Cecilia Olsson

My research is mainly focused on the following research domains: Models and innovations for safe health care and Management of complex health conditions. My research is of importance for patients and their loved ones, with regard to cancer treatment focusing on symptoms clusters, symptoms management, sexuality and support during treatment and rehabilitation and the quality of care near the end of life. In the fields of learning and professional development, I conduct research focusing on the pedagogical model peer learning  for bachelor nursing students’ learning during their clinical placements and in onboarding program of novis nurses. I also examine how contact nurses in cancer care view their professional competence.

I am the principal researcher in a follow-up project to my thesis: Experiences and need of support in issues related to sexuality - a study with patients treated for malignant hematologic diseases (HeMa6). Via diagnosis specific quality registries, data about approximately 260 patients diagnosed and treated between 2016-2018 have been collected. The patients also take part in a survey about how cancer and its treatment have impacted on their sexuality, up to 36 months after the treatment has ended. Manuscript two is submitted to scientific journal. 

SexWebEdNurse A web-based intervention for nurses in cancer care is developed. By using the knowledge from the HeMa6 project as a foundation, as well as the studies from my thesis and the current international findings that state that nurses in cancer care have lacking knowledge of how to inform and give support in issues related to the patients’ (and their partners’) sexuality is the intervention developed.  Data collection started during the autumn of 2022, and inclusion of participant will close autumm 2024. 

Films used in the training intervention:

Introduction to theories and models of sexuality in cancer (in Swedish)

https://kauplay.kau.se/media/t/0_7put02oq

Addressing sexuality with the BETTER-model (in Swedish)  

https://kauplay.kau.se/media/t/0_7pwdzx68

In the research programme Management of symptoms clusters - from theory to practice I am one of four researchers in the steering group. Within the framework of this programme, we have the interdisciplinary project Development of a model for management of symptom clusters during cancer treatment and survivorship – a complex intervention study, which examines the relation between biological markers and the patients’ descriptions of how they experience symptoms. Within the program, there are also ongoing interview studies with patients, with the aim of examining their experiences of simultaneous symptoms, as well as the meaning of and relation between the symptoms of patients with cancer who are given radiotherapy. The aim of the programme is to develop a model for preventing and treating symptoms in patients with cancer, during and after treatment. So far, one PhD-student in Nursing is affiliated to the project.  https://www.kau.se/omvardnad/forskning/forskning-vid-omvardnad/pagaende-forskningsprojekt/relationen-mellan

Together with researchers from Norway and Scotland, I am part of the steering group for an international network running a research program on palliative care, Quality Care Near the End of Life. The programme focuses on the quality of palliative care and it contains three themes: Approaches to the organization of care, Competence in palliative and end of life care and Support for families. Examples of ongoing projects are Families’ preferences and experiences when a family member near the end of life is cared for at home, Implementation and evaluation of the 6S person-centered care model and Person Centered quality care near the end of life during Covid-19.  https://www.kau.se/omvardnad/forskning/forskning-vid-omvardnad/pagaende-forskningsprojekt/arbetsmiljo-och-palliativ

PhD- students in Nursing are affiliated to the programme.

Nurse-led cancer treatment and care is becoming more and more important for strengthening the patents’ position and participation in the care, as well as to meet the patients’ need for health care and support during the rehabilitation phase, in order to return to a normal life. In Sweden, all patients diagnosed with cancer shall be offered a contact nurse. In the project Kontaktsjuksköterska i cancervård – Patienternas och sjuksköterskornas perspektiv, models for contact nurses in cancer care are studied.  I am part of a project that aims to examine and describe professional competences among contact nurses in cancer care, as well as different factors related to the role and function as contact nurse.

I am part of the research project Person-centered information to parents in pediatric oncology. This is a multicentre study, where a complex care intervention have been conducted at two children’s clinics at the University Hospital of Umeå and Skåne University Hospital, regarding support for parents of children with cancer.

Quality of Gynecological Cancer Care, a multiprofessional research group where data (n=1500) have been collected via diagnose specific quality registries for gynecological cancer and the instrument Quality from a patient perspective (QPP) (Kvalitet ur ett patientperspektiv - KUPP). In this project I am principally responsible for the psychometric testing of the instrument adapted for patients who have been treated for ovarian cancer, cervical cancer or vulvar cancer.

Within the field of learning and continual professional development, I am the principal researcher for a project focusing on the pedagogical model peer learning and its usefulness for nursing students’ learning during their clinical placements in Sweden and Norway. I am also principal resarcher for  an onboarding progrm using peer learning for novis registered nurses.

Facing difficult emotions - Pilot study on the effect of affirmative communication for contact nurses in cancer care

This research project investigate the effect of training in validating communication. 

ORCID-id: 0000-0002-0944-5650

I teach courses related to sexuality of people with complex health conditions, symptoms theory and symptoms management, oncological care, palliative care, scientific method and ethics in research. 

Book chapters:

Larsson M. & Olsson C. (2021). Omvårdnad vid cancersjukdom. (Nursing Care in Cancer Diesease, in Swedish). Medförfattare: Ax A-K, Degerfeldt J, Björkhem-Bergman L & Klasson C. In Stubberud, Almås, Grönseth (Red). Klinisk omvårdnad 2, sid. 403-499. Stockholm: Liber.

Olsson C, Henoch I, Ahlberg K  & Larsson M. (2020). Hantering av patienters symtom ur ett omvårdnadsperspektiv.   (Management of patients' symptoms from a nursing perspective, in Swedish). In Stubberud, Almås, Grönseth (Red). Klinisk omvårdnad 1, sid 17-27.  Stockholm: Liber.

Part of Quality Care Near the End of Life (QCNEoL), which is a network of researchers from Sweden, Norway and Scotland. 

Adjunct member of the Swedish Gynecological Cancer Group (SweGCG) https://swegcg.se/medlemmar/

I am a specialist nurse in oncology and I have long experience in working clinically with oncological and palliative care. I graduated with a PhD in 2014, with my thesis Sexuality in patients treated for hematologic malignancies- Problems and the need for support from patients’ and nurses’ perspectives.

I am chair of the Research Ethics Committee at Karlstad University. 

Externally, I am an active member (former chair 2016-2017) of Swedish Society of Cancer Nurses (Sjuksköterskor i cancervård) and The European Oncology Nursing Society (EONS). Both the national and the European organisation are working strategically with questions related to research, education and clinical activities. 

In addition to this, I have also represented The Swedish Associaton of Nurses (Svensk sjuksköterskeförening, SSF) in a group of experts appointed by the government in order to shorten the waiting times in Swedish cancer treatment (2014-2018).

Link to research profile https://www.kau.se/forskare/cecilia-olsson

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0944-5650

Olsson C, (2014). Sexuality in patients treated for hematologic malignancies. Problems and the need for support from patients’ and nurses’ perspectives. Karlstad University. Dissertation 2014:28