Nurse assistant has as first-line caregivers in care of older people, a unique opportunity to encourage physical activity and exercise in older people. Hence,the staff’s perceptions about physical activity and exercise among older persons are essential. The aim of this study was to describe how nurse assistants in their work perceived physical activity and exercise for older people over 65 receiving home care and home help services. Method: Data were collected through interviews with 19 nurse assistants selected by strategic sampling and analysed using a phenomenographic approach. Results: The findings show two different perceptions of physical activity: “physical activity is to move “as everyday movements that older people did in activities of daily living andoutdoors activities and “physical activity is to make an effort” which older people makes handling their daily living and outdoors activities or struggling to be less inactive with healthy activities. Three differen tperceptions of exercise emerged: “exercise as physical activity” as movements that could be done either through an individual exercise programs from physiotherapist or by activities of daily life such as dressing, cleaning or shopping; “exercise as rehabilitation” as part of the rehabilitation processor as a prescription to follow and “exercise as an agent” enhancing health and well being of older people principally related to the mobility or enhancing older people’s social activities. Conclusion: By describing nurse assistants perceptions of physical activity and exercise among older people, this study provides information about two different approaches used by nurse assistants inhome help services. Nurse assistants have two different approaches towards the older person: a health promoting approach and a preventive approach. An educational awareness about the different approaches could enable staff to engage and support the older person to be physically active and to exercise regularly. A supportive organisation with flexibility and a closely collaboration between social services and health professionals could facilitate and strengthening a health promoting and a preventive approach by nurse assistant.

Aim:

To describe patients' experiences of intravitreal injections for wet macular degeneration.

Method:

16 informants, aged 62–89 years (11 women and _five men) were interviewed after a treatment period of intravitreal injections (IVI). The first question was open ended: ‘Can you please describe, in as much detail as possible, your experiences of the period when you received three IVI?’. Qualitative content analysis was employed to analyse the transcribed interviews.

Results:

The main theme demonstrated that the patients submitted themselves to and allowed the process to run its course. Four categories emerged: handing over responsibility — they placed their trust in the healthcare professionals; being given an opportunity — they appreciated that action was taken; enduring discomfort — they endured physical discomfort and mental unease; having nothing to lose — they accepted the treatment offered.

Conclusions:

It is necessary to strengthen patient participation during IVI treatment. The ophthalmic nurse can inform the patient about the effects of the treatment in a pedagogical manner. Patient participation can be strengthened by increased knowledge of the treatment effects.

The aim of this study was to describe middle-aged women's perceptions of lifestyle and how it was experienced in their daily lives. Interviews with 15 women selected using network sampling were analysed using a phenomenographic approach. Lifestyle was perceived as either 'handle life', describing a framework of how everyday life should manifest itself in different areas of life, or 'relate to life' implying accepting life as it is and making the best of it based on previous experiences. In terms of providing preventive and health-promoting guiding, it is essential that nurses have an insight into people's reasoning to support them to improve health or deal with illness.

AIM: The aim of this study was to describe the perceptions of lifestyle among women of retirement age. BACKGROUND: Women go through many transitions during their lives, which impact on their lifestyle and possibly their outlook on life. Family circumstances such as motherhood and marital status change over time and the menopause is also likely to influence their view of life. METHOD: Data were collected through interviews with 20 women, aged 61-70, selected by means of strategic sampling. The interviews were analysed using a phenomenographic approach. FINDINGS: Three structural aspects emerged: being healthy as life turns out, living life in their own way, and taking care of everyday life. The women described lifestyle as a means of being healthy, having an active role in society, being content with what one has and the need to adapt oneself to limiting circumstances. Lifestyle was also associated with being in charge and making one's own choices in life based on one's own values. They reported that they were independent and made decisions about their life. The informants considered that lifestyle was an asset that helped them to cope with everyday life and to make the most of each day. CONCLUSION: Lifestyle is a tool that requires independence, the right to self-determination over everyday life and adjustment to limitations in order to ensure the psychological well-being of women of retirement age. Further research is needed in order to delineate the possible association between lifestyle and psychological well-being.

The aim of this study was to describe young women’s perceptions of lifestyle and how it was experienced in their daily lives. Traditionally, the outlook on illness and health is pathogenic, i.e. preventing illness and disease in order to achieve health, by focusing lifestyle behaviors such as physical activity and smoking. Lifestyle based on a salutary perspective cannot be measured or observed from the outside but must be described by the individual since lifestyle is an aspect of one’s life situation. Little is known about how lifestyle is perceived and what it means in ordinary people’s lives. Data were collected through interviews with 25 women selected by strategic sampling and analyzed using a phenomenographic approach. Three structural aspects emerged: enjoying life, living life, and balancing everyday life. Women described how they used lifestyle as a tool for achieving a sense of satisfaction, relaxation and happiness in everyday life. Lifestyle was also perceived as a never-ending balancing act between different personal needs and the expectations of others and society. It involved how the women used their time or lack of time as effectively as possible in order to organize their day. Lifestyle seems to be a tool in which intrinsic behaviors may be central to enhance quality of life and health. Intrinsic behaviors should be encouraged in salutary health promotion work.

Background: Radiographers’ ability and competence is a matter of vital importance for patients. Nursing care is an integral part of the radiographer’s work. The demand for high competence in clinical activities has increased in diagnostic radiology and has had an impact on the development of the profession.

Aim: The aim was to describe the radiographer’s areas of professional competence in relation to good nursing care based on critical incidents that occur in the course of radiological examinations and interventions.

Method: A descriptive design with a qualitative approach, using the Critical Incident Technique was employed. Interviews were conducted with a strategic sample of registered radiographers (n = 14), based at different hospitals in Sweden.

Ethical issues: The appropriate ethical principles were followed. All the participants provided informed consent, and formal approval for conducting the research was obtained according to national and local directives.

Results: The data analysis resulted in two main areas; direct and indirect patient-related areas of competence, which describe the radiographers’ skills that either facilitate or hinder good nursing care. In the direct patient-related area of competence, four categories emerged, which illustrate good nursing care in the patient’s immediate surroundings. In the indirect patient-related area of competence, four categories illuminated good nursing care that is provided without direct contact with the patient.

Conclusions: The study highlights the different areas of the radiographer’s unique professional competence. The findings provide insight into the radiographer’s profession, on one hand as a carer and on the other as a medical technologist as well as highlighting the importance of each role. The radiographer’s work encompasses a variety of components – from caring for the patient to handling and checking the technical equipment.

AIM: To identify important predictors among lifestyle behaviours and physiological factors of bone mineral density (BMD) in relation to body mass index (BMI) among young women over a 2-year period. DESIGN, SAMPLE AND MEASUREMENTS: Data were collected in 1999 and 2001. Healthy young women (n=152) completed a questionnaire. BMD measurements were performed by DEXA in the calcaneus. The women were subdivided into three categories according to baseline BMI. RESULTS: Baseline bodyweight explained 25% of the variability in BMD at follow-up in the BMI<19 category, and high physical activity seemed to hinder BMD development. In the BMI>24 category, a difference in time spent outdoors during winter between baseline and follow-up was the single most important factor for BMD levels. Overweight women with periods of amenorrhoea had lower BMD than overweight women without such periods. CONCLUSIONS: Predictors and lifestyle behaviours associated with BMD are likely to be based on women of normal weight. BMI should be considered when advising on physical activity, since high physical activity seems to impair BMD development among underweight young women, possibly due to energy imbalance. Among overweight women, sleep satisfaction is the greatest predictor associated with BMD change and may indicate better bone formation conditions. Energy balance and sleep quality may be prerequisites of bone health and should be considered in prevention.

The aim was to investigate, by means of a salutogenic approach, bone mineral density (BMD) and changes in BMD over a two-year period in a group of women in relation to lifestyle behaviours and to explore their perceptions of these behaviours. The method used was multiple and sequential triangulation. Over the two years, 62% had decreased/unchanged BMD, while 38% had increased their BMD. Self-rated sleep satisfaction explained 3% of the variability in BMD and women who reported greater satisfaction with their sleep were more likely to have a healthier lifestyle. Time spent outdoors may moderate the negative influence of smoking. Women's views on lifestyle behaviours were characterised by a number of interrelated dimensions; motivation, goals, actions and strategies. Women with a relaxed outlook on life had increased BMD while women with a rigid outlook on life had decreased their BMD irrespective of smoking and physical activity. Women with a rigid outlook on life viewed actions such as lifestyle habits as a means to an end while respondents with a relaxed outlook on life, the enacted lifestyle behaviours were a goal in themselves. Motivation and sleep may be salutary factors associated with improved BMD. A tentative bio-psychosocial salutary model of the association between motivation, outlook on life, sleep, lifestyle behaviours and BMD is presented.