Since laboratory tests influence as much as 70% of the medical decisions, errors throughout the blood sampling process may jeopardize the safety of the patient. Research has shown that the pre-analytical phase of the blood sampling process is where the most errors occur. Moreover, this phase is said to be the most influential part of the total testing process, due to maximal involvement of humans. In this study, the pre-analytical errors in the blood sample handling process and their causes were investigated. Therefore, a literature study was performed, and first-hand data was collected through interviews. A total of 8 interviews was conducted in Sweden, Belgium, and the Netherlands. From these interviews, qualitative data was collected and analysed with a thematic approach. The 5 themes that were obtained are: nurse vs. lab technician, sample identification, logistics, location dependency of sample quality, and hospital management. Each theme included multiple observations and conclusions. One specific observation was a lack of communication and knowledge management amongst nurses and lab technicians. To minimize this gap between nurse and lab technician from a knowledge transfer perspective, a conceptual framework was constructed. This framework can be used both from an academic and practical point of view. This research has both academic and practical implications. Within the academic perspective, empirical data is gathered among hospitals in three different countries, which is compared to data found in academic literature. Moreover, with the analysis of the empirics gathered in this study and the framework that is proposed, a contribution is made to knowledge management within hospitals. From a practical perspective, a contribution is made in helping to minimise the pre-analytical errors in their blood sampling process, while giving the hospital a better understanding of the lack of communication and knowledge management amongst their key employees. By strengthening the communication and knowledge transfer, errors can be avoided. This would not only benefit the speed and accuracy of the diagnose process, but also benefit the nurses and lab technicians in workload. / Eftersom laboratorietester påverkar så mycket som 70 % av de medicinska besluten kan fel i blodprovstagningen äventyra patientsäkerheten. Forskning visar att det är i den föranalytiska fasen av blodprovstagningsprocessen som de flesta felen uppstår. Dessutom sägs denna fas vara den mest inflytelserika delen av den totala provtagningsprocessen, på grund av den höga graden av människors inblandning. Denna studie undersökte de föranalytiska felen i blodprovshanteringen och deras orsaker. En litteraturstudien genomfördes, och förstahandsuppgifter samlades in genom intervjuer. Totalt åtta intervjuer genomfördes i Sverige, Belgien och Nederländerna. Från dessa intervjuer samlades kvalitativa data in och analyserades med en tematisk ansats. De fem teman som erhölls var: sjuksköterska jämte laboratorietekniker, providentifiering, logistik, platsberoende provkvalitet och sjukhusledning. Varje tema innehöll flera observationer och slutsatser. En specifik observation var bristen på kommunikation och kunskapshantering mellan sjuksköterskor och laboratorietekniker. För att minimera denna klyfta mellan sjuksköterska och laboratorietekniker ur ett kunskapsöverföringsperspektiv konstruerades en konceptuell ram. Denna ram kan användas både ur akademisk och praktisk synvinkel. Denna forskning har både akademiska och praktiska konsekvenser. Utifrån det akademiska perspektivet samlades empiriska data in bland sjukhus i tre olika länder, som jämförs med data i den existerande litteraturen. Med analysen av den empiri som samlats in i den här studien och det ramverk som föreslås ges dessutom ett bidrag till kunskapshantering inom sjukhus. Ur ett praktiskt perspektiv bidrar detta till att minimera de föranalytiska felen i blodprovstagningsprocessen, samtidigt som sjukhuset får en bättre förståelse för bristen på kommunikation och kunskapshantering bland sina nyckelpersoner. Genom att stärka kommunikationen och kunskapsöverföringen kan fel undvikas. Detta skulle inte bara gynna diagnostikprocessens snabbhet och noggrannhet, utan även avlasta sjuksköterskorna och laboratorieteknikernas arbetsbörda.

Quantity Surveyors are considered as the most qualified cost specialists in the construction industry, with their experiences and skills in cost management and control as well as contract management. However, this role is not well recognized in Sweden compared to other countries such as the UK where it’s originated from. And so, the construction industry in Sweden uses other professions for the roles that were supposed to be done by quantity surveyors or cost managers. As a result, the quantity surveyors that have penetrated the Swedish construction industry, face challenges to perform their duties specifically in this case, cost control due to several circumstances. This study has looked into different contractual challenges that face quantity surveyors while performing cost control in building projects. Also, recommendations have been made to help mitigate these challenges and improve cost control in projects. In this master thesis, qualitative study has been performed where quantity surveyors were interviewed regarding cost control and the contractual challenges, they face in building construction projects. The findings were analysed with a theoretical framework and discussed together with previous research and knowledge and in this study principal – agent theory was used. The results of the study showed that poor planning, late involvement of the quantity surveyors in projects, lack of effective communication and poor contract management are the main challenges that face quantity surveyor in performing cost control in building projects. To overcome these challenges, the author suggests that there is a need of increasing awareness on the importance of having quantity surveyors and clearly establish their roles in projects, have proper communication plan, proper contract management and improve skills on quantity surveying software. / Kvantitetbesiktningsman anses vara de mest kvalificerade kostnadsspecialisterna inom byggbranschen, med sina erfarenheter och färdigheter inom kostnadsstyrning och kontroll samt kontrakthantering. Denna roll är dock inte välkänd i Sverige jämfört med andra länder som Storbritannien där den härstammar från. Och så använder byggbranschen i Sverige andra yrken för de roller som skulle göras av kvantitetsmätare eller kostnadsansvariga. Som ett resultat står de kvantitetsmätare som har trängt igenom den svenska byggbranschen inför utmaningar att utföra sina uppgifter specifikt i detta fall, kostnadskontroll på grund av flera omständigheter. Denna studie har undersökt olika avtalsmässiga utmaningar som möter kvantitetsmätare när de utför kostnadskontroll i byggprojekt. Dessutom har rekommendationer gjorts för att mildra dessa utmaningar och förbättra kostnadskontrollen i projekt. I detta examensarbete har en kvalitativ studie utförts där kvantitetbesiktningsman intervjuades angående kostnadskontroll och de kontraktsmässiga utmaningar som de står inför i byggprojekt. Resultaten analyserades med en teoretisk ram och diskuterades tillsammans med tidigare forskning och kunskap och i denna studie användes princip - agentteori. Resultaten av studien visade att dålig planering, sen involvering av kvantitetsmätarna i projekt, brist på effektiv kommunikation och dålig kontrakthantering är de viktigaste utmaningarna för kvantitetsmätaren när det gäller att utföra kostnadskontroll i byggprojekt. För att övervinna dessa utmaningar föreslår författaren att det finns ett behov av att öka medvetenheten om vikten av att ha kvantitetsmätare och tydligt fastställa sina roller i projekt, ha korrekt kommunikationsplan, korrekt kontrakthantering och förbättra färdigheterna i kvantitetsmätningsprogramvara.

I denna studien har 97 företag på Stockholmsbörsens Large Cap undersökts för de finansiella åren 2016 och 2017. Syftet med studien har varit att förklara sambandet mellan nedskrivning av goodwill och börsvärde för företag på den svenska aktiemarknaden samt att analysera och jämföra studiens resultat med tidigare forskning som utförts på utländska marknader. Det innebär att goodwillnedskrivningens värderelevans har undersökts för att se om företagens börsvärde påverkas när nedskrivning av goodwill görs samt om informationen påverkar investerarens beslut. För att undersöka det har vi utgått från en modell som har tillämpats av andra forskare. Modellen innefattar variablerna börsvärde, eget kapital, resultat före skatt, redovisad goodwill och nedskrivning av goodwill; och information om dessa har inhämtats från företagens årsredovisningar. Undersökningen gjordes med hjälp av en multipel regressionsanalys. Det positiva sambandet mellan börsvärde och eget kapital och resultat före skatt som resultatet påvisade innebar att vi kunde anta att aktiemarknaden i stort är värderelevant. För att undersöka goodwillnedskrivningarnas värderelevans krävdes det att redovisad goodwill var en värderelevant variabel vilket resultatet visade. Ett positivt samband kunde påvisas mellan nedskrivning av goodwill och börsvärde, vilket indikerar att det inte är värderelevant. Detta tyder på att dessa nedskrivningar inte ger investerare någon tillförlitlig information i investeringsbeslut. / In this study 97 companies from Nasdaq Stockholm´s Large Cap has been examined for the financial years 2016 and 2017. The purpose of the study has been to explain the correlation between goodwill impairment loss and market value for companies on the Swedish market and to analyze and compare the study´s results with previous research that has been found on foreign markets. This means that the value relevance of goodwill impairments has been examined to see if the companies´ market value is affected when goodwill impairment loss is made and if the information affects the investors decision. A model previously used by other researchers has been applied to examine this. The model includes the variables market value, book value, pre-tax profit, carrying value of goodwill and goodwill impairment loss; and information about these has been collected from the companies’ annual reports. The study was done using a multiple regression analysis. The positive correlation between market value and the variables of book value and pre-tax profit means that we could assume that the stock market is value relevant. In order to investigate the value relevance of goodwill impairment loss it was required that reported goodwill was a value relevant variable, which the result showed. A positive correlation could be demonstrated between impairment of goodwill and market capitalization, which indicates that it is not value relevant. This indicates that these impairment losses do not give investors any reliable information in investment decisions.

Heart failure is a growing public health problem associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Family support positively affects outcomes for the person with heart failure while also leading to caregiver burden. Registered nurses have a key role in supporting and meeting the needs of family caregivers. The overall aim was to explore the situation and needs of family caregivers to a person with heart failure, and explore requisites and ways of supporting and involving family caregivers in heart failure nursing care. Two interview studies, one web survey study and one intervention study were conducted between 2012 and 2017. A total of 22 family caregivers, eight persons with heart failure and 331 registered nurses participated in the studies. Family caregivers' daily life was characterized by worry, uncertainty and relational incongruence but salutogenic behaviours restored new strength and motivation to care. Family caregivers experienced that their caregiving was taken for granted by health care professionals. Family caregivers expressed a need for a permanent health care contact and more involvement in the planning and implementation of their near one’s health care together with health care professionals. Registered nurses acknowledged family caregivers’ burden, lack of knowledge and relational incongruence. A registered nurse was suggested as a permanent health care contact to improve continuity and security. Registered nurses neither acknowledged family caregivers as a resource nor their need for involvement. Registered nurses working in primary health care centres, in nurse-led heart failure clinics, with district nurse specialization, with education in cardiac nursing care held the most supportive attitudes toward family involvement in heart failure nursing care. Family health conversations via telephone in nurse-led heart failure clinics were found to successfully support and involve families. The conversations enhanced nurse-family relationship and relations within the family. They also provided registered nurses with new, relevant knowledge and understanding about the family as a whole. Family health conversations via telephone were feasible to both families and registered nurses, although fewer and shorter conversations were preferred by registered nurses. This thesis highlights the divergence between family caregivers’ experiences and needs, and registered nurses’ perceptions about family caregivers’ situation and attitudes toward the importance of family involvement. It adds to the knowledge on the importance to acknowledge family caregivers as a resource and to support and involve them in heart failure nursing care. One feasible and successful way is to conduct Family health conversations via telephone in nurse-led heart failure clinics.