Oncology nurses' perceptions of their supportive care for parents with advanced cancer: challenges and educational needs.

Full Abstract

Despite the emotional impact for children with a parent with advanced cancer, most families receive limited information and support to assist them. A project is underway to determine the acceptability and effectiveness of a supportive and educational intervention for parents with advanced cancer to be delivered by specially trained oncology nurses. To assess the perceptions of oncology nurses about this role, explore potential challenges, and understand their educational needs, oncology nurses were recruited from three metropolitan hospitals to participate in focus groups. This data was supplemented with data from individual interviews conducted with rurally based nurses unable to participate in focus groups held in a metropolitan location. Four focus groups were held, with 24 participants. Individual telephone interviews were conducted with five nurses. Nurses identified the emotional burden of the supportive care role as a key challenge, along with health care systems which were not attuned to the needs of families. Attention to self-care and professional confidence, and access to role-models emerged as key elements required in education, along with information about the impact of parental cancer on children and their developmental stages, and ways to promote more open parental communicate with children.Copyright 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Author information

Author/s: Turner, Jane (J); Clavarino, Alexandra (A); Yates, Patsy (P); Hargraves, Maryanne (M); Connors, Veronica (V); Hausmann, Sue (S);

Affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Queensland, Australia. jane.turner(-atsign-)uq.edu.au

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Psycho-oncology (Psychooncology), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Feb; vol 16 (issue 2) : pp 149-57

Dates: Created 2007/02/13; Completed 2007/05/02; Revised 2007/11/15;

PMID: 17061311, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent
Attitude of Health Personnel
Child
Child of Impaired Parents - psychology
Clinical Competence
Communication
Cost of Illness
Education
Emotions
Focus Groups
Health Services Needs and Demand

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