73.jpg)
Due to copyright issues, an electronic copy of the thesis must be ordered from the faculty. For the faculty to have time to process the order, the order must be received by the faculty at the latest 2 days before the public defence. Orders received later than 2 days before the defence will not be processed. After the public defence, please address any inquiries regarding the thesis to the candidate.
Trial Lecture – time and place
See Trial Lecture.
Adjudication committee
- First opponent: Professor Faith Gibson, University of Surrey, UK
- Second opponent: Docent Marianne Jarfelt, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
- Third member and chair of the evaluation committee: Professor II Per Olav Vandvik, University of Oslo
Chair of the Defence
Professor Kirsten Bjørklund Holven, University of Oslo
Principal Supervisor
Associate Professor Hanne Cathrine Lie, University of Oslo
Summary
Completing cancer treatment is a major milestone for adolescents and their families —bringing relief, happiness and hope, but also uncertainty and psychosocial challenges. This transition has received limited research attention, and evidence-based interventions for follow-up care is lacking.
This thesis comprises three studies and employ qualitative methods throughout, utilising reflexive thematic analysis inspired by Braun and Clarke to identify patterns in the collected data. Study I explored healthcare professionals’ experiences with transitioning adolescents off cancer treatment. Study II aimed to investigate the transition experiences of adolescents and their parents, focusing on their support and information needs. Study III build on findings from Studies I and II, were we identified needs for clearer information, better preparation, and stronger psychosocial support in the transition phase. To address these gaps, we co-created a nurse-led transition intervention with adolescents, parents, and healthcare professionals.
The intervention included two nurse consultations—one before and one after treatment completion—and a digital meeting with the family’s local network. The nurse-consultations aimed to provide tailored information, emotional support, and strategies for self-management, using tools to help adolescents express their needs. The digital meeting connected the family and hospital staff with key local contacts (e.g., GPs, school nurses, teachers) to ensure continuity of care. The nurse-led transition intervention was tested in a clinical out-patient setting with ten adolescents and their parents and assessed the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention through participant interviews. The increased involvement of nurses in the transition phase, through offering nurse consultations and network meetings, was positively evaluated by all parties involved, without requiring major changes.
Additional information
Contact the research support staff.