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Karin Hugelius

Position: Senior Lecturer School/office: School of Health Sciences

Email: a2FyaW4uaHVnZWxpdXM7b3J1LnNl

Phone: No number available

Room: P2357

Research subject

Nursing Science

Research environments

Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC)

About Karin Hugelius

Karin Hugelius is a senior university lecturer, associate professor and specialized nurse in anesthesia and ambulance care. Her research is focused on disaster medicine, crises management and prehospital emergency care. Karin teach in disaster medicine, emergency- and prehospital nursing and scientific methodology. She also works as an ambulance nurse.

During the last 20 years, Karin has been deployed by the The Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency (MCF), several UN agencies and the European Union (EU) in many international missions around the world. She is listed as an expert in MSB staff roster, the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism Expert roster and the Swedish Red Cross Delegate roster for disaster response operations.

Karin's research interests covers a broad perspective of emergencies that affects both individuals and the society. Crises management, leadership, mental preparedness and training as well as methods for psychosocial support is areas of special interest.

Karin has been supervisor for several PhD students in different stages of their education. She is the Örebro representative in the national PhD program DISASTER CARE (https://www.gu.se/en/disastermedicine/research-and-education/disaster-care-graduate-school-in-disaster-medicine).

Other assignments:

Nursing SIG officer in the World Association of Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM) 2019-2025.
Swedish National Expert Advisory Group in disaster medicine
Ambulance Health Research network (AHRN).
European Union Civil Protection Expert.
Member of Centrum for Health Crises, Karolinska Institute

Active projects

Completed projects

Research groups

Emergency Medicine

Publications

Articles in journals

Alm, F. , Kurland, L. & Hugelius, K. (2026). Frequent users of the ambulance service in a Swedish region: a retrospective cohort study. Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, 34 (1). [BibTeX]
Slettmyr, A. , Schandl, A. , Arman, M. & Hugelius, K. (2026). Professional altruism in nursing care: A concept clarification study. International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances, 10. [BibTeX]
Andersson, Å. G. , Jackwert, K. , Hugelius, K. & Kurland, L. (2026). What matters most to the patient: a qualitative study of older patients in a geriatric ward. BMC Geriatrics, 26 (1). [BibTeX]
Slettmyr, A. , Schandl, A. , Arman, M. & Hugelius, K. (2025). Fight or flight-intensive care nurses' decisions to resign following the COVID-19 pandemic: a phenomenological hermeneutical study. BMC Nursing, 24 (1). [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. (2025). Trust: an essential component in nursing crisis leadership; a hybrid concept analysis. BMC Nursing, 24 (1). [BibTeX]
Viking, M. , Hugelius, K. , Höglund, E. & Kurland, L. (2025). Workplace violence in the ambulance service from the offender’s perspective: a qualitative study using trial transcripts. BMC Emergency Medicine, 25 (1). [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Murphy, J. & Blomberg, K. (2024). Health problems among disaster responders to the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake: a cross-sectional study. BMC Emergency Medicine, 24 (1). [BibTeX]
Viking, M. , Hugelius, K. , Höglund, E. & Kurland, L. (2024). One year cumulative incidence and risk factors associated with workplace violence within the ambulance service in a Swedish region: a prospective cohort study. BMJ Open, 14 (9). [BibTeX]
Blomberg, K. , Murphy, J. & Hugelius, K. (2024). Self-care strategies used by disaster responders after the 2023 earthquake in Turkey and Syria: a mixed methods study. BMC Emergency Medicine, 24 (1). [BibTeX]
Dahlberg, K. , Jaensson, M. , Nilsson, U. & Hugelius, K. (2024). The Transition Between Surgery and Ward: Patients’ Experiences of Care in a Postoperative Care Unit. Journal of Perianesthesia Nursing, 39 (2), 288-293. [BibTeX]
Westman, A. , Kurland, L. & Hugelius, K. (2024). Valued technical and non-technical skills among disaster responders: a cross sectional study of disaster responders involved in the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria January 2023. BMC Emergency Medicine, 24 (1). [BibTeX]
Blomberg, K. & Hugelius, K. (2023). Health and well-being after being deployed in a major incident; how do Swedish ambulance nurses perceive their health recover process? A qualitative study. BMJ Open, 13 (7). [BibTeX]
Slettmyr, A. , Arman, M. , Andermo, S. , Malmberg, C. , Hällström, Å. , Hugelius, K. & Schandl, A. (2023). Intensive care nurses' lived experience of altruism and sacrifices during the Covid-19 pandemic: A phenomenological study. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 79 (1), 244-253. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Semrau, M. & Holmefur, M. (2023). Use of the HESPER Web to assess perceived needs immediately after multiple disaster events in Fiji. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 17. [BibTeX]
Viking, M. , Hugelius, K. & Kurland, L. (2022). Experiences of exposure to workplace violence among ambulance personnel. International Emergency Nursing, 65. [BibTeX]
Westman, A. , Hugelius, K. , Weinstein, E. & Kurland, L. (2022). Facilitators and barriers for effective staff work in Swedish National governmental crisis response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 17. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. & Kurland, L. (2022). Medical Experiences from a Consular Repatriation and Evacuation Operation from Afghanistan in August 2021: A Field Report. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 37 (1), 139-141. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Rådestad, M. , Al-Dhahir, H. & Kurland, L. (2021). Decision-making by medical officer in charge during major incidents: a qualitative study. Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, 29 (1). [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Edelbring, S. & Blomberg, K. (2021). Prehospital major incident management: how do training and real-life situations relate? A qualitative study. BMJ Open, 11 (9). [BibTeX]
Hodza-Beganovic, R. , Berggren, P. , Hugelius, K. & Edelbring, S. (2021). Survey-based experiential learning as a new approach to strengthening non-technical skills in LMIC health care settings. BMC Medical Education, 21 (1). [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Nandain, C. , Semrau, M. & Holmefur, M. (2021). The Reliability and Feasibility of the HESPER Web to Assess Perceived Needs in a Population Affected by a Humanitarian Emergency. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18 (4). [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Lidberg, J. , Ekh, L. & Örtenwall, P. (2021). Vital and Clinical Signs Gathered Within the First Minutes After a Motorcycle Accident on a Racetrack: an Observational Study. Sports Medicine, 7 (1). [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Johansson, S. & Sjölin, H. (2021). "We Thought We Were Prepared, but We Were Not": Experiences from the Management of the Psychosocial Support Response during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sweden. A Mixed-Methods Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18 (17). [BibTeX]
Nilsson, U. , Jaensson, M. , Hugelius, K. , Arakelian, E. & Dahlberg, K. (2020). A journey to a new stable state-further development of the postoperative recovery concept from day surgical perspective: a qualitative study. BMJ Open, 10 (9). [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. (2020). Consular Crisis Management Operations: Special Considerations and Challenges. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 35 (4), 447-450. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Semrau, M. & Holmefur, M. (2020). HESPER web - development and reliability evaluation of a web-based version of the humanitarian emergency settings perceived needs scale. BMC Public Health, 20 (1). [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Semrau, M. & Holmefur, M. (2020). Perceived Needs Among Asylum Seekers in Sweden: A Mixed Methods Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17 (4). [BibTeX]
Nilsson, U. , Jaensson, M. , Dahlberg, K. & Hugelius, K. (2019). Postoperative recovery after general and regional anesthesia in patients undergoing day surgery: A mixed methods study. Journal of Perianesthesia Nursing, 34 (3), 517-528. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Adolfsson, A. , Örtenwall, P. & Gifford, M. (2017). Being Both Helpers and Victims: Health Professionals' Experiences of Working During a Natural Disaster. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 32 (2), 117-123. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Adolfsson, A. , Gifford, M. & Örtenwall, P. (2017). Facebook Enables Disaster Research Studies: The Use of Social Media to Recruit Participants in a Post-Disaster Setting. PLOS Currents, 9. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Gifford, M. , Örtenwall, P. & Adolfsson, A. (2017). Health among disaster survivors and health professionals after the Haiyan Typhoon: a self-selected Internet-based web survey. International Journal of Emergency Medicine, 10 (1). [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Gifford, M. , Örtenwall, P. & Adolfsson, A. (2016). Disaster Radio for Communication of Vital messages and Health-related Information: Experiences from the Haiyan typhoon, The Philippines. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 10 (4), 591-597. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Gifford, M. , Örtenwall, P. & Adolfsson, A. (2016). "To silence the deafening silence": Survivor's needs and experiences of the impact of disaster radio for their recovery after a natural disaster. International Emergency Nursing, 28, 8-13. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Berg, S. , Westerberg, E. , Gifford, M. & Adolfsson, A. (2014). Swedish ambulance managers descriptions of crisis support for ambulance staff after potentially traumatic events. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 29 (6), 589-592. [BibTeX]

Articles, reviews/surveys

Magnusson, C. , Wahlstedt, N. , Östlundh, L. , Wissendorff Ekdahl, A. , Hugelius, K. & Kurland, L. (2025). Clinical usefulness of tools used for screening and measuring frailty in the ambulance and emergency department in older people: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open, 15 (12). [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. & Harada, N. (2025). What is Disaster Readiness Among Health Care Professionals? A Systematic Integrative Review Study. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 19. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. & Becker, J. (2024). Common Challenges in the Prehospital Management of Mass-Casualty Incidents: A Systematic Integrative Review. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 39 (4), 301-309. [BibTeX]
Westman, A. , Kurland, L. & Hugelius, K. (2024). Non-technical skills needed by medical disaster responders: a scoping review. Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, 32 (1). [BibTeX]
Becker, J. , Kurland, L. , Höglund, E. & Hugelius, K. (2023). Dynamic ambulance relocation: a scoping review. BMJ Open, 13 (12). [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. (2022). Measurement of perceived needs in humanitarian contexts using the HESPER scale: a scoping study with reflections on the collaboration between researchers and humanitarian actors. Conflict and Health, 16 (1). [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Harada, N. & Marutani, M. (2021). Consequences of visiting restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic: An integrative review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 121. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. (2021). Disaster nursing research: A scoping review of the nature, content, and trends of studies published during 2011–2020. International Emergency Nursing, 59. [BibTeX]
Becker, J. & Hugelius, K. (2021). Driving the ambulance: an essential component of emergency medical services. BMC Emergency Medicine, 21 (1). [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Becker, J. & Adolfsson, A. (2020). Five Challenges When Managing Mass Casualty or Disaster Situations: A Review Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17 (9). [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. & Adolfsson, A. (2019). The HOPE model for disaster nursing: A systematic literature review. International Emergency Nursing, 45, 1-9. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Adams, M. & Romo-Murphy, E. (2019). The Power of Radio to Promote Health and Resilience in Natural Disasters: A Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16 (14). [BibTeX]

Books

Hugelius, K. & Tapani, J. (2026). Krishantering i praktiken (2ed.). Lund: Studentlitteratur. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. (2023). Omvårdnad vid katastrofer och särskilda händelser (1ed.). Lund: Studentlitteratur AB. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. & Tapani, J. (2017). Krishantering i praktiken (1ed.). Lund, Sweden: Studentlitteratur AB. [BibTeX]

Collections (editor)

Hugelius, K. (ed.) (2026). Att leda sjukvård vid kriser och särskilda händelser. Lund: Studentlitteratur AB. [BibTeX]

Conference papers

Hugelius, K. (2026). Att leda sjukvård vid kriser. Paper presented at Samverkanskongressen 2026, 25-26 mars, Stockholm. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. (2025). Omvårdnad vid katastrofer och särskilda händelser. Paper presented at Akutsjuksköterskedagarna 2025, Stockholm, 6-7 februari, 2025. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. (2024). Att vårda i katastrofer: Tre utmaningar för sjuksköterskor. Paper presented at VFU + SJUKSKÖTERSKEDAGARNA 2024, Stockholm, 26-27 november, 2024. Stockholm: [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Kako, M. & Gyllenkreutz, L. (2023). How can the health care services better prepare for vulnerable populations in the community?: What is community resilience in a time of climate change?. Paper presented at MIRAI 2.0 R&I Week 2023, Umeå, Sweden, 13-17 November, 2023. Umeå: [BibTeX]
Dahlberg, K. , Sundqvist, A. , Nilsson, U. , Hugelius, K. & Jaensson, M. (2023). Nurse competence and care in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU): Nurse’s and patient’s perspectives. Paper presented at 6th International Conference for Perianaesthesia Nurses - ICPAN, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 20-22 September, 2023. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. & Blomberg, K. (2022). Att leda prehospital sjukvård vid särskild händelser: en utmaning som kräver återhämtning. Paper presented at Flisakongressen[Föreningen för Ledningsansvariga inom Svensk Ambulanssjukvård], Pite Havsbad, Sweden, September 20-22, 2022. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. & Kurland, L. (2022). Passningsuppdrag i Region Örebro län: en analys av befolkningstäckning med fokus på tidskritiska tillstånd. Paper presented at Flisakongressen[Föreningen för Ledningsansvariga inom Svensk Ambulanssjukvård], Pite Havsbad, Sweden, September 20-22, 2022. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. (2019). HESPER Web; A web based survey to assess experienced needs in disasters and humanitarian emergencies. Paper presented at WADEM Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine, Brisbane, Australia, May 7-10, 2019. Brisbane, Australia: World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM). [BibTeX]
Hodza-Beganovic, R. , Berggren, P. , Hugelius, K. & Edelbring, S. (2019). Survey-based experiential learning - means of raising professional awareness in developing countries. In: European Journal of Public Health. Oxford University Press. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. (2019). The HOPE model for disaster nursing: a result from a systematic literature review. Paper presented at WADEM Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine, Brisbane, Australia, May 7-10, 2019. Brisbane, Australia: World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM). [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. (2018). The link between disaster radio and health in disaster affected commmunities. In: World Radio Day, UN Geneva. Paper presented at World Radio Day 2018, Geneva, Switzerland, February 13, 2018. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Adolfsson, A. , Gifford, M. & Örtenwall, P. (2016). Social media can be used to recruit study participants in disaster research. Paper presented at 2nd Global Conference on Emergency Nursing & Trauma Care, Sitges, Spain, 22-24 September, 2016. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Gifford, M. , Örtenwall, P. & Adolfsson, A. (2016). ”The turning point of everything”: Health professionals experiences of working during a natural disaster. Paper presented at 2nd Global Conference on Emergency Nursing & Trauma Care, Sitges, Spain, 22-24 September, 2016. [BibTeX]
Hugelius, K. , Gifford, M. , Örtenwall, P. & Adolfsson, A. (2015). Disaster radio: A tool to meet experienced needs after the Haiyan typhoon. Paper presented at 19th World Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine, Cape Town, South Africa, 21-24 April, 2015. [BibTeX]

Doctoral theses, comprehensive summaries

Hugelius, K. (2017). Disaster response for recovery: survivors experiences, and the use of disaster radio to promote health after natural disasters. (Doctoral dissertation). (Comprehensive summary) Örebro: Örebro university. [BibTeX]

Manuscripts

Westman, A. , Kurland, L. & Hugelius, K. Acquisition of competences for disaster responders : a qualitative study. [BibTeX]