Experiences and actions of part-time firefighters' family members: a critical incident study.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences and actions of part-time firefighters' family members in rural areas in Sweden. DESIGN: The study had an inductive descriptive design and used the critical incident technique. SETTING: Rural areas, primarily served by a part-time fire station, across Sweden. PARTICIPANTS: The study included 25 participants (21 females and 4 males) with experiences of being a family member of a part-time firefighter. Family members who themselves served as firefighters were excluded. RESULTS: Being a part-time firefighter's family member was described into three main areas of experiences: 'affecting everyday life', 'dealing with uncertainty' and 'being in this together'. Actions taken were divided into two main areas: 'pursuing adaptations' and 'alleviating difficulties'. CONCLUSIONS: Family members of part-time firefighters faced increased responsibility at home, managing personal inconvenience and frustration. They offered emotional support for the firefighter, however, expressing a need for guidance on handling firefighters' emotions and mental health after call-outs. Despite their crucial role, they often felt unrecognised by the fire and rescue service. Nonetheless, they took pride in their firefighter's contribution to the community and noted positive impacts on the family.

Advising parents when their child has a fever: a phenomenographic analysis of nurses' perceptions when working at a telephone helpline, at primary care or at a paediatric emergency department in Sweden.

OBJECTIVES: To describe nurses' perceptions of advising parents when their child has a fever. DESIGN/METHOD: Inductive, descriptive study with a qualitative, phenomenographic approach. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: A purposive sampling was used. To be included, the 24 online interviewed nurses had to have experience advising parents of febrile children between birth and 5 years of age. They were recruited from three different parts of the healthcare system from four regions in the south of Sweden. RESULTS: The nurses described advising parents when their child has a fever as four different kinds of balancing acts: balancing between the parents' story and objective assessment, balancing between listening and teaching, balancing between self-confidence and trust in the expert, and balancing between independence and having someone by one's side. CONCLUSIONS: Giving advice to parents when their child has a fever is a process where the nurse needs to listen, assess and give advice based on the situation. This requires a correct assessment that depends on the parents' story. Creating a trusting relationship is perceived as necessary for parents to assimilate the advice that is provided. What dominates are the nurses' perceptions of the inner qualities required to achieve a balance in the process, for example, the importance of experience and security in their professional role, while it is also necessary to get support from colleagues.

Nurse anesthetists' perceptions of heat conservation measures in connection with surgery - a phenomenographic study.

BACKGROUND: To minimize the risk of perioperative hypothermia, it is recommended that healthcare professionals be familiar with heat conservation measures and use passive and active warming methods, in line with international guidelines. However, there is a low level of adherence perioperatively to the use of heat conservation measures. To understand why, there is a need to capture the nurse anesthetists' perspective. The aim is to describe nurse anesthetists' perceptions of heat conservation measures in connection with surgery. METHODS: An inductive descriptive design with a phenomenographic approach was chosen. A total of 19 nurse anesthetists participated and were interviewed. Data were analyzed according to Larsson and Holmström's phenomenographic seven-step model. RESULTS: Six ways of understanding the phenomenon heat conservation measures in connection with surgery were found: the preventive, the useable, the untenable, the caring, the adaptive, and the routine care approach. These approaches were related to each other in a flexible way, allowing for several to co-exist at the same time, depending on the situation. CONCLUSIONS: Nurse anesthetists want to prevent the patients' heat loss and maintain normothermia, regardless of the type of surgery. This willingness, motivation, and intention enable the use of heat conservation measures. However, there are perceptions that have an impact, such as doubts and uncertainty, access, time and financial constraints, preconditions, routines or habits, and lack of availability of education/training. These barriers will require support from an organizational level to promote lifelong education and guidelines. As well as offer education at the nurse anesthetists' program.

Support in acute situations when a community health nurse is called: experiences of older patients, their significant others, and involved healthcare professionals- a qualitative interview study.

BACKGROUND: Care decisions for older patients in acute situations are challenging to make, and there is limited knowledge of support in home healthcare settings, where older patients receive ongoing health care from, for example, community health nurses. Therefore, this study aimed to describe the support for all involved in acute situations when a community health nurse was called, as experienced by older patients, their significant others and healthcare professionals involved. METHODS: The study was conducted using a phenomenological reflective lifeworld research approach, in which meanings of the study phenomenon were analyzed. The included participants were those who had been involved in acute situations. Twelve participants from four acute situations were interviewed. The participant included three older patients, one significant other, four community health nurses, one registered nurse student, one specialist in general practice, and two ambulance personnel, with one being a registered nurse and the other a specialist ambulance nurse. RESULTS: Support in decision-making was received from the knowledge of temporality, which provided a comprehensive understanding based on past and present knowledge of the older patient. The knowledge of temporality allowed for the early detection of new symptoms and facilitated care decisions tailored to the older patient. There was a dependency on pre-existing mutual interpersonal support, and confidence developed through relational, caring, and medical competence. CONCLUSIONS: The advantages of temporality, confidence and mutual interpersonal support in acute situations highlight the importance of enhancing relational continuity in home healthcare settings and establishing a structural collaboration among community health nurses, specialists in general practice, and ambulance personnel. This collaboration aims to provide support for making decisions regarding tailored care.

"I am Here"-The Importance of Caring Touch in Intensive Care. A Qualitative Observation and Interview Study.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to illuminate the experience of caring touch in intensive care from the perspectives of patients, next-of-kin, and healthcare professionals. Design and Method: This study was explorative, and data were collected through qualitative observations (n = 9) with subsequent interviews (n = 27) at two general intensive care units. An inductive approach was embraced to be open-minded to the participants' experiences. Findings: The results are presented in one generic category-caring touch creates presence-which generated five subcategories: to touch and be touched with respect, touch as guidance and communication, touch causes suffering, touch creates compassion, and touch creates security. Conclusion: When the ability to communicate with words is lost, it is body language that reveals what a person is trying to express. Nurses create a way of being present with the patients by touching them, to communicate I am here for you. Caring touch is a tool to show compassion and respect and to protect the integrity of the lived body. The caring touch is soothing and comforting for the patient and next-of-kin and creates security. It also helps to awaken the motivation to get healthy, which is needed in an environment that is foreign.

Physicians' experiences and actions in making complex level-of-care decisions during acute situations within older patients' homes: a critical incident study.

BACKGROUND: Complex level-of-care decisions involve uncertainty in which decisions are beneficial for older patients. Knowledge of physicians' decision-making during acute situations in older patients' homes is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to describe physicians' experiences and actions in making complex level-of-care decisions during the assessment of older patients in acute situations within their own homes. METHODS: Individual interviews and analyses were performed according to the critical incident technique (CIT). In total, 14 physicians from Sweden were included. RESULTS: In making complex level-of-care decisions, physicians experienced collaborating with and including older patients, significant others and health care professionals to be essential for making individualized decisions regarding the patients' and their significant others' needs. During decision-making, physicians experienced difficulties when doubt or collaborative obstructions occurred. Physicians' actions involved searching for an understanding of older patients' and their significant others' wishes and needs, considering their unique conditions, guiding them, and adjusting care according to their wishes. Actions further involved promoting collaboration and reaching a consensus with all persons involved. CONCLUSION: Physicians strive to individualize complex level-of-care decisions based on older patients' and their significant others' wishes and needs. Furthermore, individualized decisions depend on successful collaboration and consensus among older patients, their significant others and other health care professionals. Therefore, to facilitate individualized level-of-care decisions, the health care organizations need to support physicians when they are making individualized decisions, provide sufficient resources and promote 24 - 7 collaboration between organizations and health care professionals.

The Perceived Support From Light and Color Before and After an Evidence-Based Design Intervention in an Emergency Department Environment: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

AIM: To evaluate patients' and family members' perceived support from light and color before, compared with after an evidence-based design (EBD) intervention at an emergency department (ED) using a validated instrument-the Light and Color Questionnaire (LCQ). BACKGROUND: EDs offer acute care day and night. Thus, a supportive physical environment where light and color is crucial for how the milieu is experienced is vital. Research is limited on how care settings are perceived as supportive by users. METHODS: Quasi-experimental evaluation of the refurbishing and remodeling of an ED by an expert group of nurse managers, nursing staff, nursing researchers and architects in south Sweden. LCQ includes dimensions "maximizing awareness and orientation," "maximizing safety and security," "supporting functional abilities," "providing privacy," "opportunities for personal control" (not for LCQ-Color), and "regulation and quality of stimulation." LCQ was analyzed and compared in 400 surveys from 100 patients and 100 family members before the intervention and 100 patients and 100 family members after the intervention. RESULTS: The LCQ total score significantly improved after the intervention for both patients and family members. Four of the six dimensions of LCQ Light subscale scores were significantly higher for family members, and three of the six dimensions were significantly higher for patients after the intervention. The LCQ Color subscale score showed significant improvements for all five dimensions for both patients and family members after the intervention. CONCLUSION: This study showed improved perceived support from light and color in the physical environment for patients and family members after an EBD intervention at an emergency department using a validated instrument-the Light and Color Questionnaire.

A phenomenological interview study with patients being non-conveyed in the ambulance service.

BACKGROUND: Non-conveyed patients (i.e. patients who are not transported to a hospital after being assessed by ambulance clinicians) represent a significantly increasing proportion of all patients seeking ambulance care. Scientific knowledge about patients' non-conveyance experiences is sparse. This study describes the lived experiences of non-conveyed patients in an ambulance care context. METHODS: A reflective lifeworld research (RLR) approach founded on phenomenology is used. Data is derived from nine in-depth interviews with patients not conveyed by the ambulance service in a major Swedish region. RESULTS: Patients' lived experiences of becoming acutely ill or injured and not conveyed by ambulance to a hospital are characterised by several dynamic movements: losing and regaining situational and bodily control, dependence and autonomy, external competence and inner knowledge, handing over and regaining responsibility, and fear and security. CONCLUSIONS: Patients' lived experiences of non-conveyance are complex and versatile. Although non-conveyed patients initially experience strong fear and the loss of situational and bodily control, they gradually feel more secure when experiencing confirmation and trust, which evolves into insecurity and uncertainty. The non-conveyance situation's complexity from a patient's perspective implies the need for ambulance organisations to take measures to prevent further suffering. Non-conveyed patients must be taken seriously in their unique situations, requiring ambulance clinicians to reflect and act with a conscious ethical perspective before, during and after their visit.

Efficacy of mecobalamin (vitamin B12) in the treatment of long-term pain in women diagnosed with fibromyalgia: protocol for a randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Fibromyalgia causes long-term pain. It affects at least 2% of the population, the majority being women. In addition, extended symptoms corresponding to vitamin B12 deficiency occur. Findings from several studies have indicated that vitamin B12 may be a possible treatment for pain in fibromyalgia. The aim of the proposed study is to evaluate whether vitamin B12 decreases pain sensitivity and the experience of pain (ie, hyperalgesia and allodynia) in women with fibromyalgia. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The study is a randomised, placebo-controlled, single-blind, clinical trial with two parallel groups which are administered mecobalamin (vitamin B12) or placebo over 12 weeks. 40 Swedish women aged 20-70 years with an earlier recorded diagnosis of fibromyalgia are randomised into the placebo group or the treatment group, each consisting of 20 participants. Outcomes consist of questionnaires measured at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment. A final re-evaluation will then follow 12 weeks after treatment ends. The primary outcome is tolerance time, maximised to 3 min, which is assessed using the cold pressor test. In order to broaden the understanding of the lived experience of participants, qualitative interviews will be conducted using a phenomenological approach on a lifeworld theoretical basis (reflective lifeworld research approach). ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The protocol for the study is approved by the local ethical committee at Linkoping (EPM; 2018/294-31, appendices 2019-00347 and 2020-04482). The principles of the Helsinki Declaration are followed regarding oral and written consent to participate, confidentiality and the possibility to withdraw participation from the study at any time. The results will primarily be communicated through peer-reviewed journals and conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05008042.

Exposed - a semantic concept analysis of its origin, meaning change over time and its relevance for caring science.

PURPOSE: A patient is vulnerable and exposed due to illness, relies on and surrender to other people. In caring this means a special dependency. The aim of this study was to describe the origin of the concept 'exposed', to elucidate how the definition of this term has changed over time, and to outline its relevance in caring science. METHOD: A semantic concept analysis in two phases was conducted. RESULTS: The findings show that over time, the degree of binding of the following synonyms has become stronger; unprotected/defenseless, naked/bare, pressed/jostled and unsafe/unprotected and can easily be transferred to a clinical nursing context. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a deeper understanding of the concept 'exposed' semantically. Being exposed is a profound experience for patients who need to be seen as the person they really are. A life-world led care has an existential power that can support professionals, strengthen patients' health processes, and alleviate the patient's suffering.

Dyslexic students' experiences in using assistive technology to support written language skills: a five-year follow-up.

PURPOSE: This study presents several accounts of user experiences with assistive technology (AT). Although previous studies on dyslexic students reported promising results from using audiobooks, text-to-speech (TTS), and speech-to-text (STT), qualitative research is relatively sparse and short-term, and little is known about adolescents' long-term experiences of using AT in schools. Therefore, this five-year follow-up study aimed to describe dyslexic students' experiences of AT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine students with dyslexia were interviewed using a semi-structured framework and a descriptive pattern-based thematic analysis. The students had previously participated in an AT intervention in Sweden. RESULTS: Three main themes are reported: Contextual factors: facilitators or barriers; Emotional responses in the learning environment; Developing meaningful strategies. The results align with previous research findings that audiobooks are beneficial throughout the school years, while STT is of mixed utility. TTS was mainly used in learning to decode texts. Continued AT use is discussed thematically, concretising experiences connected to schools' multilevel support. CONCLUSIONS: This study can contribute to the development of AT academic practices enriched by users' views. The findings reveal factors enabling or hindering students' continued AT usage. Contextual factors in schools concern organisational elements rather than AT accessibility. Students' emotional responses (using AT in the classroom) are influenced by dyslexia self-acceptance and AT attitudes. Students' understanding of how and why to use AT may limit the development of meaningful strategies. Implications and suggested further research are provided to improve dyslexic students' AT experiences and success in school.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONUnderstanding the organizational factors that enable or hinder continuous assistive technology (AT) use can help teachers support dyslexic students' development in text-based learning throughout schooling.Ongoing attention to the emotional aspects of AT use in the classroom may be a valuable support in conjunction with systematic AT training.Listening and text production strategies with AT may need ongoing support to develop both lower-order and higher-order skills.

Educational intervention in triage with the Swedish triage scale RETTS©, with focus on specialist nurse students in ambulance and emergency care - A cross-sectional study.

AIM: To determine the reliability of application of the RETTS© triage scale after an educational intervention using paper-based scenarios in emergency care education. BACKGROUND: Knowledge about and education in triage are important factors in triagescale implementation. Presenting students with a large number of triage scenarios is a common part of triage education. METHODS: In this prospective cross-sectional study at two universities students undergoing education in emergency care used RETTS© to assess triage level in 46 paper-based scenarios. RESULTS: 57 students in the study made 2590 final triage decisions. Fleiss Kappa for final triage was 0.411 which is in the lower range of moderate agreement. In 25 of 46 (53.4%) scenarios, final triage levels did not agree about whether the case was stable or unstable. CONCLUSION/IMPLICATIONS: Application of the RETTS© triage scale after an educational intervention with paper-based simulation in emergency care education resulted in moderate agreement about the final levels of triage.

An internet-based compassion course for healthcare professionals: Rationale and protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Severe stress is one of the most common causes of sick leave in Sweden. Previous research has shown that compassion interventions for healthcare professionals can decrease work-related stress through the introduction of self-care, self-awareness, and emotion regulation abilities when experiencing difficult situations. Internet-based stress management interventions have hitherto shown promising results in reducing stress. However, further research is needed to examine the effectiveness of internet-based compassion interventions for healthcare professionals. Objective: In the present study protocol, a randomised controlled trial is described, aiming to examine the effects of an internet-based compassion course for healthcare professionals on work-related stress and stress of conscience. Method: Healthcare professionals will be offered an internet-based stress management course of five modules across a period of five weeks. The design is a randomised controlled study consisting of three groups enrolled in one of the following: a compassion course (n = 120), a cognitive behavioural stress management course (n = 120), or placed on a waitlist followed by either the compassion course or the cognitive behavioural stress management course (n = 36). We hypothesise that the internet-based compassion course would reduce the participants' stress of conscience to a greater degree compared to the other two groups. The secondary hypothesis is that the compassion course would increase the participants' professional quality of life (i.e., higher job satisfaction and lower empathy fatigue) and self-compassion. In addition, the internet-based compassion course is expected to reduce the participants' work-related stress and sick leave rates to the same degree (non-inferiority) as the cognitive behavioural stress management course and to a higher degree when compared to the waitlist condition. The primary outcome measure is the Stress of Conscience Questionnaire (SCQ) and the secondary outcome measures are the Professional Quality of Life Scale (PROQOL), the Work-related Stress Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ), and the Self-compassion Scale (SCS). Assessments will be performed at baseline, four weekly assessments during treatment, post-treatment (5 weeks), and follow-ups at 10 weeks, 15 weeks, and 6 months. The repeated measures data will be analysed using a generalised estimating equation for repeated measurements to examine whether changes over time differ between the groups and whether the improvements persist over time. Discussion: The clinical trial is expected to provide novel data on the effects of compassion interventions and add to the existing knowledge of internet-based interventions for stress management in healthcare professionals.

A longitudinal, retrospective registry-based validation study of RETTS©, the Swedish adult ED context version.

BACKGROUND: Triage and triage related work has been performed in Swedish Emergency Departments (EDs) since the mid-1990s. The Rapid Emergency Triage and Treatment System (RETTS©), with annual updates, is the most applied triage system. However, the national implementation has been performed despite low scientific foundation for triage as a method, mainly related to the absence of adjustment to age and gender. Furthermore, there is a lack of studies of RETTS© in Swedish ED context, especially of RETTS© validity. Hence, the aim the study was to determine the validity of RETTS©. METHODS: A longitudinal retrospective register study based on cohort data from a healthcare region comprising two EDs in southern Sweden. Two editions of RETTS© was selected; year 2013 and 2016, enabling comparison of crude data, and adjusted for age-combined Charlson comorbidity index (ACCI) and gender. All patients ≥ 18 years visiting either of the two EDs seeing a physician, was included. Primary outcome was ten-day mortality, secondary outcome was admission to Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The data was analysed with descriptive, and inferential statistics. RESULTS: Totally 74,845 patients were included. There was an increase in patients allocated red or orange triage levels (unstable) between the years, but a decrease of admission, both to general ward and ICU. Of all patients, 1031 (1.4%) died within ten-days. Both cohorts demonstrated a statistically significant difference between the triage levels, i.e. a higher risk for ten-day mortality and ICU admission for patients in all triage levels compared to those in green triage level. Furthermore, significant statistically differences were demonstrated for ICU admission, crude as well as adjusted, and for adjusted data ten-day mortality, indicating that ACCI explained ten-day mortality, but not ICU admission. However, no statistically significant difference was found for the two annual editions of RETTS© considering ten-day mortality, crude data. CONCLUSION: The annual upgrade of RETTS© had no statistically significant impact on the validity of the triage system, considering the risk for ten-day mortality. However, the inclusion of ACCI, or at least age, can improve the validity of the triage system.

Non-conveyance of older adult patients and association with subsequent clinical and adverse events after initial assessment by ambulance clinicians: a cohort analysis.

BACKGROUND: Older adults (age ≥ 65 years) represent a significant proportion of all patients who are not transported to hospital after assessment by ambulance clinicians (non-conveyed patients). This study aimed to fill the knowledge gap in the understanding of the prevalence of older adult non-conveyed patients and investigate their characteristics and risk factors for subsequent and adverse events with those of younger non-conveyed patients comparatively. METHODS: This population-based retrospective cohort study included all adult non-conveyed patients who availed the ambulance service of Region Stockholm, Sweden in 2015; they were age-stratified into two groups: 18-64 and ≥ 65 years. Inter-group differences in short-term outcomes (i.e. emergency department visits, hospitalisations, and mortality within 7 days following non-conveyance) were assessed using multivariate regression analyses. RESULTS: Older adult patients comprised 48% of the 17,809 non-conveyed patients. Dispatch priority levels were generally lower among older non-conveyed patients than among younger patients. Non-conveyance among older patients occurred more often during daytime, and they were more frequently assessed by ambulance clinicians with nonspecific presenting symptoms. Approximately one in five older adults was hospitalised within 7 days following non-conveyance. Patients presenting with infectious symptoms had the highest mortality risk following non-conveyance. Oxygen saturation level < 95% or systolic blood pressure > 160 mmHg had significantly higher associations with hospitalisation within 7 days following non-conveyance in older adult patients. CONCLUSIONS: Older adult patients have an increased risk for adverse events following non-conveyance. In combination with a complex and variating presentation of symptoms and vital signs proved difficult for dispatch operators and ambulance clinicians to identify and assess, the identified risks raise questions on the patient safety of older adult non-conveyed patients. The results indicate a system failure that need to be managed within the ambulance service organisation to achieve higher levels of patient safety for older non-conveyed patients.

"Time that save lives" while waiting for ambulance in rural environments.

AIM: Firefighters perform first aid before the ambulance arrives in areas with a long response time in Sweden; this is called 'While Waiting for the Ambulance' (WWFA). The aim was to describe WWFA assignments in rural environments, focusing on frequency, event time, actions and survival >30 days after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was performed. METHODS: Retrospective descriptive and comparative design. RESULTS: Firefighters in the northern part of Sweden were involved in 518 WWFA assignments between 2012 and 2016. From alarm call until ambulance dispatch, median time was 2:20 min; for firefighters, nearly four minutes. Median dispatch time at out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) (n = 52) was 1:40 min for ambulance and three minutes for firefighters. Maximal dispatch time was nearly 10 min for ambulance and 44 min for firefighters. Firefighters arrived first at the scene, after 17 min' median, for 95 % of assignments, while the ambulance took nearly twice the amount of time. In OHCA situations, time for firefighters was over 19 min versus ambulance at nearly twice the time. CPR was terminated by ambulance staff at 83% (n = 43) of 52 when firefighters performed prolonged CPR. Return to spontaneous circulation after OHCA was 17%, and 9% were alive after >30 days. CONCLUSION: The efficiency of incident time and utilisation rate for WWFA assignments can be increased for the benefit of affected persons, especially in OHCA.

The dialogue as decision support; lived experiences of extended collaboration when an ambulance is called.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to describe extended collaboration in situations when an ambulance was called, as experienced by older patients, a significant other, and ambulance- and primary healthcare (PHC) centre personnel. METHODS: The study used a phenomenological reflective lifeworld research (RLR) approach. Participants included in three specific situations with extended collaboration were interviewed: three older patients, one significant other, three ambulance personnel and four personnel at the PHC centre. The transcribed interviews were analysed for meanings of the phenomenon. RESULTS: The extended collaboration means that decisions were supported through dialogue by bridging knowledge spaces between person, within-team and across-team levels. Through dialogue experience and knowledge were shared and certainty in decisions was increased. The extended collaboration was built on trust, responsibility taken, shared and entrusted, and the common goal of adapted care for the unique patient. A need for further improvement and transparency was elucidated. CONCLUSIONS: The difficulty of making care decisions stresses the importance of available extended collaboration based on the dialogue between patients, significant others, and ambulance- and PHC centre personnel to increase certainty in decisions. Collaboration further requires respectful encounters, trust, responsibility and a common goal of adapting the care for the unique patient.

Different pain variables could independently predict anxiety and depression in subjects with chronic musculoskeletal pain.

OBJECTIVES: Chronic, clinical pain states are often accompanied by distress such as anxiety and depression. The aim of this study was to determine if certain clinical pain variables could predict the level of anxiety and depression in subjects with musculoskeletal pain. METHODS: Two multiple linear regression analyses were conducted on a sample consisting of 189 subjects with clinical pain with the independent pain variables of pain intensity, the influence of pain on daily activities, pain persistence, pain duration, and the number of pain locations. The dependent variables measured anxiety and depression, respectively. RESULT: Two statistically significant models were found, where the predicted variables accounted for 37.0% of the variability in the anxiety levels and 43.7% of the variability in the depression levels. The independent variable, the influence of pain on daily activities, significantly predicted the level of anxiety. The variables, the influence of pain on daily activities and the number of pain locations, significantly predicted the levels of anxiety and depression. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that two different independent variables, the influence of pain on daily activities and the number of pain locations, significantly predicted the levels of depression. The predictor, the influence of pain on daily activities, significantly predicted the levels of anxiety. The knowledge gained about which specific pain variables are more likely to coexist with anxiety and depression in clinical pain states could be important in implementing holistic treatment plans for chronic pain.

An updated national survey of triage and triage related work in Sweden: a cross-sectional descriptive and comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Triage and triage related work has been performed in Swedish Emergency Departments (EDs) since the mid-1990s. According to two national surveys from 2005 to 2011, triage was carried out with different triage scales and without guidelines or formal education. Furthermore, a review from 2010 questioned the scientific evidence for both triage as a method as well as the Swedish five level triage scale Medical Emergency Triage and Treatment System (METTS); nevertheless, METTS was applied in 65% of the EDs in 2011. Subsequently, METTS was renamed to Rapid Emergency Triage and Treatment System (RETTS©). The hypothesis for this study is that the method of triage is still applied nationally and that the use of METTS/RETTS© has increased. Hence, the aim is to describe the occurrence and application of triage and triage related work at Swedish Emergency Departments, in comparison with previous national surveys. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study with a descriptive and comparative design, an electronic questionnaire was developed, based on questionnaire from previous studies. The survey was distributed to all hospital affiliated EDs from late March to the middle of July in 2019. The data was analysed with descriptive statistics, by IBM SPSS Statistics, version 26. RESULTS: Of the 51 (75%) EDs partaking in the study, all (100%) applied triage, and 92% used the Swedish triage scale RETTS©. Even so, there was low concordance in how RETTS© was applied regarding time frames i.e., how long a patient in respective triage level could wait for assessment by a physician. Additionally, the results show a major diversion in how the EDs performed education in triage. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that triage method is nationally implemented across Swedish EDs. RETTS© is the dominating triage scale but cannot be considered as one triage scale due to the variation with regard to time frames per triage level. Further, a diversion in introduction and education in the pivotal role of triage has been shown. This can be counteracted by national guidelines in what triage scale to use and how to perform triage education.