Breast cancer is the most common tumor disease among women in Sweden. About 7000persons, having a median age of 65, are diagnosed each year with this disease. Withmammography screening, breast cancer can be detected in an early stage which improves theoverall survival (OS). 20-30 % of the breast cancer tumors are overexpressing humanepidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), which is a protein that stimulates cell proliferation.Trastuzumab (Herceptin®) is a humanised monoclonal antibody that targets the HER2-proteinand prevent the signals for cell proliferation.Trastuzumab has earlier been used for treatment of metastatic breast cancer. In the year of 2007trastuzumab was approved for adjuvant treatment of patients who has been medicated withsurgery and/or radiation.The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of adjuvant treatment with trastuzumab inHER2-positive breast cancer patients.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. One type of treatment is internal radiation therapy, brachytherapy. This treatment requires the patient to lie completely motionless and in lithotomy position. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of pressure ulcers associated with brachytherapy in prostate cancer at the UniversityHospitalin Uppsala. Furthermore, the purpose was to identify the most common location of pressure ulcer and to examine whether there were any connection between risk factors and possible pressure ulcers.

Introduction: Basic Body Awereness Therapy (BBAT) is a treatment developed to treat different kinds of psychiatric diagnoses, but also to prevent the emergence of any other unhealthy conditions. The treatment is aimed to increase the body control and conscious breathing but also requires mental awareness.Aim: The aim of this study is to, based on social cognitive theory, describe patients' experiences of BBAT performed as group therapy.Method: The study design was qualitative with an inductive approach. Five people were interviewed after a BBAT group treatment in primary care. The data was collected by individual interviews with semi-structured questions and the interviews were analysed by qualitative content analysis.Result/Conclusion: The participants experienced increased body awareness and implemented BBAT strategies even though the treatment frequency was insufficient. BBAT was described as helpful used to regulate intensity level, stress management and facilitate breathing.

A peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC line) is a catheter that is inserted through a peripheral vein in the arm and then on to a central vein in the chest. It is used to give injections and infusions and to take blood samples of patients who need treatment for longer periods.The aim of this study was to investigate nurses' perceived knowledge of the care and use of PICC line in wards where PICC line does not occur daily. The aim was also to investigate if the nurses expressed a need and wished for more knowledge to be able to use PICC line, and if PICC line is not used investigate the cause of that.The study was of a descriptive design with quantitative approach. An online survey was answered by 40 nurses from five wards at a university hospital in central Sweden.A large number of the nurses who responded to the survey reported that they lacked knowledge of the care and use of PICC line. Despite this, three-quarters of the nurses usually use PICC line at the infusion / injection / blood tests on patients with PICC line, if they are cared for in their ward.

Background: Various follow-up studies show that there are deficiencies in the care of patients affected by stroke. In order to provide good care according to the National Board of health and welfare and national guidelines for stroke care systematic quality audits need to be carried out.Purpose: To investigate if the local guidelines for stroke care in Örebro County are followed and to explore how people with stroke experience care and rehabilitation in hospital, primary care and community.Method: Primary health care records were reviewed using quality indicators in the local stroke guidelines. Samples of patients were obtained from the County´s three hospitals. Differences between men and women, younger and older, were analysed with chi-squared test. Eleven people were interviewed about their experiences of care, rehabilitation, support and participation.

Bakgrund: Sveriges befolkning blir allt äldre vilket skapar ett krav på kunskap om vård och omsorg till den äldre patienten. Sjukhusavdelningar är fyllda av äldre patienter och många av dem är svårt sjuka och kommer spendera sin sista tid på en vårdavdelning. För att ge en helhetsvård till den döende patienten ska vården bygga på de fyra hörnstenarna symtomlindring, kommunikation, relation och stöd till närstående samt ett multiprofessionellt samarbete. Som sjuksköterska vill man göra sitt yttersta för att patienten ska må bra, vare sig det är att må bra mot ett tillfrisknande eller att må bra i livets slutskede. Den ofta hektiska vårdmiljön på en vårdavdelning kan motverka en god palliativ vård.Syfte: Att beskriva sjuksköterskors upplevelser av att vårda äldre svårt sjuka patienter i livets slutskede på vårdavdelningar utan palliativ inriktning.Metod: Studien har en induktiv kvalitativ design.

Abstract på svenska: Bakgrund: Studier har visat att humor är en betydelsefull faktor inom hälso- och sjukvård och att olika former av humor kan skapa en känsla av välbefinnande. I interaktionen mellan patienter och sjuksköterskor har skratt och humor visat sig ge positiva effekter vad det gäller att skapa en avslappnad atmosfär. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att belysa humors betydelse i mötet mellan patienter och sjuksköterskor. Metod: Studien är en systematisk litteraturstudie som baseras på 8 utvalda och granskade artiklar. Resultat: Sex huvudkategorier framkom under artikelanalysen, Humorns betydelse för mötet mellan patienter och sjuksköterskor, Humor som copingstrategi för patienter och sjuksköterskor, Humor som försvarsmekanism, Sjuksköterskors användning av humor i mötet med patienter, Humor som arbetsredskap i komplicerade omvårdnadssituationer samt Vid vilka möten bör humor undvikas.

The primary aim of the current study was to gain increased knowledge about drivers' risk experiences. The study was based on questionnaires answered by 30 private drivers and 30 bus drivers, with 50% men and 50% woman in each group. The study revealed no differences, either between men and women drivers with regard to their experience of risk, or between the groups of private and bus drivers. Gambling is common within the private drivers group. Mistakes are common in all groups.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the Western world. For persons who have had a myocardial infarction the following rehabilitation and the group training, which is a part of this, are very important. The cardiac rehabilitation is designed to limit the physiological and psychological effects of cardiovascular disease. Purpose: This study aimed to examine how patients with cardiovascular disease experienced group training in relation to the International Classification of Function, Disability and Health, ICF. Method: A qualitative interview study was performed according to Malterud, inspired by the Grounded Theory method.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Sweden held about 15-20 certified health resorts that wanted to improve peoples? health with vegetarian food and alternative medicine. This essay aims to explore the popularity of health resorts through a patient?s perspective. What did the patients look for at the resort, which they could not find in the official health care? A basis for the analysis is Bonnie Blair O´Connor?s theory of Health Belief Systems.

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.

Objective: From the patient?s perspective describe communication difficulties, which can arise, and how they are handled in their contact with public health care and illustrate their needs of communication.Method: A study of literature was carried out to receive a background and an insight in previous research concerning the subject area. Twelve women with hearing loss was asked to complete a questionnaire, with open questions, regarding communication difficulties in health care situations.Sample: For the literature review, scientific papers were selected via the database, PubMed using relevant keywords. Seven were selected for closer review. For the survey study twelve women were asked to participate which ten of those responded.Results: The study of literature shows that communication difficulties occur in public health care between patients with hearing loss and the nursing staff.

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.

This study will focus on how patients that suffer from self-injurious behaviours experience the relation between their self and body according to some professionals. The purpose is to enlighten why a person who has mental problems chooses to injure his or her body. We believe that the reason behind this is based on the early attachment between the parent and child. We also believe that a person only continues with this behaviour if he or she gains from it. The research questions this study raises are:· How does a person with self-injurious behaviour experience the relationship between their body and their self?· What is the effect of self-injurious behaviour on the body and what is the effect on the relationship between their body and their self.· How did the relationship between body and self evolve?This study is qualitative and is based on interviews from our respondents of whom all work or have worked with self-injurious behavioural patients.

One must consider cost effectiveness when deciding how resources within the health sector should be distributed. Quality adjusted life years (QALYs) are used to measure the value of different medical treatments. QALY is based on utility maximization theory, which suggests that a QALY is always a QALY regardless of who receives it. Therefore, a produced QALY is worth the same regardless of the age or the initial health of the patient. Previous research has shown that these assumptions do not seem to fit the real preferences of individuals.