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Mellan frihet och struktur - Kuratorers handlingsutrymme i arbetet med anhörigstöd inom hälso- och sjukvården

Flyman, Madeleine LU and Fredriksson, Gabriella LU (2026) SAHS05 20261
School of Social Work
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate healthcare counselors’ experiences of providing psychosocial support for patients’ relatives and next of kin within different somatic healthcare settings, as well as the organisational conditions influencing this work. Furthermore, the study aimed to examine healthcare counselors’ discretion in relation to family support across different healthcare contexts. The study was conducted using a qualitative method, consisting of nine semi-structured interviews with healthcare social workers working within various somatic care settings. The empirical material was analysed through thematic analysis and interpreted using Lipsky’s theory of street-level bureaucracy, together with the concepts of discretion.
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This study aimed to investigate healthcare counselors’ experiences of providing psychosocial support for patients’ relatives and next of kin within different somatic healthcare settings, as well as the organisational conditions influencing this work. Furthermore, the study aimed to examine healthcare counselors’ discretion in relation to family support across different healthcare contexts. The study was conducted using a qualitative method, consisting of nine semi-structured interviews with healthcare social workers working within various somatic care settings. The empirical material was analysed through thematic analysis and interpreted using Lipsky’s theory of street-level bureaucracy, together with the concepts of discretion.
The findings show that healthcare social workers’ practice regarding psychosocial support for relatives varies between healthcare settings and is strongly influenced by organisational conditions such as routines and guidelines, resources, confidentiality, and collaboration. Within palliative care, family support appeared to be more integrated and formalised, whereas support within other somatic healthcare settings was characterised to a greater extent by individual assessments and the social workers’ own initiatives. The study demonstrates that professional discretion both enables flexible and individually adapted support for relatives, while also creating uncertainty and contributing to variations in the support offered to family members. The findings further highlight the importance of providing family support within the specific healthcare context in which the patient receives care, while also showing that the resources available to provide such support vary considerably between healthcare settings. (Less)
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author
Flyman, Madeleine LU and Fredriksson, Gabriella LU
supervisor
organization
course
SAHS05 20261
year
type
H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
subject
keywords
counseling, psychosocial support, relatives, discretion, health care counselor
language
Swedish
id
9230714
date added to LUP
2026-06-05 13:35:39
date last changed
2026-06-05 13:35:39
@misc{9230714,
  abstract     = {{This study aimed to investigate healthcare counselors’ experiences of providing psychosocial support for patients’ relatives and next of kin within different somatic healthcare settings, as well as the organisational conditions influencing this work. Furthermore, the study aimed to examine healthcare counselors’ discretion in relation to family support across different healthcare contexts. The study was conducted using a qualitative method, consisting of nine semi-structured interviews with healthcare social workers working within various somatic care settings. The empirical material was analysed through thematic analysis and interpreted using Lipsky’s theory of street-level bureaucracy, together with the concepts of discretion.
The findings show that healthcare social workers’ practice regarding psychosocial support for relatives varies between healthcare settings and is strongly influenced by organisational conditions such as routines and guidelines, resources, confidentiality, and collaboration. Within palliative care, family support appeared to be more integrated and formalised, whereas support within other somatic healthcare settings was characterised to a greater extent by individual assessments and the social workers’ own initiatives. The study demonstrates that professional discretion both enables flexible and individually adapted support for relatives, while also creating uncertainty and contributing to variations in the support offered to family members. The findings further highlight the importance of providing family support within the specific healthcare context in which the patient receives care, while also showing that the resources available to provide such support vary considerably between healthcare settings.}},
  author       = {{Flyman, Madeleine and Fredriksson, Gabriella}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Mellan frihet och struktur - Kuratorers handlingsutrymme i arbetet med anhörigstöd inom hälso- och sjukvården}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}