| 1. |
- Dahlqvist, Vera, et al.
(author)
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Dealing with stress : Patterns of self-comfort among healthcare students
- 2008
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In: Nurse Education Today. - : Elsevier BV. - 0260-6917 .- 1532-2793. ; 28:4, s. 476-584
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Stress among healthcare students is a growing problem. As self-comfort is assumed to be a way of coping with stressful emotions, the aim of this study was to describe the patterns of self-comforting actions that healthcare students usually use in distress. One hundred and sixty-eight healthcare students volunteered to write down accounts of what they do when they comfort themselves. Their accounts were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The findings reveal two themes: Ingressing and Transcending. Ingressing comprises the sub-themes Unloading, Distracting, Nurturing oneself, Withdrawing and Reassuring. Transcending comprises the sub-themes Opening up and Finding new perspectives. These findings are in line with some stress-reducing strategies described in the literature on stress management. Winnicott’s theory about the phenomenon of transition is used to interpret the findings. In the light of Winnicott’s theory, self-comforting measures can be comprehended as the ability to transfer early childhood experiences of being nurtured and comforted into well-adapted strategies to effect relaxation and gain strength.
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| 2. |
- Dahlqvist, Vera, et al.
(author)
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Development of the perceptions of conscience questionnaire.
- 2007
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In: Nursing Ethics. - : SAGE Publications. - 0969-7330 .- 1477-0989. ; 14:2, s. 181-193
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Health care often involves ethically difficult situations that may disquiet the conscience. The purpose of this study was to develop a questionnaire for identifying various perceptions of conscience within a framework based on the literature and on explorative interviews about perceptions of conscience (Perceptions of Conscience Questionnaire). The questionnaire was tested on a sample of 444 registered nurses, enrolled nurses, nurses' assistants and physicians. The data were analysed using principal component analysis to explore possible dimensions of perceptions of conscience. The results showed six dimensions, found also in theory and empirical health care studies. Conscience was perceived as authority, a warning signal, demanding sensitivity, an asset, a burden and depending on culture. We conclude that the Perceptions of Conscience Questionnaire is valid for assessing some perceptions of conscience relevant to health care providers.
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| 3. |
- Dahlqvist, Vera, et al.
(author)
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Facing inadequacy and being good enough : psychiatric care providers' narratives about experiencing and coping with troubled conscience.
- 2009
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In: Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. - : Wiley. - 1351-0126 .- 1365-2850. ; 16:3, s. 242-7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of this study is to illuminate the meaning of encounters with a troubled conscience among psychiatric therapists. Psychiatric care involves ethical dilemmas which may affect conscience. Conscience relates to keeping or losing a sense of personal integrity when making judgments about one's actions. Ten psychiatric therapists were interviewed in June 2006. The interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim and interpreted using a phenomenological-hermeneutic method. Two themes 'Facing inadequacy' and 'Struggling to view oneself as being 'good enough'' are presented. In the therapists interviewed, awareness of their use of power, a sense of powerlessness and a sense of blame gave rise to feelings of betrayals and shameful inadequacy. By sharing their inadequacy with co-workers, they managed to endure the sense of their inadequacy which otherwise would have threatened to paralyse them. Finding consolation in sharing wearing feelings, becoming realistic and attesting their worthiness, they reached reconciliation and found confirmation of being good enough. The findings are interpreted in light of Lögstrup's ethics of trust, according to which conscience alerts us to silent but radical ethical demand and the risk of self-deception.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Dahlqvist, Vera, 1954-
(author)
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Samvete i vården : att möta det moraliska ansvarets röster
- 2008
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The overall aim of this thesis is twofold: first, to develop and validate questionnaires that could be used for investigating relationships between perceptions of conscience, moral sensitivity and burnout and second, to describe patterns of self-comfort used to ease stress and illuminate meanings of living with a troubled conscience. The thesis comprises five studies and is based on both quantitative and qualitative data.In study I, a questionnaire was constructed to assess perceptions of conscience; the Perceptions of Conscience Questionnaire (PCQ). This 15 item-questionnaire was distributed to 444 care providers. Statistical analyses of responses showed sufficient distribution and a stable six factor solution congruent with reviewed literature. The six factors were labelled: ‘the voice of authority’, ‘warning signal’, ‘demanding sensitivity’, ‘asset’, ‘burden’ and ‘depending on culture’. The findings suggest that the PCQ is a valid questionnaire. The aim of study II was further development of an existing questionnaire assessing care providers’ moral sensitivity, enabling its use in various care contexts. The revised nine-item questionnaire, the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire Revised version (MSQ-R), was distributed to 278 care providers with various professional backgrounds. Statistical analyses of responses showed sufficient distribution and a three-factor solution congruent with reviewed literature. The three factors were labelled: ‘sense of moral burden’, ‘sense of moral strength,’ and ‘sense of moral responsibility.’ The findings suggest that MSQ-R is valid for use in various healthcare contexts. In study III, the PCQ, the MSQ-R and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) were distributed to a population of psychiatric care providers (n=101) to investigate relationships between perceptions of conscience and moral sensitivity and levels of burnout. The hierarchical cluster analysis shows two clusters with Pearson’s r >.50. Cluster A comprising items such as: being sensitive, interpreting and following the voice of conscience that warns us against hurting other or ourselves and developing as human beings was labelled ‘experiencing a sense of moral integrity’. Cluster B comprising items such as: feeling inadequate, doing more than one has strengths for, feeling always responsible, having difficulties to deal with wearing feelings, perceiving that conscience gives wrong signals and express social values, having to deaden one’ conscience, were all related to scores of the MBI subscales emotional exhaustion (EE) and depersonalisation (DP). Cluster B was labelled ‘experiencing a burdening accountability’. The results show that levels of ‘experiencing a burdening accountability’ are closely related to levels of being at risk of burnout.The aim of study IV was to describe patterns of self-comforting measures used to ease stress. The written accounts of 168 care providers and healthcare students were analysed by means of qualitative content analysis. The findings disclose two dimensions: an ability to use early learned measures to take care of oneself (ingression) and an ability to feel intimately related to life, other human beings and universe or God (transcendence). The findings provide valuable knowledge about self-comfort as a coping strategy. The aim of study V was to illuminate meanings of living with a troubled conscience. Ten psychiatric care providers, respondents of study III with various perceptions of conscience were interviewed. The interviews were interpreted using a phenomenological - hermeneutical method. The findings show that one meaning of living with a troubled conscience is being confronted with inadequacy and struggling to view oneself as ‘good enough.’ The comprehensive understanding indicates that inadequacy, both one’s own and that of organization one represents, infuse feelings of shame rather than feelings of guilt. Shame concerns one’s identity and need of reconciliation.Conclusions: The results reveal two ways of encountering a troubled conscience. One is being unable to interpret the ethical demand from a troubled conscience. This is indicated by connections between levels of moral burden and levels of burnout. The other way is being able to interpret the ethical demand and using one’s troubled conscience to develop practical wisdom. This means facing shame of feeling inadequate, reconciling images of the ideal self and self-contempt, and becoming realistic about what one can do. In this process comfort seems to be a mediator of reconciliation.
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| 6. |
- Fischer Grönlund, Catarina, 1962-, et al.
(author)
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Communicative and organizational aspects of clinical ethics support
- 2019
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In: Journal of Interprofessional Care. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1356-1820 .- 1469-9567. ; 33:6, s. 724-733
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Studies show that healthcare professionals need inter-professional clinical ethics support (CES) in order to communicate and reflect on ethically difficult care situations that they experience in their clinical practice. Internationally, various CES interventions have been performed, but the communication processes and organisation of these interventions are rarely described in detail. The aim of this study was to explore communicative and organisational conditions of a CES intervention with the intention of promoting inter-professional communication about ethically difficult care situations. Eight audio- and video-recorded inter-professional CES sessions, inspired by Habermas' theory of communicative actions, were conducted. The observations were transcribed, sorted, and analysed using concept- and data-driven content analysis methods. The findings show three approaches to promoting communicative agreement, which include the CES facilitators' and participants' approaches to promoting a permissive communication, extended views, and mutual understanding. The CES sessions had organizational aspects for facilitating communicative agreement with both a given structure and openness for variation. The dynamic structure of the organization, promoted both safety and stability as well as a creativity and responsiveness, which in turn opened up for a free and dynamic inter-professional dialogue concerning ethically difficult care situations. The findings constitute a step towards a theory-based CES method inspired by Habermas' theory of communicative action. Further research is needed in order to fully develop the method and obtain increased knowledge about how to promote an inter-professional dialogue about ethically difficulties.
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| 7. |
- Fischer Grönlund, Catarina, 1962-, et al.
(author)
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Development, validity and reliability testing the Swedish Ethical Climate Questionnaire
- 2019
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In: Nursing Ethics. - : SAGE Publications. - 0969-7330 .- 1477-0989. ; 26:7-8, s. 2482-2493
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND:: An ethical climate has been described as a working climate embracing shared perceptions about morally correct behaviour concerning ethical issues. Various ethical climate questionnaires have been developed and validated for different contexts, but no questionnaire has been found concerning the ethical climate from an inter-professional perspective in a healthcare context. The Swedish Ethical Climate Questionnaire, based on Habermas' four requirements for a democratic dialogue, attempts to assess and measure the ethical climate at various inter-professional workplaces. This study aimed to present the construction of and to test the psychometric properties of the Swedish Ethical Climate Questionnaire.METHOD:: An expert group of six researchers, skilled in ethics, evaluated the content validity. The questionnaire was tested among 355 healthcare workers at three hospitals in Sweden. A parallel analysis (PA), an exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were performed.ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS:: The participants included in the psychometric analysis were informed about the study, asked to participate in person and informed that they could withdraw at any time without giving any reason. They were also assured of confidentiality in the reporting of the results.FINDINGS:: The parallel analysis (PA) recommended one factor as a solution. The initial exploratory factor analysis with a four-factor solution showed low concordance with a four-factor model. Cronbach's alpha varied from 0.75 to 0.82; however, since two factors only consisted of one item, alpha could not be reported. Cronbach's alpha for the entire scale showed good homogeneity (α = 0.86). A confirmatory factory analysis was carried out based on the four requirements and showed a goodness-of-fit after deleting two items. After deletion of these items, Cronbach's alpha was 0.82.DISCUSSION:: Based on the exploratory factor analysis, we suggest that the scale should be treated as a one-factor model. The result indicates that the instrument is unidimensional and assesses ethical climate as a whole.CONCLUSION:: After testing the Swedish Ethical Climate Questionnaire, we found support for the validity and reliability of the instrument. We found the 10-item version of Swedish Ethical Climate Questionnaire satisfactory. However, we found no support for measuring different dimensions and, therefore, this instrument should be seen as assessing ethical climate as of whole.
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| 8. |
- Fischer Grönlund, Catarina, et al.
(author)
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Ethically difficult situations in hemodialysis care : nurses' narratives
- 2015
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In: Nursing Ethics. - : Sage Publications. - 0969-7330 .- 1477-0989. ; 22:6, s. 711-722
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Providing nursing care for patients with end-stage renal disease entails dealing with existential issues which may sometimes lead not only to ethical problems but also conflicts within the team. A previous study shows that physicians felt irresolute, torn and unconfirmed when ethical dilemmas arose.RESEARCH QUESTION: This study, conducted in the same dialysis care unit, aimed to illuminate registered nurses' experiences of being in ethically difficult situations that give rise to a troubled conscience.RESEARCH DESIGN: This study has a phenomenological hermeneutic approach.PARTICIPANTS: Narrative interviews were carried out with 10 registered nurses working in dialysis care.ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, Umeå University.RESULTS: One theme, 'Calling for a deliberative dialogue', and six sub-themes emerged: 'Dealing with patients' ambiguity', 'Responding to patients' reluctance', 'Acting against patients' will', 'Acting against one's moral convictions', 'Lacking involvement with patients and relatives' and 'Being trapped in feelings of guilt'.DISCUSSION: In ethically difficult situations, the registered nurses tried, but failed, to open up a dialogue with the physicians about ethical concerns and their uncertainty. They felt alone, uncertain and sometimes had to act against their conscience.CONCLUSION: In ethical dilemmas, personal and professional integrity is at stake. Mistrusting their own moral integrity may turn professionals from moral actors into victims of circumstances. To counteract such a risk, professionals and patients need to continuously deliberate on their feelings, views and experiences, in an atmosphere of togetherness and trust.
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| 9. |
- Fischer Grönlund, Catarina, et al.
(author)
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Feeling trapped and being torn : Physicians' narratives about ethical dilemmas in hemodialysis care that evoke a troubled conscience.
- 2011
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In: BMC Medical Ethics. - : BioMed Central. - 1472-6939. ; 12
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: This study is part of a major study about difficulties in communicating ethical problems within and among professional groups working in hemodialysis care. Describing experiences of ethically difficult situations that induce a troubled conscience may raise consciousness about ethical problems and thereby open the way to further reflection. The aim of this study was to illuminate the meanings of being in ethically difficult situations that led to the burden of a troubled conscience, as narrated by physicians working in dialysis care.METHOD: A phenomenological hermeneutic method was used to analyze the transcribed narrative interviews with five physicians who had varying lengths of experience in nephrology.RESULTS: The analysis shows that physicians working in hemodialysis care suffered from a troubled conscience when they felt torn by conflicting demands and trapped in irresolution. They faced ethical dilemmas where they were forced to make crucial decisions about life or death, or to prioritize when squeezed between time restraints and professional and personal demands. In these ethical dilemmas the physicians avoided arousing conflicts, were afraid of using their authority, were burdened by moral responsibility and felt devalued and questioned about their way of handling the situation. The findings point to another way of encountering ethical dilemmas, being guided by their conscience. This mean sharing the agony of deciding how to act, being brave enough to bring up the crucial problem, feeling certain that better ways of acting have not been overlooked, being respected and confirmed regarding decisions made.CONCLUSION: The meanings of being in ethically difficult situations that led to the burden of a troubled conscience in those working in hemodialysis care, indicate the importance of increasing the level of communication within and among various professional groups - to transform being burdened by a troubled conscience into using conscience as a guide - in situations where no way of solving the problem seems to be good.
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| 10. |
- Fischer Grönlund, Catarina, et al.
(author)
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Managing Ethical Difficulties in Healthcare : Communicating in Inter-professional Clinical Ethics Support Sessions
- 2016
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In: HEC Forum. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0956-2737 .- 1572-8498. ; 28:4, s. 321-338
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Several studies show that healthcare professionals need to communicate inter-professionally in order to manage ethical difficulties. A model of clinical ethics support (CES) inspired by Habermas' theory of discourse ethics has been developed by our research group. In this version of CES sessions healthcare professionals meet inter-professionally to communicate and reflect on ethical difficulties in a cooperative manner with the aim of reaching communicative agreement or reflective consensus. In order to understand the course of action during CES, the aim of this study was to describe the communication of value conflicts during a series of inter-professional CES sessions. Ten audio- and video-recorded CES sessions were conducted over eight months and were analyzed by using the video analysis tool Transana and qualitative content analysis. The results showed that during the CES sessions the professionals as a group moved through the following five phases: a value conflict expressed as feelings of frustration, sharing disempowerment and helplessness, the revelation of the value conflict, enhancing realistic expectations, seeing opportunities to change the situation instead of obstacles. In the course of CES, the professionals moved from an individual interpretation of the situation to a common, new understanding and then to a change in approach. An open and permissive communication climate meant that the professionals dared to expose themselves, share their feelings, face their own emotions, and eventually arrive at a mutual shared reality. The value conflict was not only revealed but also resolved.
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| 11. |
- Fischer Grönlund, Catarina, 1962-, et al.
(author)
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Towards a method for clinical ethics support to promote inter-professional communication about ethically difficult care situations : observations of an intervention
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Background Studies show that healthcare professionals need inter-professional clinical ethics support (CES) to communicate and reflect on ethically difficult care situations. Internationally, various CES-interventions have been performed, but the communication process and the organisation of CES are sparsely described in the literature. The CES intervention observed in this study was inspired by Habermas’ theory of communicative action and involved healthcare professionals meeting inter-professionally to discuss value conflicts to achieve a common understanding and arrive in agreement about how to act and relate. The communication of value conflicts during a series of sessions in this CES - intervention has been described in a previous study. To further develop a clearly described theory-based CES-method it is important to increase knowledge about the conditions that can promote communication of value conflicts. The aim of this study was therefore to explore the organisational and communicative conditions of a CES intervention with the intention to promote interprofessional communication about ethically difficult care situations.Methods Eight audio- and video-recorded CES sessions were conducted over a period of eight months. The observations were transcribed and sorted by using the video analysis tool Transana and analyzed with concept and data-driven content analysis methods.Results The findings show the CES organization as an integrated framework, providing both a given structure and openness for variation, as conditions for facilitating the communication of value conflicts. The structure consisted of both constancy and flexibility. The given structure provided constancy while the openness for variation provided flexibility. The combination of constancy and flexibility generated bot safety, and stability for a free and dynamic dialogue, and opened up for responsiveness and creativity to find proposals for actions. As courses of actions to reach communicative agreement were the approaches of a permissive communication, extended views and mutual understanding found.Conclusion The results showed CES as an integrated framework with a given structure and openness for variations as conditions to reach a communicative agreement. The findings constitute a step towards a clearly described CES method based on Habermas theory of communicative action. Extended intervention studies with different kinds of data needs to be conducted in order to fully develop the method and get increased knowledge about how to promote a dialogue about ethically difficulties.
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| 12. |
- Glasberg, Ann-Louise, et al.
(author)
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Development and initial validation of the Stress of Conscience Questionnaire.
- 2006
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In: Nursing Ethics. - : SAGE Publications. - 0969-7330 .- 1477-0989. ; 13:6, s. 633-48
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Stress in health care is affected by moral factors. When people are prevented from doing 'good' they may feel that they have not done what they ought to or that they have erred, thus giving rise to a troubled conscience. Empirical studies show that health care personnel sometimes refer to conscience when talking about being in ethically difficult everyday care situations. This study aimed to construct and validate the Stress of Conscience Questionnaire (SCQ), a nine-item instrument for assessing stressful situations and the degree to which they trouble the conscience. The items were based on situations previously documented as causing negative stress for health care workers. Content and face validity were established by expert panels and pilot studies that selected relevant items and modified or excluded ambiguous ones. A convenience sample of 444 health care personnel indicated that the SCQ had acceptable validity and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha exceeded 0.83 for the overall scale). Explorative factor analysis identified and labelled two factors: 'internal demands' and 'external demands and restrictions'. The findings suggest that the SCQ is a concise and practical instrument for use in various health care contexts.
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| 13. |
- Lützén, Kim, et al.
(author)
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Developing the concept of moral sensitivity in health care practice.
- 2006
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In: Nursing Ethics. - : SAGE Publications. - 0969-7330 .- 1477-0989. ; 13:2, s. 187-96
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of this Swedish study was to develop the concept of moral sensitivity in health care practice. This process began with an overview of relevant theories and perspectives on ethics with a focus on moral sensitivity and related concepts, in order to generate a theoretical framework. The second step was to construct a questionnaire based on this framework by generating a list of items from the theoretical framework. Nine items were finally selected as most appropriate and consistent with the research team's understanding of the concept of moral sensitivity. The items were worded as assumptions related to patient care. The questionnaire was distributed to two groups of health care personnel on two separate occasions and a total of 278 completed questionnaires were returned. A factor analysis identified three factors: sense of moral burden, moral strength and moral responsibility. These seem to be conceptually interrelated yet indicate that moral sensitivity may involve more dimensions than simply a cognitive capacity, particularly, feelings, sentiments, moral knowledge and skills.
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| 14. |
- Reid, Sarah, et al.
(author)
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High genetic risk score is associated with early disease onset, damage accrual and decreased survival in systemic lupus erythematosus
- 2020
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In: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. - : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 0003-4967 .- 1468-2060. ; 79:3, s. 363-369
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: To investigate associations between a high genetic disease risk and disease severity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).METHODS: Patients with SLE (n=1001, discovery cohort and n=5524, replication cohort) and healthy controls (n=2802 and n=9859) were genotyped using a 200K Immunochip single nucleotide polymorphism array. A genetic risk score (GRS) was assigned to each individual based on 57 SLE risk loci.RESULTS: SLE was more prevalent in the high, compared with the low, GRS-quartile (OR 12.32 (9.53 to 15.71), p=7.9×10-86 and OR 7.48 (6.73 to 8.32), p=2.2×10-304 for the discovery and the replication cohorts, respectively). In the discovery cohort, patients in the high GRS-quartile had a 6-year earlier mean disease onset (HR 1.47 (1.22 to 1.75), p=4.3×10-5), displayed higher prevalence of damage accrual (OR 1.47 (1.06 to 2.04), p=2.0×10-2), renal disorder (OR 2.22 (1.50 to 3.27), p=5.9×10-5), anti-dsDNA (OR 1.83 (1.19 to 2.81), p=6.1×10-3), end-stage renal disease (ESRD) (OR 5.58 (1.50 to 20.79), p=1.0×10-2), proliferative nephritis (OR 2.42 (1.30 to 4.49), p=5.1×10-3), anti-cardiolipin-IgG (OR 1.89 (1.13 to 3.18), p=1.6×10-2), anti-β2-glycoprotein-I-IgG (OR 2.29 (1.29 to 4.06), p=4.8×10-3) and positive lupus anticoagulant test (OR 2.12 (1.16 to 3.89), p=1.5×10-2) compared with patients in the low GRS-quartile. Survival analysis showed earlier onset of the first organ damage (HR 1.51 (1.04 to 2.25), p=3.7×10-2), first cardiovascular event (HR 1.65 (1.03 to 2.64), p=2.6×10-2), nephritis (HR 2.53 (1.72 to 3.71), p=9.6×10-7), ESRD (HR 6.78 (1.78 to 26.86), p=6.5×10-3) and decreased overall survival (HR 1.83 (1.02 to 3.30), p=4.3×10-2) in high to low quartile comparison.CONCLUSIONS: A high GRS is associated with increased risk of organ damage, renal dysfunction and all-cause mortality. Our results indicate that genetic profiling may be useful for predicting outcomes in patients with SLE.
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| 15. |
- Santamäki Fischer, Regina, et al.
(author)
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Tröst och trygghet
- 2014. - 2
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In: Omvårdnadens grunder. - Lund : Studentlitteratur AB. - 9789144083537 ; , s. 297-322
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Book chapter (other academic/artistic)
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| 16. |
- Ångström-Brännström, Charlotte, 1957-, et al.
(author)
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Comforting the comforters : descriptions of comfort in the social networks surrrounding a seriously ill and ultimately dying child
-
Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The death of a child is considered to be one of the greatest losses a parent can sustain and an extremely stressful experience for nurses. Those who provide comfort, i.e. the comforters, may also need comfort in this difficult situation yet little is known about who and what comforts comforters. The aim of this study was to describe who and what comforted the comforters of a seriously ill and ultimately dying child, as narrated by the child’s mother and nurse. The interviews with mother and nurse were analysed using content analysis. Persons and activities who comforted were outlined in a sociogram (Figure 1). The findings showed that the mother received comfort from her child and family, the nurse, the extended family and others close to the family. She found comfort in being involved in the care and sharing worries with the nurse and other hospital staff and in self-comfort. Siblings found comfort in each other, in living everyday life and in music and making drawings. The nurse gained comfort from sharing hardships with colleagues and a relative and from making a difference to the child. The findings provide a picture of interacting comforting networks that can surround a seriously ill child.
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| 17. |
- Ångström Brännström, Charlotte, et al.
(author)
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Descriptions of comfort in the social networks surrounding a dying child
- 2014
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In: Vård i Norden. - : SAGE Publications. - 0107-4083 .- 1890-4238. ; 34:113, s. 4-8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim: The aim of this study was to describe how comforters of one dying child were comforted, described by the child's mother and nurse.Background: The death of a child is one of the greatest losses parents can sustain and a stressful experience for nurses. Those who provide comfort may also need comfort, yet little is known about how comforters are comforted.Method: The interviews with mother and nurse were analysed using content analysis. Persons and activities mentioned as comforting were outlined in a sociogram.Findings: The findings show that the mother received comfort from her child and family, the nurse, extended family and others close to the family. She found comfort in being involved in the care and sharing worries with the nurse and in self-comfort. She described that siblings found comfort in each other, in living everyday life, in music and in expressing their feelings in drawings. The nurse gained comfort from sharing hardships with colleagues and a relative and from making a difference to the child.Conclusion: The findings provide a picture of interacting comforting social networks surrounding one dying child.
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| 18. |
- Ångström-Brännström, Charlotte, 1957-, et al.
(author)
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Parents' experiences of what comforts them when their child is suffering from cancer
- 2010
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In: Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing. - : SAGE Publications. - 1043-4542 .- 1532-8457. ; 27:5, s. 266-275
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of the study was to describe parents' narratives concerning what they find comforting when they have a child suffering from cancer. Interviews were conducted with 9 parents--8 mothers and 1 father--of children aged 3 to 9 years who were admitted to a pediatric oncology ward and had undergone their first treatment. The findings showed that the parents derived comfort from being close to their child, perceiving the child's strength, feeling at home in the ward, being a family and being at home, and receiving support from their social network. Comfort experienced in communion with the child and others became important and helped the parents build a new normality perceived as being at home in life despite all their difficulties. Within the frame of communion, the parents seemed to experience moments of hope for their child's recovery and survival.
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| 19. |
- Ångström-Brännström, Charlotte
(author)
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TRÖST : beskriven av långvarigt sjuka barn, föräldrar och en sjuksköterska
- 2010
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Det övergripande syftet med avhandlingen är att beskriva långvarigt sjuka barns upplevelser av tröst samt vilka och vad som tröstar barn, föräldrar och en sjuksköterska. Avhandlingen omfattar fyra delstudier. Långvarigt sjuka barn, föräldrar och en sjuksköterska har intervjuats och barnen har ritat teckningar.I delstudie I var syftet att undersöka vad barn med långvariga sjukdomar berättar muntligt och i teckningar om sina upplevelser av att bli tröstade. Sju barn i åldern 4-10 år, med olika långvariga sjukdomar, beskrev under intervju sina upplevelser av tröst och ritade teckningar. Intervjuerna analyserades med innehållsanalys, vilket utmynnade i fyra teman: att vara fysiskt nära sin familj, att känna sig trygg och säker, att sjuksköterskor finns till hands för barnen och att barnen finns till hands för sina föräldrar och syskon. Resultatet visar att barnen litade på sjuksköterskors kunskap och yrkeskunnande, vilket var en förutsättning för att kunna känna sig trygg och hemma på sjukhus. Att vara nära sin familj upplevdes än mer betydelsefullt för att uppleva tröst. I delstudie II var syftet att beskriva föräldrars upplevelser av vad som tröstar dem när deras barn insjuknat i cancersjukdom. Nio föräldrar till barn i åldern 3-9 år, som var inlagda på vårdavdelning och hade genomgått sin första behandling, intervjuades. Innehållsanalys utmynnade i fem teman: att uppleva tröst genom att vara nära sitt barn, att uppleva tröst genom barnets styrka, att uppleva tröst genom att känna sig hemma på vårdavdelningen, att uppleva tröst genom att vara en familj och genom att vara hemma samt att uppleva tröst genom stöd från sociala nätverk. I kommunion, en djup känsla av gemenskap med barnet och personer i sociala nätverk, upplevde föräldrarna en ny vardag som kännetecknades av att känna sig trygg i livet trots alla svårigheter och de upplevde stunder av hopp. I delstudie III var syftet att beskriva upplevelser av vad som tröstar ett allvarligt sjukt och senare döende barn, berättat av barnet, hans mamma och hans sjuksköterska. Barnet ritade teckningar. Fältanteckningar, teckningar och intervjuer analyserades med innehållsanalys, vilket utmynnade i fyra teman: att uttrycka känslor och bli redo för tröst, att vara i kommunion, att skifta perspektiv och att finna tröst genom att vara hemma. Resultatet visar att tröst för det svårt sjuka, senare döende barnet, innebar att barnet kunde uttrycka sina känslor som barnet ville, att familjen fanns nära och var involverade i omvårdnaden av barnet, att barnet kunde vårdas hemma och att barnet upplevde en förtroendefull relation med sin sjuksköterska. I delstudie IV var syftet att beskriva vem och vad som tröstar föräldrar, syskon, sjuksköterska och andra personer som tröstade ett svårt sjukt och senare döende barn, beskrivet av mamman och barnets sjuksköterska. Intervjuer från delstudie II analyserades med innehållsanalys och utmynnade i tio teman. Resultatet visar en bild av samverkande nätverk som kan finnas runt ett svårt sjukt barn. Den svåra situationen innebar att barnets familj bar en tung börda, men omgivna av ett tröstande nätverk som de kunde luta sig mot och dela lidande och ansvar med, kunde de finna tröst och trösta varandra. Resultatet i avhandlingen visar att de långvarigt sjuka barnen och föräldrarna fann tröst i att kunna dela lidande med varandra. Föräldrar och sjuksköterska fann tröst i att kunna dela lidandet och ansvaret med personer i sina sociala nätverk. Modellen om tröst (Norberg m fl, 2001) kunde användas för att ge struktur till diskussionen.
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| 20. |
- Ångström-Brännström, Charlotte, et al.
(author)
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Victor and the Dragon. : A Young Child's Experiences of Discomfort and Comfort, From Diagnosis Until Death
- 2013
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In: Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing. - : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. - 1522-2179 .- 1539-0705. ; 15:8, s. 464-470
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Children with progressive cancer often suffer during treatment and at the end of their life, and they need comfort. This study's aim was to describe a child's experiences of being cared for until death, with a focus on discomfort and comfort. Conversations, field notes, drawings, and interviews with the child and his mother and nurse were content analyzed. The themes enduring unbearable situations, expressing emotional suffering, and finding comfort were constructed. The children's parents and other family members are often a significant source of help for the children to endure discomfort and find comfort. Emotional suffering can be expressed in drawing and crying, but sometimes, a child is inconsolable and must endure discomfort. Comfort for a dying child is enhanced by having the family close, experiencing normal daily activities such as drawing and playing, and feeling at home in life despite approaching death.
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| 21. |
- Ångström-Brännström, Charlotte, 1957-, et al.
(author)
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Victor's story : a seriously ill child's experiences of discomfort and comfort from being diagnosed with cancer to dying
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- In this case study, the aim was to describe what comforted a seriously ill and finally dying child, here called Victor, as revealed by the child, his mother and his nurse. Content analysis was performed of analyses of conversations, field notes, drawings, interviews and comments on drawings. In the data comfort was often expressed as releasing extreme discomfort Victor experienced and accordingly four themes describing both discomfort and comfort were formulated in the analysis: Expressing feelings and becoming ready for comfort, Being in communion, Shifting perspective and Finding comfort in feeling at home. By expressing feelings through body language, crying and drawings Victor became ready for comfort and found it through feeling close to loved ones while sharing with them whatever was happening; through experiencing a trustful relationship with his nurse, transforming pressure into play, making plans for the future and maintaining his interests in nature; and through being at home, surrounded by his family’s love and concern. Based on these findings comfort for an ill and finally dying child is interpreted as being about providing the child with opportunities to express feelings in the way the child chooses, enabling the family to be close and involved in care, and supporting feelings of being at home and having a trustful relationship with a special nurse.
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