Table 1 Quotations about the theme “Illness related concerns”

Cognitive acuity

“There is a need to create a calm, harmonious environment with plenty of time and few distractions” (Physician)

“A clarity in the information given so that they can follow the line of thought and understand” (Physician)

“We have to pick up, we lead them, remind them. It is our duty as nurses to give a bit of structure” (Nurse)

“You simply have to say that it is part of the illness, of the whole illness situation, because you are shocked by everything and you are shocked by how people view you” (Patient)

Functional capacity

“You might have to reconsider. Maybe today the goal is to take a shower and try to do that on your own. Maybe you need to rest before that and not plan anything else” (Nurse)

“That you ask the person how you want to be supported. Do you want healthcare professionals to come and help you, or do you want to try and do it as well as you can on your own?” (Patient)

Physical distress

“To affirm the distress, that you see the symptoms, and that you see that it is hard. To lift it to the surface and not hide it” (Nurse)

“To be safe, and to have the assurance of knowing whom to turn to and not having to wait for hours on the telephone to talk to the healthcare worker. That does not work when you are ill; you want an answer now and not in five hours” (SO)

Psychological distress

“To affirm the feeling that we do not have all the answers. Sometimes shit is shit I used to say. Sometimes it is miserable. Then you must be allowed to say: ‘Yes this is the way it is, so I understand that this is horrible for you.’ You can affirm the feeling, not just finding solutions. Because sometimes, I believe, it can be stressful if we say: ‘No, it is not so bad, we can do this and we can do that.’ Sometimes shit is shit.” (Physician)

“You have to take this very seriously... because you do not say everything directly to the healthcare professionals” (Patient)

Medical uncertainty

“We rumble in, we go through the medicine lists, we examine and we talk. But how are they doing when we have left? That is when they need continuity and recurrent regular information” (Nurse)

“They need conversations, as a help to put words to what concerns them” (Nurse)

“I think it is important that you ask the patient, what do you want to know, what do you reflect on? Sometimes we think we know what the person does not know, but it might be something totally different that they want to talk about” (SO)

Death anxiety

“A lot of information is needed. To have a dialogue concerning what is happening, to make it a process. There is a lot of safety in that they know and that they are prepared, that they know a lot. I believe that understanding and information are very important. Imagination is often worse than reality” (Physician)

“The most common question is: ‘Will I be in pain?’ Then it can be comforting to talk about that there are medications for this” (Nurse)