knowledge, which leads to enhanced understanding. Students form a new base to stand on. They show increased readiness for still more responsibility and action. This movement towards deeper understanding and becoming affects the students also ethically and deepens their ethical awareness. When one loop of understanding and becoming is closed the process continues by passing into a new loop. This movement could be described as a hermeneutical spiral consisting of interconnected loops taking the students further and deeper in their process of understanding and becoming a nurse. The student-preceptor relationship and the ethos permeating it are decisive for students' learning both epistemologically and ontologically. Responsibility is the catalyst in students' understanding and becoming both intellectually and ethically. Understanding and becoming are ongoing processes of appropriation, thus altering students both professionally and personally. Understanding and becoming can be perceived as the hearth of the matter in nurse education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little research has been done to try to understand how patient-centred care is understood and practised by healthcare professionals specialising in patients with diabetes. Experiences from patient-centred practices need to be highlighted as a way of motivating diabetes specialist nurses to take a patient-centred approach. The aim of this study was to describe diabetes specialist nurses' experiences of practising patient-centred care in the context of a type 2 diabetes intervention. The study design was descriptive and used qualitative methods. Focus group interviews complemented by individual semi-structured interviews were analysed by qualitative content analysis. The main theme of the diabetes specialist nurses' experiences of practising patient-centred care was an altered professional role. The main theme was based on two themes: ambivalence towards practising patient-centred care and enriched relationships with the patients. The ambivalence towards practising patient-centred care was based on the three subthemes: a position of withdrawn expertise, inconvenience of changing routines and insights that patient-centred care is difficult but possible. Their experiences of enriched relationships with patients were based on the two subthemes: courage to discuss the severity of diabetes and increased engagement in patients' daily lives. The diabetes specialist nurses' experiences with practising patient-centred care included doubts about their ability to practise in such a way and about the feasibility of such care. At the same time, their enriched relationships with patients were seen as an opportunity to engage in patients' lives. Training and support for practising patient-centred care may improve diabetes specialist nurses skills in patient-centred care and self-management support in type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]