Only a small proportion of cancer patients undergo radical radiotherapy to the head and neck, but their needs are particularly complex. Although extensive research describes the side-effects of radiotherapy to the head and neck, few studies focus on patients' subjective experiences of eating problems and the impact these have on the patients' daily life. In this study a phenomenological approach was used, as the purpose was to acquire deeper understanding of head and neck cancer patients' lived experiences of eating problems, their consequences in daily life and patients' strategies of coping with these problems. Eight patients from two radiation therapy departments in mid-Sweden were interviewed in an open dialogue. Data analysis was based on Colaizzi's method. Eating problems experienced were captured in two interrelated main themes: "Ability to chew and swallow" and "Will and desire to eat". The eating problems were found to cause a number of severe consequences in daily life. These are incorporated into one main theme: "The way of life is disturbed". Ways to cope with this disturbance were captured in one main theme: "Trying to see the end - To survive". This study identifies the need to view eating problems as a complex phenomenon in a specific context including the individual patient's life situation. The findings create the opportunity to develop nursing interventions based on patients' own needs. To facilitate this, a specialist nurse should be responsible for reviewing patients regularly throughout radiation therapy. Intervention studies are needed to provide optimal clinical guidelines.

The findings also show the need for physicians, managers and intensive care nurses themselves to recognize the burdens intensive care nurses carry and to appreciate their knowledge as an important contribution in decision making.

The study both confirmed previous findings and added new knowledge about factors that may affect pressure ulcer in the trajectory of care. The informants' views of nurses' responsibilities and their attitudes towards the care of pressure ulcers could, along with their views on the organisation of care, increase the understanding of the occurrence of pressure ulcers. The need for development and clarification of the organisation and responsibility of pressure ulcer care in the care trajectory was stressed. Relevance to clinical practice. The study highlighted attitudes and values among registered nurses, as well as to how to preserve their commitment and increase their knowledge concerning prevention of pressure ulcers.

A demand for high quality care has drawn attention to leadership issues. The nurse managing role has changed over the years and become more complex with a high burden of work. Few studies describe the perspective of 'those being lead'. The aim of this study was to describe staff conceptions about nursing leadership on an intensive care unit. Ten members of staff were interviewed and analysed according to a phenomenographical approach, focusing variations in how informants experience nursing leadership and make sense of the world around them. The findings show that nursing leadership was considered to be 'being present and available in daily work', 'supporting everyday practice', 'facilitating professional acknowledgement' and to 'improve care both as individuals and as a team'. Transformational leadership seemed to be suitable to meet the staff perspective. In such leadership communicative skills is a core to work with strong professionals by being present and available.

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