In the care for the critically ill patient the next of kin is of great importance. Their support, love and care for the patient, increases the wellbeing and makes a connection to the patient?s normal lifeworld. For the next of kin to be able to be that support the next of kin needs to be helped to maintain the basic need of for example their sleep, food, hygiene and psychosocial support. The critical care nurse must see to the patient?s whole lifeworld which includes their next of kin.The aim of the study was to identify the resources available for the next of kin in intensive care units in Sweden.

Patients in intensive care are often intubated, and therefore unable to speak, which leads to difficulties in communication. The ICU is a very stressful environment and can be experienced as foreign and frightening by both patients and their close ones. The ICU nurse?s caring responsibilities includes both the care of the critically ill patient and the support of relatives who are often in shock. This balance is not always straightforward, and acting professionally in both instances can lead to problems.

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe Intensive care nurses? experiences communicating with patients during mechanical ventilation.Methods/design: A qualitative interview study. Interviews where analyzed using descriptive content analysisSetting: Nine Intensive care nurses from two different intensive care units were interviewed using a semi structured interview guide.Background: Past research has shown that patients during mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit, feel very vulnerable and the helplessness of being unable to speak. These patients feels that they are completely dependent on the nurses and their competence. It has been shown to be very important that the patient feels included, acknowledged and respected.Results: The analyzed data resulted in a theme; through communication strive to preserve patients´ dignity and three main categories; create relationship to the patient, minimize patients´ vulnerability and don´t give up.

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe Intensive care nurses? experiences communicating with patients during mechanical ventilation.Methods/design: A qualitative interview study. Interviews where analyzed using descriptive content analysisSetting: Nine Intensive care nurses from two different intensive care units were interviewed using a semi structured interview guide.Background: Past research has shown that patients during mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit, feel very vulnerable and the helplessness of being unable to speak. These patients feels that they are completely dependent on the nurses and their competence. It has been shown to be very important that the patient feels included, acknowledged and respected.Results: The analyzed data resulted in a theme; through communication strive to preserve patients´ dignity and three main categories; create relationship to the patient, minimize patients´ vulnerability and don´t give up.

ABSTRACTAim. To describe Intensive care nurses´ experiences of caring for patients with postoperative delirium after heart surgery.Background. Delirium is a common condition after heart surgery. Previous research has focused more on pathophysiology, incidence, etiology, prevention, detection and management, and less on how nurses caring for patients with delirium experience it.Design. A qualitative interview study.Method.

Today patients are more aware of their rights regarding their own care. They are more informed, more engaged and have more and individual requirements, which leads to increased demands for information and participation increases. The Health Act sets out the patients´ right to participation. Participation increases patient satisfaction with care, promotes healing and increases adherence to health care advise. The patient doesn´t always experience participation in their own care to the extent they wish, which suggests that nurse?s does not always succeed in getting the patient involved.

Early extubation of cardiac surgery patients has become increasingly important. The assessment of the patient before an early extubation is crucial and the Intensive care nurses (ICU nurses) in this estimation is there for very important.The aim of this study was to examine critical care nurses' knowledge of early extubation, and what view ICU nurse has about factors that affect the time to extubation of cardiac surgery patients.A quantitative approach with descriptive and comparative design was used. Selection was all ICU nurses at a thoracic intensive care unit who were clinically active in patient care.The study showed that ICU nurses had good knowledge of why an early extubation was essential. However, the knowledge about the unit?s extubation criteria was low.

Being a patient in intensive care can be experienced terrifying. Studies have demonstrated the link between unpleasant memories of hospitalization in the ICU and the development of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and perception of quality of life in its aftermath. Placed on a ventilator, the patient is exposed to multiple invasive procedures. The aim was to describe critical care patients' experience of being intubated or tracheostomated. Method: Literature review using conventional content analysis.

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a special unit for patients who is in the need for emergency life-sustaining measures and every patient has complex medical- technical equipment. The experiences of a critical illness and the needs of critical care are experienced in different ways. The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences from patients in the ICU and how this experience has an influence on the patients. The method was a study of literature with a qualitative inception based on eight scientific articles and the analysis of content has been inspired by Graneheim and Lundman (2003). The result of the study is presented by four categories: to loose the ability to make themselves understood, to be forced to adjust to the environment of caring, to have the lack of connection with reality and to be in an intensive care environment, The results showed that patients in the ICU are affected by the attitude from the staff, the equipment around them as well as the sounds and lights in the environment there.

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a special unit for patients who is in the need for emergency life-sustaining measures and every patient has complex medical- technical equipment. The experiences of a critical illness and the needs of critical care are experienced in different ways. The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences from patients in the ICU and how this experience has an influence on the patients. The method was a study of literature with a qualitative inception based on eight scientific articles and the analysis of content has been inspired by Graneheim and Lundman (2003). The result of the study is presented by four categories: to loose the ability to make themselves understood, to be forced to adjust to the environment of caring, to have the lack of connection with reality and to be in an intensive care environment, The results showed that patients in the ICU are affected by the attitude from the staff, the equipment around them as well as the sounds and lights in the environment there.

AbstractThis essay is an investigation where I try to gain an increased knowledge of the three assistants? (in the mentally disability profession) opinion about their education and their first years in their profession. I have also tried to answer the questions whether the course mentally disability/functional gives the students a good start in their profession, if there are any flaws or if something is missing in the course or if they can think of any improvements to make the course better.This investigation is performed as a qualitative interview study where three women were interviewed about their education and their first years as assistants? (in the mentally disability profession). All the interviewed women have been working in the care activity for two or three years since they graduated.

Palliative care is a care that focuses on providing end of life care but not to delay or hasten death. Despite training, nurses often show a lack of knowledge in attitude, ethics and healthcare issues of palliative care. The nurse in palliative care has a central role in caring of the dying patient and therefore a big responsibility. However, palliative care is a low priority in basic training. The aim of this study is to investigate the roles of nurses in palliative care and if there is a need for increased education in the subject.

Background: There are many possible reasons why a patient gets a stoma and in every case it?s of importance for the nurse to adjust nursing care, information and patient education from individual presuppositions. Problem: Patient education regarding stoma self-care is an important part of the nurse?s work within stoma care. The patient is depending on the guidance of the nurse and therefore it is relevant to illuminate the importance of education regarding gaining ability to perform self-care.

Every day in medical care the nurse and the patient meet, they are not just represented as the care giver and the care taker, but also as two unique individuals. The meeting is a very important part in caring and few studies have been made on this topic from the patient.s perspective. The purpose of this study was to describe the patient.s perspective on the meeting with the nurse. The study is a literature review, where articles have been reviewed, encoded, and then categorized. The result builds on our four main categories, confirmed as a unique indidual, the meaning of the information according to the patient, the humanistic side of the nurse, and the importance of humor in the meeting.

Diabetes is a widespread disease, which is increasing in the Western World and even in the developing countries. This entail an increasing strain on the medical service when to nurse and treat patients with diabetes type 2. To support and empower the patients in their choices, which will affect them for life, is a challenge to the nurse. The nurse is an important character in nursing care when patients take a more active part in treatments. The aim of this literature review was to exam the factors, which influence diabetes care.