Photo of Gunilla Flankegård

Gunilla Flankegård

Urotherapist and registered nurse with a PhD from Linköping University. Research active in child- and family centred care.

My field of research at Linköping University is child‑ and family‑centred care. My 2026 thesis focuses on constipation in children. The dissertation consists mainly of qualitative interview studies with children and parents, as well as the evaluation and development of different treatment approaches for constipation care. The research area is closely connected to my part‑time clinical work within Region Östergötland as a urotherapist in paediatric care. I also work part‑time as a lecturer and course coordinator for the urotherapy programme at the University of Gothenburg.

About me

CV

  • 2026 PhD in Medical Science, LiU
  • 2022 Licentiate of Medical Science, LiU
  • 2016 Master of Medical Science in Nursing, LiU
  • 2011 Bowel Therapist; MAU
  • 2008 Certified Urotherapist, GU
  • 2001 Bachelor of Science in Nursing, LiU

Teaching Assignments

  • Course leader for the 40 credit Urotherapy Programme at the University of Gothenburg since 2022.
  • Lecturer at Linköping University on children's bladder and bowel problems within the Incontinence Course and the District Nurse Programme.
  • Lecturer at Jönköping University on children's bladder and bowel problems within the Paediatric Nurse Programme and the District Nurse Programme.
  • Assistant supervisor for a doctoral student at HMV, LiU.

Network

  • Research group for Child- and Family Centred Care, Linköping University
  • Network for Nurses Conducting Research with Children
  • Swedish Enuresis Academy (board member)
  • UTF – Urotherapeutic Nordic Association (member of the education committee)

Publications

2026

Gunilla Flankegård, Patrik Rytterström, Berit Gustafsson, Evalotte Mörelius (2026) Children's experiences of functional constipation: A qualitative reflexive thematic analysis International Journal of Nursing Studies, Vol. 174, Article 105302 (Article in journal) Continue to DOI
Gunilla Flankegård (2026) Childhood Functional Constipation: Clinical outcomes and lived experiences of Children and their Families

2025

Gunilla Flankegård, Peter Wide, Evalotte Mörelius (2025) The outcomes of a structured bowel management programme on childhood functional constipation: a retrospective pre - post intervention study Journal of Pediatric Nursing: Nursing Care of Children and Families, Vol. 84, p. 294-301 (Article in journal) Continue to DOI

2022

Gunilla Flankegård (2022) Childhood functional constipation: Parents' everyday life experiences
Gunilla Flankegård, Evalotte Mörelius, Patrik Rytterström (2022) Everyday life with childhood functional constipation: A qualitative phenomenological study of parents' experiences Journal of Pediatric Nursing: Nursing Care of Children and Families, Vol. 67, p. E165-E171 (Article in journal) Continue to DOI

Research

  • Different perspectives on childhood constipation and its treatments
  • Child- and family centred care
  • Support needs of siblings of children and young people with long-term