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- Brännström, Margareta, et al.
(författare)
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A new model for integrated heart failure and palliative advanced homecare : rationale and design of a prospective randomized study
- 2013
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Ingår i: European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. - : Sage Publications. - 1474-5151 .- 1873-1953. ; 12:3, s. 269-275
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Guidelines have concluded that there is a great need for new models of integrated care, e.g. heart failure and palliative care, in order to facilitate equality of care for dying patients, regardless of diagnosis. We found no evidence in the literature concerning the advantages and effects of integrated heart failure and palliative advanced home care for patients with severe chronic heart failure.Aim: The primary aim is to study the effects of integrated Palliative advanced homecarRE and heart FailurE caRE (PREFER) on patients' symptom burden, quality of life, and activities of daily living (ADL) as compared to usual care.Method: Prospective, randomized study with an open-evaluation PROBE design. Optimally treated outpatients with chronic heart failure of varying aetiologies in New York Heart Association classes III-IV will be eligible to participate.Conclusion: The PREFER study is designed to investigate whether a new concept of managing patients with severe chronic heart failure by integrating palliative homecare and active heart failure treatment will reduce symptom burden, increase quality of life and ADL, and reduce the number of hospitalizations in patients with severe chronic heart failure.
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- Brännström, Margareta, et al.
(författare)
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Being a palliative nurse for persons with severe congestive heart failure in advanced homecare.
- 2005
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Ingår i: European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1474-5151 .- 1873-1953. ; 4:4, s. 314-323
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Advanced homecare for persons with congestive heart failure is a ‘new’ challenge for palliative nurses. The aim of this study is to illuminate the meaning of being a palliative nurse for persons with severe congestive heart failure in advanced homecare. Narrative interviews with 11 nurses were conducted, tape-recorded, and transcribed verbatim. A phenomenological-hermeneutic method was used to interpret the text. One meaning of being a palliative nurse is being firmly rooted and guided by the values of palliative culture. Being adaptable to the patient's way of life carries great weight. On one hand nurses live out this value, facilitating for the patients to live their everydaylife as good as possible. Being a facilitator is revealed as difficult, challenging, but overall positive. On the other hand nurses get into a tight corner when values of palliative culture clash and do not correspond with the nurses interpretation of what is good for the person with congestive heart failure. Being in such a tight corner is revealed as frustrating and giving rise to feelings of inadequacy. Thus, it seems important to reflect critical on the values of palliative culture.
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- Brännström, Margareta, et al.
(författare)
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Living with severe chronic heart failure in palliative advanced home care.
- 2006
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Ingår i: European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1474-5151 .- 1873-1953. ; 5:4, s. 295-302
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Living with severe chronic heart failure (CHF) in palliative care has been little studied. AIM: The aim of this study is to illuminate meaning of living with severe CHF in palliative advanced home care through patients' narratives. METHODS: Narrative interviews were conducted with 4 patients, tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim. A phenomenological-hermeneutic method was used to interpret the text. RESULTS: Meaning of living with severe CHF in palliative advanced home care emerged as 'knocking on death's door' although surviving. The course of the illness forces one to live a 'roller coaster life,' with an ongoing oscillation between ups and downs. Making it through the downs breeds a kind of confidence in one's ability to survive and the will to live is strong. Being offered a safety belt in the 'roller coaster' by the palliative advanced home care team evokes feelings of security. CONCLUSIONS: Meaning of living with severe CHF in palliative advanced home care is on one hand, being aware of one's imminent death, on the other hand, making it through the downs i.e. surviving life-threatening conditions, breed confidence in also surviving the current down. Being constructively dependent on palliative advanced home care facilitates everyday life at home.
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- Brännström, Margareta, et al.
(författare)
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Meeting in a 'free-zone' : Clinical ethical support in integrated heart-failure and palliative care
- 2019
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Ingår i: European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. - : Sage Publications. - 1474-5151 .- 1873-1953. ; 18:7, s. 577-583
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Integrating heart-failure and palliative care combines expertise from two cultures, life-saving cardiology and palliative care, and involves ethically difficult situations that have to be considered from various perspectives. We found no studies describing experiences of clinical ethical support (CES) in integrated cardiology and palliative care teams.Objective: Our aim is to describe experiences of CES among professionals after a period of three years working in a multidisciplinary team in integrated heart-failure and palliative homecare.Method: The study design was descriptive qualitative, comprising interviews with seven professionals from one integrated heart-failure and palliative care team who received CES over a three-year period. The interview data were subjected to qualitative content analysis.Results: The CES was found to offer possibilities for meeting in an ethical ‘free-zone’ where the participants could relate to each other beyond their various professional roles and specialties. The trust within the team seemed to increase and the participants were confident enough to express their points of view. Together they developed an integrated understanding, and acquired more knowledge and a comprehensive view of the ethically difficult situation of concern. The CES sessions were considered a means of becoming better prepared to deal with ethical care issues and developing action strategies to apply in practice, from shared standpoints.Conclusion: Participating in CES was experienced as meeting in an ethical ‘free-zone’ and seemed to be a means of facilitating integration of palliative and heart-failure care.
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- Brännström, Margareta, et al.
(författare)
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Physicians' experiences of palliative care for heart failure patients
- 2011
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Ingår i: European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1474-5151 .- 1873-1953. ; 10:1, s. 64-69
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Although heart disease is the single most common cause of death knowledge about palliative care for this group of patients is deficient.AIM: The aim of this study was to describe physicians' experiences of palliative care for heart failure patients.METHODS: Fifteen physicians at a medical geriatrics clinic were interviewed. The interviews were analysed using thematic content analysis.RESULTS: The results show that the physicians are confronted with patients with an unpredictable disease trajectory, including patients with severe symptoms, uncertainty about anticipating the course of dying and encountering close relative's anxiety and frustration. The physicians face difficult situations regarding whether to continue or withdraw care and medical treatment which means deciding concerning 'active' medical treatment, cardio pulmonary resuscitation and an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). The physicians acknowledge the necessity for better structured follow-ups and cooperation with outpatient settings. They recognize that there is a lack of follow-ups and continuity of care and treatment at the hospital, involving their passing on or retaining responsibility for the patients' medical care.CONCLUSION: From the physicians' view clarification of who is principally responsible for the patient's medical care, being involved throughout the disease trajectory and cooperating more closely with palliative care services are necessary to further improve the way in which care is delivered to patients dying of heart failure.
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- Brännström, Margareta, et al.
(författare)
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Unequal care for dying patients in Sweden : a comparative registry study of deaths from heart disease and cancer
- 2012
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Ingår i: European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. - : Elsevier. - 1474-5151 .- 1873-1953. ; 11:4, s. 454-459
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The Swedish Palliative Registry is a nationwide quality registry aimed at facilitating improvement in end-of-life care. The goal is for the registry to list and report quality indicators related to care during the last week of life in all cases expected death in Sweden.AIM: To examine the quality of care during the last week of life as reported to the registry for patients with heart disease compared to those with cancer.METHOD: A retrospective registry study.RESULTS: Patients dying of heart disease compared to those dying from cancer had more shortness of breath, fewer drugs prescribed as needed against the usual symptoms and often died alone. Furthermore, they and their close relatives received less information about the imminence of death and bereavement follow-up was less common. The healthcare personnel were less aware of the heart disease patients' symptoms and less often knew about where they wished to die.CONCLUSION: Great differences were found in registered end-of-life care suggesting that the care given to patients with heart disease and cancer was unequal even after adjustment for age, sex and setting at the time of death. If our observational findings are confirmed in future studies there is obviously a need for new models for end-of-life management in order to facilitate the provision of equal care to dying patients regardless of diagnosis.
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| 9. |
- Ericsson, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Interaction between tele-nurses and callers with an evolving myocardial infarction : consequences for level of directed care
- 2019
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Ingår i: European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. - : Sage Publications. - 1474-5151 .- 1873-1953. ; 18:7, s. 545-553
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Rapid contact with emergency medical services is imperative to save the lives of acute myocardial infarction patients. However, many patients turn to a telehealth advisory nurse instead, where the delivery of urgent and safe care largely depends on how the interaction in the call is established.Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the interaction between tele-nurses and callers with an evolving myocardial infarction after contacting a national telehealth advisory service number as their first medical contact.Method: Twenty men and 10 women (aged 46–89 years) were included. Authentic calls were analysed using inductive content analysis.Findings: One overall category, Movement towards directed level of care, labelled the whole interaction between the tele-nurse and the caller. Four categories conceptualised the different interactions: a distinct, reasoning, indecisive or irrational interaction. The interactions described how tele-nurses and callers assessed and elaborated on symptoms, context and actions. The interaction was pivotal for progress in the dialogue and affected the achievement of mutual understanding in the communicative process. An indecisive or irrational interaction could increase the risk of failing to recommend or call for acute care.Conclusion: The interaction in the communication could either lead or mislead the level of care directed in the call. This study adds new perspectives to the communicative process in the acute setting in order to identify a myocardial infarction and the level of urgency from both individuals experiencing myocardial infarction and professionals in the health system.
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| 10. |
- Kristofferzon, Marja-Leena, 1950-, et al.
(författare)
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Evaluation of a Swedish version of the Watts Sexual Function Questionnaire (WSFQ) in persons with heart disease: A pilot study
- 2010
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Ingår i: European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. - Amsterdam : Elsevier. - 1474-5151 .- 1873-1953. ; 9:3, s. 168-174
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: As part of preparation for a Swedish multicentre study, exploring sexual and married life in patients with myocardial infarction and their partners, a Swedish validated instrument was required. Aims:The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of a Swedish version of the Watts Sexual Function Questionnaire (WSFQ) among persons with a heart disease.Methods:A convenience sample of 79 persons (47 men and 32 women) living with a heart disease was recruited from the members of the National Association of Heart and Lung Patients. They completed a Swedish version of the WSFQ on two occasions. Results:Two separate factor analyses each revealed a two-factor structure on both occasions: “Sexual appetite” and “Sexual expectations ”with gender-neutral questions and “Sexual sensitiveness” and “Sexual ability” with gender-specific questions. Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranged from 0.48 to 0.86 and test – retest values for all but one question exceeded 0.70.Conclusions:The Swedish version of the WSFQ showed good validity and stability and acceptable internal homogeneity. Extended evaluations of the questionnaire are recommended.
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