The aim of this observational longitudinal cohort study was to describe relationships over time between degrees of stress of conscience, perceptions of conscience, burnout scores and assessments of person-centred climate and social support among healthcare personnel working in municipal care of older people. This study was performed among registered nurses and nurse assistants (n = 488). Data were collected on two occasions. Results show that perceiving one's conscience as a burden, having feelings of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and noticing disturbing conflicts between co-workers were positively associated with stress of conscience. No significant changes were observed during the year under study, but degrees of stress of conscience and burnout scores were higher than in previous studies, suggesting that downsizing and increased workloads can negatively affect healthcare personnel. Following and expressing one's conscience in one's work, and perceiving social support from superiors are of importance in buffering the effects of stress of conscience.

The Perceptions of Conscience Questionnaire (PCQ) and the Stress of Conscience Questionnaire (SCQ) have previously been developed and validated within the 'Stress of Conscience Study'. The aim was to revalidate these two questionnaires, including two additional, theoretically and empirically significant items, on a sample of healthcare personnel working in direct contact with patients. The sample consisted of 503 healthcare personnel. To test variation and distribution among the answers, descriptive statistics, item analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to examine the underlying factor structure of the questionnaires. Support for adding the new item to the PCQ was found. No support was found for adding the new item to the SCQ. Both questionnaires can be regarded as valid for Swedish settings but can be improved by rephrasing some of the PCQ items and by adding items about private life to the SCQ.

This study shows that associations between perceptions of conscience, stress of conscience and burnout are common experiences that are similar among HCP despite great differences in the characteristics of organisations. It can be burdensome for HCP to be unable to realise their ambitions to provide good care, and sex/gender can be an important factor to consider in the development of measures against the negative effects of stress of conscience. More studies are needed about how HCP's ambition to provide good care and sex/gender are related to perceptions of conscience, stress of conscience and burnout.

Interventions aiming to constructively address stress of conscience are rare. The aim of the study was to compare assessments of stress of conscience, perceptions of conscience, burnout, and social support among health care personnel (HCP) working in municipal residential care of older adults, before and after participation in a participatory action research (PAR) intervention aiming to learn to constructively deal with troubled conscience. Questionnaire data were collected at baseline and at follow-up (1-year interval; n = 29). Descriptive statistics and nonparametric statistical tests were used to make comparisons between baseline and follow-up. HCP gave significantly higher scores to the question, "Are your work achievements appreciated by your immediate superior?" at follow-up compared with baseline. No significant differences in levels of stress of conscience and burnout at follow-up were found. The results suggested that a PAR intervention aiming to learn HCP to deal with their troubled conscience in difficult situations could be partially successful.

This study highlights the need to create a powerful partnership between relatives, care providers and residents to enhance the quality of life for residents. Every single meeting is important and makes a difference for the resident. Care providers might need to support relatives to understand that the last phase of life might be about focusing inwardly and reflecting on one's whole life as a way to end it.

Background Studies points to that levels of stress of conscience and burnout among staff in healthcare contexts may seriously affect their health. Aim To compare assessments and associations of stress of conscience, perceptions of conscience, social support and burnout amongst care providers working in home care respectively residential care for older people. Methods This cross‐sectional descriptive comparative study was performed among all care providers working in home care (n = 227) and residential care of older people (n = 354) in a municipality in northern Sweden. Data was collected using four different questionnaires. Analysis were performed using partial least square regression, descriptive statistics, statistical tests and effect size measures. Results Care providers in residential care of older people assessed higher levels of stress of conscience compared to those working in home care. Exhaustion was an important predictor for belonging to the group of care providers working in residential care of older people. The most important predictor for belonging to the group of care providers working in home care were social support from one's immediate superior and co‐workers. Women assessed significantly higher levels of stress of conscience and exhaustion compared to men. Conclusion Further research seems needed to investigate what the high levels of stress of conscience is caused by. A combined intervention consisting of work‐directed measures against burnout and measures aiming at reducing stress of conscience is suggested.

Thirty-three patients were randomly assigned to two groups to study the analgesic potency, duration of action and side effects of epidural and intramuscular morphine after hip surgery. Two milligrams of preservative-free morphine chloride in 10 ml of normal saline in the epidural space was compared to 10 mg of intramuscularly administered morphine. There was a more rapid onset of action after intramuscular morphine. However, the quality of pain relief was substantially higher and the duration of action markedly longer after epidural morphine. The total dose required in the epidural group was 3.6 mg and in the intramuscular group 41 mg during the 15-h observation period. The side effects of epidural morphine were few and mild, the most embarrassing being urinary retention (20%). Nausea and/or vomiting was less common after epidural morphine (20% versus 55%). Pruritus or respiratory depression which have been reported previously were not encountered. However, it is recommended that preservative-free solution are used to avoid itching and that the patients are monitored, as respiratory depression may occur long after administration of epidural opiate.

Objective The aims of this study among municipal employees in rural areas of northern Sweden were to assess the prevalence of self-rated exhaustion disorder (s-ED), describe plausible between-group differences in self-reported health-related factors among employees with or without s-ED, and identify health-related factors associated with s-ED. Methods In a cross-sectional study, data were collected from 1093 municipal employees (76.1% women) in two rural areas using an instrument measuring s-ED and health variables drawn from the Modern Worklife Questionnaire (MWQ), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the National Board of Health and Welfare’s questions about physical activity. Comparisons were made between an s-ED and a non-s-ED group. Health-related factors associated with s-ED were identified through a logistic regression. Results Self-rated exhaustion disorder was reported by 21.5% of the participants. Health-related factors associated with s-ED were cognitive problems, sleep problems, depressive symptoms, high stress, poor self-rated health, and stomach problems. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of participants who met the criteria of physical activity among s-ED and non-s-ED group. Conclusion Findings from this study suggest that s-ED is more common among municipal employees in rural areas than in other working populations in Sweden. Several health-related factors were associated with s-ED. Regular use of a self-rated instrument in evaluating the organizational and social work environment can identify people at risk of developing exhaustion disorder and requiring long-term sick leave.