Jane Ege Møller

Introduction: Many countries, including Denmark, are adopting human papillomavirus‐based cervical screening due to its higher sensitivity compared to cytology. However, the sexually transmitted nature of HPV may evoke psychosexual distress. We aimed to explore: (1) women's psychosexual experiences, and (2) factors that shape their experiences and coping strategies in relation to routine cervical cancer screening. Material and Methods: We conducted a qualitative study at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gødstrup Hospital, Denmark from September 2024 to February 2025. We included women aged 30–60 referred to colposcopy due to a high‐risk HPV‐positive screening. Women were excluded if they had a previous history of excisional treatment. We conducted in‐depth semi‐structured interviews. All interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim, after which a thematic analysis was performed using a phenomenological approach. Results: We included 21 women with a median age of 42.5 years (range: 32–55 years). Receiving a high‐risk HPV result by mail left women without immediate support or information, causing feelings of anxiety about cancer risk, confusion about their health and next steps in treatment. The general practitioner (GP) was perceived as a source of reassurance, but was not always easily accessible. Recognizing the impact of HPV as a sexually transmitted virus triggered feelings of guilt, shame, and embarrassment, as well as sensations of uncleanliness and bodily disconnection. The diagnosis also strained relationships and disrupted sexual intimacy. Although the follow‐up gynecological consultation with colposcopy was reassuring, it was experienced as complex due to emotional burdens such as stigma and shame. A sense of needing to simply “comply” also hindered open discussion about the sexual nature of HPV and the expression of personal concerns. Conclusions: Based on a practice theoretical framework, this study shows that women's experiences following a high‐risk HPV diagnosis in the context of cervical screening are not merely individual responses to medical information, but should be understood within a broader psychological, social, and cultural context that shapes how women process and cope with the diagnosis. These findings underscore the need for a holistic approach to patient care that fosters supportive and informative practices for women affected by HPV, coupled with a broader societal effort to reduce stigma and increase public awareness.

Background: Previous studies show ambiguous results concerning quality of palliative care among patients with severe mental disorders, defined as schizophrenia, moderate to severe depression, and bipolar disorders. Aim: To investigate quality in specialist palliative care among Danish patients with pre-existing severe mental disorders using data from the Danish Palliative Database. Design: Danish cohort study linking data from the Danish Palliative Database and hospital medical files. Setting/participants: All adult decedents in 2023 from Central Denmark Region affiliated with specialist palliative care. Hospital records were screened for severe mental disorders. Quality indicators included: Place-of-death, days from referral to death, specialist palliative care waiting time, discussion at multidisciplinary conferences and completion of symptom assessment. Results: Of 1869 patients, 80 (4.3%) had pre-existing severe mental disorders. Compared to patients without mental disorders, these patients died younger and more often from non-cancer conditions. They were less likely to complete symptom assessment (Risk Ratio (RR): 1.49 (95% CI: 1.15;1.95)). Those who also received active psychiatric treatment experienced longer waiting times for specialist palliative care (Mean ratios (MR): 3.48 (95% CI: 1.06;11.39)) and shorter palliative care pathways (MR: 0.44 (95% CI: 0.20;0.96)) than patients without active psychiatric treatment. Conclusion: Danish patients with active severe mental disorders were less likely to complete symptom assessment, had longer waiting times and shorter specialist palliative care pathways. Future efforts should focus on timely access to specialist palliative care and health professionals supporting completion of symptom assessments in this population.

Introduction: During general practice (GP) specialist training, trainees typically complete several hospital rotations to develop specific skills and manage a wide range of medical conditions. Previous research indicates that such rotations can also present challenges, including feelings of isolation and risk of burnout. However, little is known about how GP trainees themselves experience and navigate their learning in hospital settings. Understanding these perspectives is essential for designing supportive postgraduate training environments. This study therefore explored GP trainees’ experiences of hospital rotations in Denmark. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study combining 38 hours of field observations following nine different GP trainees and ten group interviews with a total of 44 participants. Data were analysed using principles of reflexive thematic analysis. Results: GP trainees regarded hospital rotations as essential for developing competencies needed in general practice, yet they also described them as challenging to navigate. Through our analysis, we developed three overarching themes: 1) Finding meaning away from home; 2) Learning in frequent transitions; and 3) Working and learning at the margins. Discussion: Hospital rotations provide valuable learning opportunities, but their educational impact is shaped by how relevance is made explicit and how transitions are supported. For GP trainees, frequent hospital rotations combined with time away from general practice can create a form of double peripherality, making continuity and belonging fragile. Clear framing of learning objectives, structured rotation planning, and accessible peer and supervisor support are key to ensuring educational value and fostering continuity, belonging, and the development of GP professional identity.

This study investigated the perspectives of residents on training in error managing. The research question was: how do residents perceive and experience their training in handling errors in clinical practice?

Workplace-based learning in surgery has developed an inherent focus on competency-based assessment tools and quantifiable skills. Trust is an essential element in the framework of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA). However, trust is difficult to quantify and assess. Procedural variation seen among residents may be influenced by supervisors’ trust in their trainee. The objective of this study was to explore how supervisors base their trust decisions when granting autonomy to surgical residents. A constructivist grounded theory approach was used to guide interviews with specialists in general surgery at different teaching hospitals in Denmark. We recruited and interviewed 19 surgeons, all of whom were specialised within general surgery. In the interviews, the informants articulated four interconnected themes that characterise the elements that supervisors employ when making trust decisions about when to grant autonomy to surgical residents: (1) approach, (2) relational skills and competencies, (3) departmental solidarity, and (4) technical skills and knowing own limits. On the basis of these four categories, we created the acronym ARTS. ARTS may provide a point of departure for critical discourse on the criteria that should inform decisions regarding the granting of autonomy, as well as the essential components that ought to be integrated into assessment frameworks.

During the last three decades, an increased amount of research on errors in health care has been conducted. Studies show that physicians find it challenging to handle errors because of the blame and guilt that errors cause. Communicating with colleagues has been identified as vital for coping with errors and for creating a just culture; however, many physicians do not usually discuss their errors. Knowledge about how junior doctors experience errors is vital to ensure that they both receive emotional support and learn from errors. To capture junior doctors’ perceptions and experiences, we used a qualitative, exploratory design based on virtual focus groups. We conducted seven virtual focus groups with 22 junior doctors from 11 specialties. We defined three main themes: (1) how the junior doctors conceptualized medical errors, (2) how they experienced talk about errors among colleagues, and (3) the context in which this talk took place. The participants experienced errors as challenging elements in their working life; however, they struggled to define it. They described inconsistencies regarding the reasons for discussing errors within the learning environment, with some being experienced as constructive (providing education and support) and some as destructive (involving blame and shame). There was a discrepancy between the wish to normalize error and the lack of sharing between colleagues. Our study shows that error in health care is a complex phenomenon that challenges junior doctors’ navigation in clinical practice. Despite efforts to implement an open and just culture, this has not yet been achieved.

Background: Morning reports are an essential component of physicians’ daily work. Attending morning reports is prioritized by junior doctors as it provides them with an opportunity to learn diagnostic reasoning through discussion of cases. While teaching formats during morning reports have previously been reported, an in-depth analysis of what learning opportunities exist, e.g., how teaching is enacted during morning reports, is lacking. This qualitative study explores learning opportunities during morning reports. Methods: We used an explorative design based on video-recordings of 23 morning reports from two surgical departments, an internal medicine department and an emergency department. We used thematic analysis combined with and inspired by Eraut’s theoretical framework of workplace learning. Results: Both formal and informal learning opportunities were identified. Formal learning opportunities had the character of planned teaching activities, and we identified four themes: (1) modes of teaching, (2) structure, (3) presenter role, and (4) participant involvement. Informal learning, on the other hand, was often implicit and reactive, while deliberate learning opportunities were rare. The data showed many missed opportunities for learning. Conclusion: Both formal and informal learning opportunities are present during morning reports. However, a prevalent focus on medical topics exists, leaving other important aspects of the medical role under-discussed. Pedagogical methods could be employed more optimally, and harnessing the potential of missed opportunities should be encouraged.

Phenomenon: The morning report is one of the longest surviving hospital practices. Most studies of the morning report focus on the effectiveness of formal medical training, while focus on social and communicative aspects is rarer. This study explores the social interactions and communication in morning reports, examining the ways in which they contribute to the construction of professional identity and socialization into the community of the clinical department.Approach: We used a qualitative explorative design with video observations of morning reports. Our data consisted of 43 video-recorded observations (in all, 15.5 hours) from four different hospital departments in Denmark. These were analyzed using the theoretical framework of positioning theory.Findings: A key finding was that each department followed its own individual structure. This order was not articulated as such but played out implictly. Two alternative storylines unfolded in the elements of the morning report: 1) being equal members of the specialty and department, and 2) preserving the hierarchical community and its inherent positions.Insights: The morning report can be seen as playing an important role in community making. It unfolds as a “dance” of repeated elements in a complex collegial space. Within this complexity, the morning report is a space for positioning oneself and others as a collegial “we”, i.e., equal members of a department and specialty, at the same time as “having a place” in a hierarchal community. Thus, morning reports contribute to developing professional identity and socialization into the medical community.