University affiliation
Faculty of human sciences, Nursing research, Mid Sweden University
Main supervisor
Christina Melin-Johansson, professor in nursing care
PhD project participating in the National Research School in General Medicine.
Continuity related to regular physician contact in primary care can result in fewer exacerbations and hospitalisations for patients with COPD. There is a lack of studies related to a permanent COPD nurse and what this means for continuity and care. The aim of the project is to investigate the continuity of the relationship between COPD nurses and patients with COPD in primary care. In the long run, this can lead to improved care of these patients in primary care.
Relational continuity involves an ongoing relationship between the patient and the healthcare provider, defined as a sense of coherence between these parties. Measures to improve continuity need be prioritizated in primary care, and Sweden's Municipalities and Regions (SKR) has provided substantial financial support to primary care for continuity improvement in 2023. Structured COPD clinics with a COPD nurse in a central role exist in some regions but are lacking in others.
Previous studies indicate that continuity related to regular general practitioners (GP) contacts in primary care can result in fewer exacerbations and hospitalizations for COPD patients. However, there is a lack of studies on what continuity related to a regular contact with a COPD nurse in primary care could mean for both COPD patients and nurses.
To describe continuity in the relationship between COPD nurses and COPD patients in primary care and their experiences of how continuity affect nursing care.
The project consists of four sub-studies. The first sub-study is a qualitative interview study investigating COPD nurses' experiences of continuity in the care of COPD patients. The second is also an interview study where COPD patients are interviewed about their experiences of continuity with a designated COPD nurse contact. For each study, 20 interviews are planned. The interviews will take place in regions with structured COPD clinics staffed by trained COPD nurses in primary care. Interpretive Description is used as the analysis method in both studies.
Study three and four are in the planning stages, with one of them intended to be quantitative.
Increased knowledge about the experiences that COPD nurses and patients with COPD have regarding the importance of continuity may ultimately lead to improved care for these patients in primary care.
Faculty of human sciences, Nursing research, Mid Sweden University
Christina Melin-Johansson, professor in nursing care