Health personnels´ experience with palliative care quality in Norway and Sweden during the COVID-19 pandemics

– a Norwegian - Swedish multi-center study

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7557/14.8018

Keywords:

Healthcare personnels' perspective, content analysis, quality, palliative care, pandemics, QPP-PC

Abstract

Knowledge of healthcare personnel's experiences with quality in palliative care during the COVID-19 pandemic can contribute to quality improvement. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate healthcare personnel's experiences of palliative care quality by identifying strengths and areas for improvement. This study is part of a Norwegian - Swedish multicenter study (PaQC-C19). In total, 268 participants answered two open-ended questions about strengths and areas for improvement, using the Quality from Patient Perspective instrument for palliative care (QPP-PC). Data was analyzed by qualitative content analysis. The findings showed that healthcare personnel’s endeavor to maintain the palliative care quality during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prerequisites for being able to do this included categories about collaboration, access to resources and support from management. Both strengths and areas for improvement were experienced within these categories. The findings highlighted the importance of systems that support healthcare personnel during pandemics and crises and may be transferred to contexts during ordinary conditions.

Author Biographies

  • Marie Birgitte H. Skrede, Hamar kommune

    Institusjonstjenesten Helse og mestring, allmennsykepleier/fagutvikler

  • Malin Nordhagen, Ringsaker kommune

    Hjemmetjenesten Ringsaker, Brumunddal, allmennsykepleier

  • Marie Dahlen Granrud, University of Inland Norway

    Fakultet for helse- og sosialvitenskap, Institutt for samfunnsvitenskap og veiledning, førsteamanuensis 

  • Vigdis Abrahamsen Grøndahl, Østfold University College

    Fakultet for helse, velferd og organisasjon, Institutt for sykepleie, helse og bioingeniørfag, professor

  • Ann Karin Helgesen, Østfold University College

    Fakultet for helse, velferd og organisasjon, Institutt for sykepleie, helse og bioingeniørfag, professor

  • Carina Bååth, Karlstad University

    Fakulteten för hälsa, natur- och teknikvetenskap, Institutionen för hälsovetenskaper, professor

  • Maria Larsson, Karlstad University

    Fakulteten för hälsa, natur- och teknikvetenskap, Institutionen för hälsovetenskaper, professor

  • Christina Melin Johansson, Mid Sweden University

    Institutionen för hälsovetenskaper, professor

  • Cecilia Olsson, Karlstad University

    Fakulteten för hälsa, natur- och teknikvetenskap, Institutionen för hälsovetenskaper, og Lovisenberg diakonale høgskole, Oslo, Institutt for sykepleie,Institutt for bachelor i sykepleie, professor

  • Maria Tillfors, Karlstad University

    Fakulteten för humaniora och samhällsvetenskap, Institutionen för sociala och psykologiska studier,  professor

  • Jane Österlind, Marie Cederschiöld University

    Institutionen för vårdvetenskap, Docent

  • Tuva Sandsdalen, University of Inland Norway

    Fakultet for helse- og sosialvitenskap, Institutt for sykepleie, førsteamanuensis

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Published

2026-01-09

Issue

Vol. 22 No. 1 (2026)

Section

Peer-reviewed articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Marie Birgitte H. Skrede, Malin Nordhagen, Marie Dahlen Granrud, Vigdis Abrahamsen Grøndahl, Ann Karin Helgesen, Carina Bååth, Maria Larsson, Christina Melin Johansson, Cecilia Olsson, Maria Tillfors, Jane Österlind, Tuva Sandsdalen

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Skrede, M. B. H. ., Nordhagen, M. ., Granrud, M. D. ., Grøndahl, V. A. ., Helgesen, A. K., Bååth, C. ., … Sandsdalen, T. (2026). Health personnels´ experience with palliative care quality in Norway and Sweden during the COVID-19 pandemics: – a Norwegian - Swedish multi-center study. Nordisk Tidsskrift for Helseforskning, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.7557/14.8018

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