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To support the incorporation of Family Systems Nursing (FSN) in clinical practice, more understanding is needed about the implementation of FSN in home health practice settings. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate nurses’ perspectives about the implementation process of Family Systems Nursing Conversations (FSNCs) in home health care. A mixed-methods research design was used, integrating qualitative and quantitative data, and using triangulation as a methodological metaphor. The Quality Implementation Framework (QIF) was applied to guide the implementation process, and Proctor et al.’s taxonomy of implementation outcomes was used to evaluate the process. The findings demonstrated that FSN implementation was in progress. Overall, acceptability and appropriateness of FSNCs were evaluated as positive by home health nurses; however, some obstacles were found relating to feasibility, adoption, and fidelity. These results contribute to an increased understanding of the process and challenges of implementing FSNCs in home health care.

Sleeping difficulties are increasingly prevalent among adolescents and have negative consequences for their health, well-being, and education. The aim of this study was to illuminate the meanings of adolescents’ lived experiences of sleeping difficulties. The data were obtained from narrative interviews with 16 adolescents aged 14–15 in a Swedish city and were analyzed using the phenomenological hermeneutic method. The findings revealed four themes: feeling dejected when not falling asleep, experiencing the night as a struggle, searching for better sleep, and being affected the next day. The comprehensive understanding illuminates that being an adolescent with sleeping difficulties means it is challenging to go through the night and to cope the next day. It also means a feeling of being trapped by circumstances. As the adolescents’ lived experiences become apparent, the possibility for parents, school nurses, and other professional caregivers to support adolescents’ sleep increases.

Background Since a family member’s stroke affects the entire family, family systems nursing conversations (FSNCs) may be an appropriate intervention to support the family as a whole. The purpose of our study was to illuminate family members’ experiences within their family situations 6 months after participating in FSNCs when a family member under 65 years of age had suffered a stroke. Methods Fourteen semi-structured follow-up interviews were conducted with family members 6 months after they had completed a series of 3 FSNCs. The interview transcripts were subjected to qualitative content analysis. Results Family members experienced that the FSNCs had contributed to greater understanding of each other and greater closeness in the family. The FSNCs had also facilitated a mutual understanding of the family’s situation, which they could better manage and move forward with together. Conclusions FSNCs can support relational aspects and healthy transitions within families. However, long-term follow-up research is needed to generate sound evidence and inform education about FSNCs, as well as to facilitate their implementation. As a result, families may become better able to prevent the negative outcomes of illness in the family.

The purpose of this study was to illuminate pediatric nurses’ (PNs) perceptions of support for families with a child with a congenital heart defect. The study used a qualitative design with narrative interviews with eight PNs in Northern Sweden, and the interview data were analyzed with content analysis. The analysis revealed that the nurses perceive that letting the parents be involved in their child’s care is of great importance in supporting the families. Although they have a paternalistic attitude to the families, they also stated that nurses should inform the parents about the care of the child, create a good relationship with the family, and build trust among all parties involved.

Background: On the basis of parents’ growing use of the Internet as a resource for health-related information, and the total lack of scientific literature about how nurses in child healthcare exper ...

Stroke in midlife is a life altering, challenging experience for the whole family thereby necessitating a family approach to intervention. The aim of this study was to describe the experiences of 17 family members living in Sweden, including seven adult stroke patients (six males; one female) under the age of 65 who participated in a series of three nurse-led family conversations that were offered in each family’s home. These Family Health Conversations (FamHC) were guided by the conceptual lens of Family System Nursing. Individual, semi-structured, evaluative interviews conducted with each participant one month after the FamHC were analyzed by qualitative content analysis. The FamHC were described by family members as a unique conversation that they had not previously experienced in health care contexts. Family members described possibilities for relational sharing and meaningful conversations as well as changes in family functioning that support the suitability of FamHC for family stroke care.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to describe the topics relatives with a family member in a nursing home for older persons choose to talk about and focus on when participating in a nurse-led “Family Health Conversations” intervention. Family Health Conversations consisted of a series of three nurse-led conversations with each family, with a 2-week interval between meetings. Methods: The Family Health Conversations meetings were tape-recorded and analyzed using qualitative content methods. The participants were relatives of family members living in a nursing home for older persons in a municipality in Sweden. Results: The findings showed how the relatives talked about their suffering and difficulties concerning the new situation. The relatives talked about frustration and sadness together in a new way, with a focus on how to manage the future. They also wished that they had been offered an opportunity to talk about this with nurses earlier in the illness trajectory. Conclusion: The relatives had a significant need to talk about their experiences together within the family and together with the nurses. Nurses have an especially important task in supporting relatives having a family member living in a nursing home.

Aims and objectives To describe the perceptions that municipal primary healthcare nurses and municipal registered nurses had about a web‐based learning intervention concerning supportive family health conversations in municipal home health care. Background Even though family health conversations are well grounded in theory with several reported benefits for patients and families, most working nurses have little or no training in practising family systems nursing including family health conversations. Continued learning is necessary for nurses, where web‐based learning may be one answer of updating the professional skills and knowledge of nurses regarding supporting families. Design The study used a descriptive design and followed the “Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research” (COREQ) checklist. Methods Twenty‐one nurses participated in an educational intervention that consisted of web‐based learning and two face‐to‐face seminars about family systems nursing including family health conversations. The nurses were interviewed after completion, and the audio‐recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results The findings consist of nurses’ perceptions regarding the disposition of instruction, the prerequisites for learning and a changed approach when working with families. The findings are further reflected on through Illeris’ theory concerning learning triangle. Conclusions The findings are encouraging for educating nurses in family health conversations at their workplace, with the purpose of supporting patients and families. However, it is important to be aware of the different dimensions of learning, in addition to the appraisal of social aspects and organisational circumstances when educating nurses as they influence the utilisation of the knowledge. Relevance to clinical practice This web‐based learning intervention seems to be suitable for educating nurses in family health conversations and could be an appropriate step towards implementing these conversations in home health care with the purpose of supporting families.

Purpose: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a common pain syndrome that mostly affects women. Chronic pain and other symptoms often challenge work for women with FM. This study aimed to explore how women with FM ...

Family Health Conversations (FamHC) increase health and well-being, but knowledge about their cost-effectiveness, and how to best calculate this, is lacking. In this feasibility study we evaluated the cost-effectiveness of using FamHC with families in which a middle-aged family member had suffered stroke. Seven families participated in a FamHC intervention and seven families received ordinary care. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was estimated with SF-6D and EQ-5D over a six-month period. The cost-effectiveness of the intervention was calculated. Families receiving FamHC intervention had significantly increased HRQoL at follow up. Cost per quality adjusted life year differed depending on the instrument and analysis method used in the calculation. However, all calculations showed that FamHC were cost-effective. We conclude that FamHC significantly increase HRQoL and suggest that they are cost-effective. Both instruments seemed to be able to capture changes. Considering the participants’ experience of answering the two instruments, we advocate the use of EQ-5D.

The purpose of the study was to illuminate the meanings of the lived experiences of support as disclosed by fathers of children with congenital heart defect (CHD). Narrative interviews were conducted individually with five fathers of children diagnosed with CHD. A phenomenological-hermeneutic method was used to interpret the verbatim transcribed narrative interviews. The meanings of the lived experiences of support for the fathers were identified in two themes and illustrate the fathers’ feelings of being supported when being in a mutual relationship with others. A third theme illustrates the situation when support is absent. Our findings indicate that support for fathers of children with CHD might be best promoted by the philosophy of family-centered care.

The aim of this study was to illuminate which topics 2 couples, ages younger than 65 years old, where 1 partner has suffered a stroke, choose to focus on when participating in nurse-led family health conversations. Six conversations were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed by qualitative content analysis. Three categories emerged illustrating that the couples choose to talk about how they were affected on a personal and family level and, moreover, the importance of support within and outside the family. The altered way of living involved distressed feelings, gratitude, and hopes. This study highlights the importance of nurses viewing the family as a unit.

Today’s parents belong to the digital generation and regularly use the Internet as a source of information. Parents’ quests for health-related online information comprise an effort to manage symptoms of illness or address questions about child development which may be an expression of self-management or self-care. Purpose: This study aims to describe health and child development related Internet search patterns used by parents of children ages zero to six, and further, how the obtained information was used in contacts with Child Health Care. Design and Methods: A two-step mixed- method approach is used in this study, comprising both a quantitative and a qualitative approach. First, a questionnaire was distributed to parents (n = 800) at 13 health centers in a medium sized county in Sweden. Second, one narrative interview with two parents total was conducted. Descriptive and non-parametric statistics were calculated, and qualitative manifest content analyses were performed. Results: A total of 687 completed the questionnaire, which corresponds to a response rate of 86%. The results show that 97% used the Internet for health-related and developmental child issues. The results show that parents often look at basic tips and the Internet is seen as a fast and accessible forum to obtain information. Parents often initiated their Internet searches using Google search for the specific subject, but the most common and most used website (used by 95% of parents), was the Swedish health site 1177.se. 98.4% of parents evaluated the general information searches they made on the Internet as reliable despite only 31% of the parents checking to see if the websites they used were scientifically based. Parents (81.7%) stated that they wanted their Child Health Nurses (CHN) to give them recommendations for valid websites. Conclusions: The results in this study show that, on the one hand, the Internet could strengthen parental knowledge (support self-care capacity), but, on the other hand, the found information could worry them and increase their anxiety—negatively affected self-care capacity. The parents suggested that the information should be double-checked to establish trust and develop self-care knowledge. Having a good resource to rely on, such as personal contact with a CHN, or using reliable websites seems to strengthen and reassure parents.

The whole family is affected when a person suffers from stroke, but few studies have focused on families' expectations following the stroke.The aim of this study was to illuminate what persons with stroke and their family members talk about in Family Health Conversations (FamHCs) with focus on the future and how nurses leading these conversations apprehended the families' future shown in closing letters based on these conversations.In this study, seven families with a member ≤65 years who had suffered a stroke participated in FamHC in their homes after the person with stroke had been discharged from the rehabilitation clinic. The FamHC comprised a series of three conversations conducted every other week and a closing letter sent by the nurses to the family to conclude the series. In this study, the third conversations were recorded and they and the closing letters were transcribed and analysed using qualitative content analysis.The family members including the persons with stroke were found to be able to tell their stories and express their feelings, worries, losses, hopes and wishes for the future within the context of the Family Health Conversations. Support within the family was highlighted as essential to the satisfactory management of future situations.The persons with stroke and their belonging family members' vision of the future was reflected over in the light of theories about beliefs, possible selves, hope and suffering, and the findings highlight the need for broader use of family conversations to support persons with stroke and their families to manage the future.

Background: Having a family member living in a residential home affects the entire family and can be hard to handle. Family members require encouraging and open communication support from nurses during and after relocation to a residential home. A Family Systems Nursing intervention, “Family Health Conversations” (FamHC) was conducted in order to strengthen the health of families having relatives at residential home for older people. Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate the responses to the Family Health Conversations in families with a member living at a residential home for older people and to integrate the empirical results with a theoretical assumption upon which the intervention was based. Methods: A mixed methods research design was used. The Swedish Health-Related Quality of Life Survey and the Family Hardiness Index were administered before and 6 months after the intervention. Qualitative data was collected by semi-structured interviews with each family 6 months post-intervention. The sample included 10 families comprising 22 family members. Result: Main finding was that FamHCs helped family members process their feelings about having a member living at a residential home and made it easier for them to deal with their own situations. FamHCs helped to ease their consciences, improve their emotional well-being, and change their beliefs about their own insufficiency and guilt. Seeing problems from a different perspective facilitated the families’ thinking in a new way. Conclusion: These findings showed that FamHC could be an important type of intervention to improve family functioning and enhance the emotional well-being.

There is a need for a suitable instrument for the Swedish context that could measure family members’ perceptions of cognitive and emotional support received from nurses. The purpose of this study was to translate and test the psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the Iceland-Family Perceived Support Questionnaire (ICE-FPSQ) and, further, to report perceptions of support from nurses by family members of children with congenital heart defects (CHDs). A sample of 97 parents of children with CHD, living in Sweden, completed the Swedish translation of ICE-FPSQ. The Swedish version of ICE-FPSQ was found to be reliable and valid in this context. Parents scored perceived family support provided by nurses working in pediatric outpatient clinics as low, which suggests that nurses in these outpatient contexts in Sweden offered family nursing only sparingly.

Introduction : Nurses are in a prime position to manage to support families that have a family member living in a residential home for older people. Nurses’ attitudes about meeting patients’ family members vary. Studies describe that some nurses consider family members as a burden. But some nurses consider family members a resource and think it is important to establish good relationships with them. Aim : The aim of this study was to describe how registered nurses (RNs) experienced to participate in and conduct the intervention Family Health Conversations (FamHCs) with families in residential homes for older people. Methods : The intervention FamHC was accomplished at three residential homes for older people. FamHC is a family systems nursing (FSN) intervention developed to support families facing the ill health of someone in the family. One RN from each residential home conducted the conversations. The RNs wrote diary notes directly after each conversation. The RNs were also interviewed 1 month after they had each conducted four FamHCs. The diary notes and the interviews were analysed separately by qualitative content analysis, and the findings were then summarized in one theme and further discussed together. Findings : The main findings were that the RNs experience the conversations as a valuable professional tool involving the whole family. The RNs grasped that silence can be a valuable tool and had learned to attentively listen to what the families were saying without interrupting, allowing them and the families to reflect upon what the family members said. Conclusion : The findings show that the FamHC can be helpful for RNs in their work, helping them to perceive and understand the needs and desires of the families. Key words: Family nursing, family systems nursing, family health conversation, intervention, older people, relatives, residential home, support, qualitative content analysis (Published: 20 April 2016) Citation: Int J Qualitative Stud Health Well-being 2016, 11: 30867 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/qhw.v11.30867

The purpose of this study was to illuminate the meanings of significant others' lived experiences of their situation from diagnosis through and after the death of a family member as a consequence of inoperable lung cancer.The data was collected through narrative interviews from eleven significant others and interpreted using a phenomenological hermeneutic approach. KEYRESULTS: Four themes emerged: being unbalanced, being transitional, being cared for, and moving forward.The significant others' experiences can be viewed as a transition process, beginning with a sense of dislocation in life and continuing through struggling, enduring and conquering the consequences of the altered life situation until finally approaching a point characterized by a sense of stability. Different strategies of adjustment and adaptation to the new living conditions are considered. Furthermore, the results indicate the need to develop a framework for family-centered health care in order to enhance the wellbeing for the significant others both in the anticipatory grief phase and during the bereavement phase.

Stroke consequences present a great long-term challenge to the spouses of the stroke sufferer. A longitudinal study with a phenomenological hermeneutic approach was used to illuminate the meanings of middle-aged female spouses' lived experience of their relationship with a partner who has suffered a stroke, during the first year postdischarge. Four middle-aged female spouses of stroke sufferers participated in the study. Narrative interviews were conducted 1, 6 and 12 month postdischarge (total of 12 interviews), audio-taped and transcribed verbatim to a text and interpreted by a phenomenological hermeneutic method inspired by Ricoeur. The findings showed a process over time during which spouses come to know, recognize and acknowledge the residual changes in their partners' cognitive and emotional conditions and the impact on their relationship. Spouses showed grief due to the loss of the marital relationship they once had and anxiety that they would not be able to continue in an undesired relationship in the future. Even if the partner is still alive, there is a loss to grieve and to be understood, an important meaning of the transition process in the relationship during the first year after the partner's discharge.

Aim. This paper is a report of a study of patterns of perceptions of conscience, stress of conscience and burnout in relation to occupational belonging among Registered Nurses and nursing assistant ...

Being a close relative brings with it a large number of consequences, with the life situation changing over time. The aim of this study was to illuminate the experiences of being a middle-aged close relative of a person who has suffered a stroke 6 months after being discharged from a medical rehabilitation clinic. Narrative interviews were conducted with nine middle-aged close relatives and analysed using a content analysis with a latent approach. The analysis revealed that being close to someone who had suffered a stroke 6 months after discharge meant; a struggling for control and a renewal of family life in the shadow of suffering and hope. The middle-aged close relatives began to perceive the changed reality. They were struggling to take on something new, become reconciled and find a balance in their family life. Their ability to work, relief from caring concerns and having support and togetherness with others seemed to be essential for the close relatives in their efforts to manage their life situation and maintain their well-being. Having reached the 'halfway point' in their lives and still with half of their life in front of them created worries. They felt dejected about their changed relationships and roles, experience a sense of loss of shared child responsibilities, a negative impact on their marital relationships and sexual satisfaction. They felt trapped in a caring role and they worried about how to endure in the future. The middle-aged close relatives' experiences were of being alone and neglected, in an arduous and complex life situation filled with loss and grief. The findings highlights that health professionals need to see and listen to the close relatives' experiences of transition in order to provide appropriate support adjusted to their varying needs during a time of renewal.

In elderly care registered nurses (RNs) and nurse assistants (NAs) face ethical challenges which may trouble their conscience.This study aimed to illuminate meanings of RNs' and NAs' lived experience of troubled conscience in their work in municipal residential elderly care.Interviews with six RNs and six NAs were interpreted separately using a phenomenological hermeneutic method.Data was collected in 2005 among RNs and NAs working in special types of housings for the elderly in a municipality in Sweden.The RNs and NAs were selected for participation had previously participated in a questionnaire study and their ratings in the questionnaire study constituted the selection criteria for the interview study.The RNs' lived experience of troubled conscience was formulated in two themes. The first theme is 'being trapped in powerlessness' which includes three sub-themes: being restrained by others' omission, being trapped in ethically demanding situations and failing to live up to others' expectations. The second theme is 'being inadequate' which includes two sub-themes: lacking courage to maintain one's opinion and feeling incompetent. The NAs' lived experience of troubled conscience was formulated in the two themes. The first is 'being hindered by pre-determined conditions' which includes two sub-themes: suffering from lack of focus in one's work and being restrained by the organisation. The second theme is 'being inadequate' which includes two sub-themes: lacking the courage to object and being negligent.The RNs' lived experience of troubled conscience were feelings of being trapped in a state of powerlessness, caught in a struggle between responsibility and authority and a sense of inadequacy fuelled by feelings of incompetence, a lack of courage and a fear of revealing themselves and endangering residents' well-being. The NAs' lived experience of troubled conscience was feelings of being hindered by pre-determined conditions, facing a fragmented work situation hovering between norms and rules and convictions of their conscience. To not endangering the atmosphere in the work-team they are submissive to the norms of their co-workers. They felt inadequate as they should be model care providers. The findings were interpreted in the light of Fromm's authoritarian and humanistic conscience.

Background: Heart failure is a clinical syndrome where the heart is no longer able to maintain adequate blood circulation to the tissue. Many suffer from symptoms difficult to handle such as dyspno ...

Background: It has been proposed that support for families in which a family member has suffered a stroke should involve the whole family system. Aim: The aim was to evaluate the responses of Family Health Conversation (FamHC) in families with a member under the age of 65 who has been diagnosed with stroke. Methods: In this mixed methods research study, families were included in an intervention group and in a control group. For both groups pre- and post-intervention quantitative data was collected and for the intervention group, qualitative data was collected post-intervention. Underlying theoretical propositions and the two data sets were then integrated. Results: Family health measured as “the general atmosphere of the interaction of the family” had improved in the intervention group when compared to the control group. The intervention families, moreover, described how they had become more cooperative, their communication had improved, they had become more confident with their situation and also when planning for the future when comparing to before the FamHC. Conclusions: Based on the empirical results supporting the theoretical proposition underlying FamHC, we conclude that it works as intended, and the evidence for the theoretical proposition is thereby strengthened. This paper contributes to the scientific evidence concerning FamHC. With the available evidence, RNs are suggested to consider changing practice so as to work in a more family-centred way to support families living with ill-health. Implementing FamHC can be one way of undertaking such supportive work.

Having a sick family member living at a residential home for older people can be difficult for families, who as a result often suffer from feelings of forsakenness and powerlessness. In response, the purpose of this study was to illuminate family members' experiences with participating in Family Health Conversations at residential homes for older persons 6 months after concluding the conversation series. Twenty-two family members who participated in the conversations later took part in group interviews, the texts of which were analyzed according to qualitative content analysis. Findings showed that participating in Family Health Conversations mediated consolation, since within such a liberating communicative interaction, family members for the first time felt visible as persons with individual significance. Family members reported a positive experience involving both being open to each other and speaking and listening to each other in a new, structured way. As a result, families were able to discover their family members' problems and suffering, as well as to identify their family's resources and strengths.

Five care providers particularly successful at communicating with patients with communication difficulties were video-recorded together with three patients with aphasia after stroke, during morning care activities. The care providers were then interviewed immediately after the video-recordings, about their experiences of communicating with such patients. The interviews with the care providers were interpreted by means of a phenomenological hermeneutic method. Co-creating was the main theme found. Care providers invite the patient to participate in the creative act of communication. They have a communicative attitude and show interest in the patients' personal desires. The care providers encounter the patient as a presence in a caring communion. In part, care providers communicate by continuously conveying their presence to the patient and even creating availability in a close and open intersubjective relationship. A relaxed and supportive atmosphere facilitates reciprocity between care provider and patient. The communication is not technical or strategic; instead care providers share the patients' experiences in a silent dialogue. This silent dialogue involves sharing the patients' feelings and thus receiving messages from the patient.

The aim of this study was to highlight family members’ experiences of participating in Family Health Conversation (FamHC), based on families in which a family member was living in a residential home for older people. A total of 10 families and 22 family members participated in evaluating family interviews 1 month after participating in FamHC. The interviews were analyzed by qualitative content analysis. The main finding was being a part of FamHC increased family members’ insights, understanding, and communication within the family. Getting confirmation from nurses was essential to cope with the new life situation, which also meant that they felt comfortable to partly hand over the responsibility for the older person who moved to the residential home. By being open and expressing their feelings, a bad conscience could be relieved. These findings showed that FamHC could be helpful for family members in adapting to this novel situation.

Understanding between care providers and patients with stroke and aphasia: a phenomenological hermeneutic inquiry The present study illuminates the understanding in communication between formal care providers and patients with stroke and aphasia. Five care providers and three such patients participated in the study. Video recordings were made during conversations about pictures (n = 15), and the care providers were also interviewed (n = 15) after the video-recorded conversations. A phenomenological hermeneutic method of interpretation of the interview text was used. The findings showed that a range of conditions for 'understanding and being understood' in the communication on the part of the care providers exists. These different conditions are: lacking both knowledge and understanding; having knowledge but not necessarily accompanied by understanding; and being in understanding. Within the condition 'being in understanding', the care providers create a feeling of at-homeness in a relaxed atmosphere and thus have the opportunity to be in 'understanding and being understood' together with the patient. The condition 'being in understanding' appears in connection with the care providers' creating of a 'calm liturgy of caring' by mediating humility and calm vitality affects to the patients, and further, when needed, being present on the level of mystery, i.e. caring communion.

To illuminate patients' experiences of suffering from care, ten former patients in somatic wards narrated a desirable care episode (n = 39) and an undesirable care episode (n = 51). The interviews were analysed using a phenomenological hermeneutic method inspired by Ricoeur's philosophy. Four themes were found: having a good rest, suffering through, searching for autonomy and being cared for by attentive and committed staff. The findings were interpreted in light of Eriksson's description of suffering, which describes three kinds of suffering: 'suffering of life', 'suffering of illness' and 'suffering of caring'. Although not mentioned explicitly, it was evident that cases of suffering from care were indicated in the patients' narratives. The themes were related to the patients' states of health, their experience of the care situation and their descriptions of themselves, and could be understood as related to the acts of the 'drama of suffering' described by Eriksson. The study highlights the need for the patient to find a co-actor in the drama of suffering in order to prevent suffering from care, i.e. prevent hindrance to the patient in her/his struggle against the 'suffering of illness' and the 'suffering of life'. The patients must be seen as the directors of their own dramas of suffering.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to illuminate the meanings of support as disclosed by mothers of children with congenital heart defects (CHD). DESIGN AND METHOD: Narrative interviews were conducted with 10 mothers of children with CHD. A phenomenological-hermeneutic method was used for interpretation of the transcribed interviews. RESULTS: The comprehensive understanding of mothers' lived experiences of support emerged as the experiences of receiving good support, receiving "poor support," and absence of support. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Mothers receiving person-centered and family-centered care feel more supported and are more likely to adapt to the stresses of parenting a child with CHD.

The aim of this study was to illuminate the meanings of district nurses' lived experiences of meeting significant others in the home when giving advanced home care to patients.The data was collected through 10 audio-taped narrative focus-group interviews with 36 district nurses and interpreted using a phenomenological hermeneutic approach.Three themes emerged. The first theme, Feeling close, consists of three subthemes: Being available, Sharing understanding and Being aware. The second theme, Mediating strength, contains the subthemes Being a resource and Sharing trust. Being emotionally influenced is the third theme and involves the subthemes Experiencing emotional distress and Experiencing emotional gratitude.Meeting significant others as a district nurse in advanced home care means creating and maintaining a trustful relationship with significant others, both on a personal and family level, aiming to illuminate and respond to their needs and desires. The district nurses strive to reach a mutual understanding and co-operate to mediate support. Being a district nurse in advanced home care is both emotionally demanding and emotionally rewarding.

A family systems nursing intervention, Family Health Conversation, has been developed in Sweden by adapting the Calgary Family Assessment and Intervention Models and the Illness Beliefs Model. The intervention has several theoretical assumptions, and one way translate the theory into practice is to identify core components. This may produce higher levels of fidelity to the intervention. Besides information about how to implement an intervention in accordance to how it was developed, evaluating whether it was actually implemented as intended is important. Accordingly, we describe the nurses' fidelity to the identified core components of Family Health Conversation.Six nurses, working in alternating pairs, conducted Family Health Conversations with seven families in which a family member younger than 65 had suffered a stroke. The intervention contained a series of three-1-hour conversations held at 2-3 week intervals. The nurses followed a conversation structure based on 12 core components identified from theoretical assumptions. The transcripts of the 21 conversations were analysed using manifest qualitative content analysis with a deductive approach.The 'core components' seemed to be useful even if nurses' fidelity varied among the core components. Some components were followed relatively well, but others were not. This indicates that the process for achieving fidelity to the intervention can be improved, and that it is necessary for nurses to continually learn theory and to practise family systems nursing. We suggest this can be accomplished through reflections, role play and training on the core components. Furthermore, as in this study, joint reflections on how the core components have been implemented can lead to deeper understanding and knowledge of how Family Health Conversation can be delivered as intended.

Priorities and allocation are complex tasks in health care. Unspoken and also often unconscious priorities frequently occur. Research concerning how registered nurses (RN) priorities are limited. The aim of this study was to illuminate the meanings of RNs’ lived experiences of priorities in surgery care. Narrative interviews were conducted with 10 RNs working in a department of surgery. The RNs interviewed had all worked for more than 5 years as RNs. A phenomenological-hermeneutic interpretation of the interviews was conducted. The findings revealed 3 themes: making a conscious allocation and priorities of care, doing unreflected good, and being qualified to determine. The RNs did not often comprehend their actions as prioritizing. They more often comprehended their nursing tasks as obvious and did not consider this as priorities. But in situations of ethical difficulty, the RNs reflected upon their priority and actions.

Stroke consequences present a great long-term challenge to the spouses of the stroke sufferer. A longitudinal study with a phenomenological hermeneutic approach was used to illuminate the meanings of middle-aged female spouses' lived experience of their relationship with a partner who has suffered a stroke, during the first year postdischarge. Four middle-aged female spouses of stroke sufferers participated in the study. Narrative interviews were conducted 1, 6 and 12 month postdischarge (total of 12 interviews), audio-taped and transcribed verbatim to a text and interpreted by a phenomenological hermeneutic method inspired by Ricoeur. The findings showed a process over time during which spouses come to know, recognize and acknowledge the residual changes in their partners' cognitive and emotional conditions and the impact on their relationship. Spouses showed grief due to the loss of the marital relationship they once had and anxiety that they would not be able to continue in an undesired relationship in the future. Even if the partner is still alive, there is a loss to grieve and to be understood, an important meaning of the transition process in the relationship during the first year after the partner's discharge.

The purpose of this study was to illuminate the meanings of the lived experience of support for parents of adolescents with heart defects. Narrative interviews were conducted with four mothers and two fathers of adolescents with heart defects. Interviews were interpreted using a phenomenological–hermeneutic method. The interpretation revealed that parents, themselves, attempt to be very supportive. They support their adolescent children, the rest of their families, the staffs of their children's schools, and others around their children. The sense of gratification and contentment that parents receive from fulfilling supportive functions is, in turn, influenced by the support that they, themselves, receive from care providers.

Heart failure is a chronic syndrome that has physiological, psychological and social effects. The aim of the study was to illuminate the meanings of support as experienced by elderly women with chronic heart failure. Narrative interviews were conducted with five elderly women with chronic heart failure. A phenomenological hermeneutic method of interpretation was used. The meanings of support were experienced by the women out of two perspectives, that is, when support is present and when there is a lack of support. The findings were revealed in two themes: ‘‘Feeling confident means support’’ and ‘‘Feeling abandoned’’. The women do not wish to be a burden. They want to be independent as much as possible to defend their dignity. An important support to the women is that they are understood and confirmed in their illness. Supportive relations are most valuable, that is, a relationship that supports the women’s independence. If there is no supportive relationship, they feel like a burden to others and they feel lonely; this loneliness creates suffering and counteracts wellbeing and health.Key words: Support, heart failure, elderly women, life experiences, phenomenological hermeneutic(Published: 4 March 2010)Citation: Int J Qualitative Stud Health Well-being 2010, 5: 5064 - DOI: 10.3402/qhw.v5i2.5064

Living in close emotional and physical proximity to a person who has suffered a stroke may alter almost every aspect of daily living and will inevitably impact family life. Age seems to be a factor in the experiences of stroke sufferers' close relatives after the stroke.This study aimed to illuminate the experience of being a middle-aged close relative of a person who has suffered a stroke; 1 year after the stroke sufferer's discharge from a rehabilitation clinic.Nine middle-aged close relatives of persons with a confirmed diagnosis of a first-time stroke were consecutively included in the study and interviewed.The narrative interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a thematic content analysis. The study was part of a longitudinal study.Four themes emerged from the data, intertwined and in conflict with one another. A turning point was reached, and the inevitability of an altered future became self-evident, so much so that the middle-aged close relatives felt forced to accept and become reconciled to a changed way of living, even if feelings of grief from loss were still present. The middle-aged close relatives' process of coming to awareness and recognition of their own needs was part of a complex interplay of emotions, in which they learned to leave feelings of shame and guilt behind. They experienced movement from self-denial to self-recognition in their search for their own well-being and the recovery of their strength for a functioning family life. Even if they experienced a greater sense of freedom, they still face living life within limits. A significant challenge appears to be the effects of the personality changes among the person with a stroke, and the resulting sense of being an outsider. Relatives struggled with health care providers for visibility and confirmation. Their experiences were ones of standing alone, outside a closing door to the rehabilitation. Their ability to work, the benefits of functioning home care, and support from their family helped them through these challenges.This study highlights the middle-aged relatives' realization that they will live an inevitability altered future. Individually, the stroke sufferer's relatives need support in their relationships within the family for emotional confirmation and to help them recognize and verbalize their needs without feeling guilt; gaining these supportive factors may help the relatives to recover their sense of well-being and give strength for a future, properly functioning family life.

Little is known about how significant others experience their own situation when a family member becomes seriously ill. To illuminate the meanings of significant others' experiences of their situation after a family member had been diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer, we analyzed narratives from 12 significant others, using a phenomenological hermeneutic approach. Findings revealed 4 themes: feeling dislocated in life, being in an altered relationship, being in a struggle, and feeling secure. When reflecting on these findings, we considered the transition theories and works of Ricoeur and Lögstrup. The significant others' experiences indicated a transition process because of the changes brought about by the diagnosis of lung cancer and a struggle to endure and overcome difficulties and distress on the way to regaining a smooth functioning life. Furthermore, the diagnosis of lung cancer had altered the relationship toward the next of kin and meant not only feelings of increased closeness but also loss of intimacy and reciprocity. The significant others suffered in this process of transition, and healthcare professionals, who recognize the World Health Organization's definition of palliative care, may consider the findings of this study useful when reflecting on their care of families.

The aim was to study the relationship between conscience and burnout among care-providers in older care, exploring the relationship between stress of conscience and burnout, and between perceptions of conscience and burnout.Everyday work in healthcare presents situations that influence care-providers' conscience. How care-providers perceive conscience has been shown to be related to stress of conscience (stress related to troubled conscience), and in county council care, an association between stress of conscience and burnout has been found.A questionnaire study was conducted in municipal housing for older people. A total of 166 care-providers were approached, of which 146 (50 registered nurses and 96 nurses' aides/enrolled nurses) completed a questionnaire folder containing the stress of conscience questionnaire, the perceptions of conscience questionnaire and the maslach burnout inventory. Multivariate canonical correlation analysis was used to explore relationships.The relationship between stress of conscience and burnout indicates that experiences of shortcomings and of being exposed to contradictory demands are strongly related to burnout (primarily to emotional exhaustion). The relationship between perceptions of conscience and burnout indicates that a deadened conscience is strongly related to burnout.Conscience seems to be of importance in relation to burnout, and suppressing conscience may result in a profound loss of wholeness, integrity and harmony in the self.The results from our study could be used to raise awareness of the importance of conscience in care.

With the aim to evaluate the Swedish version of the Caregiver Reaction Assessment Scale (CRA), informal caregivers (n = 209) to individuals with a malignant disease, dementia or a physical impairment were recruited. The CRA was developed in the USA and is a self-rating questionnaire consisting of five subscales, measuring family members' reactions to the experience of caring for a relative with mental or physical illnesses. Data were analysed using psychometric and qualitative methods. Findings indicated good internal consistency, and a factor analysis confirmed the structure with five subscales; however, an overlap of items between the subscales was found. A content analysis of respondents' comments indicated that there were problems due to presuppositions inherent in the questions and with the meaning of words. Problems regarding inclusion/exclusion aspects in some concepts were also found. Two aspects of caregiver reactions were found to be missing or only partly covered: worrying and positive experiences. Results from this study suggest that the Swedish version is useful for assessment of caregiver reactions but needs further refinement.

The sudden and unexpected impact of stroke may have a stressful affect on close relatives. To illuminate the essential meaning in the lived experience of a middle-aged close relative of a person who has suffered a stroke, narrative interviews were conducted with 10 close relatives of people who had suffered their first stroke where both parties were aged over 18 and under 65. A phenomenological-hermeneutic interpretation of the narratives was then conducted. Three intimately intertwined themes emerged during the analysis: 'being called to mission', 'feeling lost and set adrift' and 'struggling to keep going'. The middle-aged close relatives felt unreflectively duty bound. There was a struggle with suffering and enduring the process of coping with life and overcoming a feeling of helplessness. Life turned out to be a struggle with overwhelming feelings. They felt alienated in a restricted life situation, disconnected from themselves and others, and from a world that supports feelings of being lost and set adrift (i.e. feeling homeless). Strength was found in moments when the situation improved, in being related to oneself and others, and when feelings of normality were regained.

To illuminate the phenomena of 'communicating with people with stroke and aphasia without words', 10 care providers particularly successful at communicating with stroke and aphasia patients who were working at a stroke rehabilitation ward narrated their experiences of communicating with such patients. A phenomenological hermeneutic approach, inspired by Ricoeur's philosophy, was used in the analysis. Two main themes were found: facilitating openness and being in wordless communication. The care providers sensed the feelings of the patients and experienced similar feelings themselves, thus, the communication is guided by the shared feelings between the care provider and the patient, i.e. communion. For this 'communication through sensation' to take place, the following factors were found to be necessary: creative closeness in combination with protective distance; striving for satisfaction and against exhaustion and desperation; meeting the patient halfway to gain understanding; exhibiting attention and accessibility to the patient; and trust and confidence for both care providers and patients. The findings were interpreted and discussed in the light of works by Levinas, Logstrup and Stern.