1
|
Glawing C, Karlsson I, Kylin C, Nilsson J. Work-related stress, stress reactions and coping strategies in ambulance nurses: A qualitative interview study. J Adv Nurs 2024; 80:538-549. [PMID: 37530409 DOI: 10.1111/jan.15819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
AIM To describe experiences of work-related stress, stress reactions and coping strategies among registered nurses (RNs) in the ambulance service (AS). DESIGN A descriptive and qualitative design. METHODS Participants were recruited from eight different ambulance stations from different geographical locations in central Sweden. Data were collected from 14 RNs during the period from January 2022 to May 2022 using a semi-structured interview guide. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse data using an abductive approach. RESULTS Three categories describe the RNs' experiences; (1) Situations that cause work-related stress, (2) Reactions and feelings that occur and (3) Management of work-related stress. These three main categories included a total of 12 subcategories. Work-related stress was experienced when participants were a part of traumatic events or experienced insufficient cooperation or a disturbing event in the work environment. The different causes lead to different kinds of reactions with feelings of frustration, fear and loneliness being prominent. To manage the work-related stress, RNs used different kinds of strategies and support from colleagues or lack thereof seemed to have a major impact. CONCLUSIONS Findings revealed the importance of having competent colleagues in the AS. Working with a competent colleague can reduce experiences of stress and prevent feelings of loneliness. It is important for the AS to provide stress-reduction support, to promote cooperation and to maintain and develop RNs' professional competence to ensure quality care and patient safety in the AS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carina Glawing
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, Science and Technology, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden
| | - Ingela Karlsson
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, Science and Technology, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden
| | - Camilla Kylin
- Department of Social and Psychological Studies, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden
| | - Jan Nilsson
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, Science and Technology, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden
- Faculty of Social and Health Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Elverum, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Chung H, Hyatt A, Crone E, Milne D, Aranda S, Gough K, Krishnasamy M. Clinical Utility Assessment of a Nursing Checklist Identifying Complex Care Needs Due to Inequities Among Ambulatory Patients With Cancer: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Res Protoc 2023; 12:e48432. [PMID: 37943601 PMCID: PMC10667971 DOI: 10.2196/48432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disparities in cancer incidence, complex care needs, and poor health outcomes are largely driven by structural inequities stemming from social determinants of health. To date, no evidence-based clinical tool has been developed to identify newly diagnosed patients at risk of poorer outcomes. Specialist cancer nurses are well-positioned to ameliorate inequity of opportunity for optimal care, treatment, and outcomes through timely screening, assessment, and intervention. We designed a nursing complexity checklist (the "Checklist") to support these activities, with the ultimate goal of improving equitable experiences and outcomes of care. This study aims to generate evidence regarding the clinical utility of the Checklist. OBJECTIVE The primary objectives of this study are to provide qualitative evidence regarding key aspects of the Checklist's clinical utility (appropriateness, acceptability, and practicability), informed by Smart's multidimensional model of clinical utility. Secondary objectives explore the predictive value of the Checklist and concordance between specific checklist items and patient-reported outcome measures. METHODS This prospective mixed methods case series study will recruit up to 60 newly diagnosed patients with cancer and 10 specialist nurses from a specialist cancer center. Nurses will complete the Checklist with patient participants. Within 2 weeks of Checklist completion, patients will complete 5 patient-reported outcome measures with established psychometric properties that correspond to specific checklist items and an individual semistructured interview to explore Checklist clinical utility. Interviews with nurses will occur 12 and 24 weeks after they first complete a checklist, exploring perceptions of the Checklist's clinical utility including barriers and facilitators to implementation. Data describing planned and unplanned patient service use will be collected from patient follow-up interviews at 12 weeks and the electronic medical record at 24 weeks after Checklist completion. Descriptive statistics will summarize operational, checklist, and electronic medical record data. The predictive value of the Checklist and the relationship between specific checklist items and relevant patient-reported outcome measures will be examined using descriptive statistics, contingency tables, measures of association, and plots as appropriate. Qualitative data will be analyzed using a content analysis approach. RESULTS This study was approved by the institution's ethics committee. The enrollment period commenced in May 2022 and ended in November 2022. In total, 37 patients with cancer and 7 specialist cancer nurses were recruited at this time. Data collection is scheduled for completion at the end of May 2023. CONCLUSIONS This study will evaluate key clinical utility dimensions of a nursing complexity checklist. It will also provide preliminary evidence on its predictive value and information to support its seamless implementation into everyday practice including, but not limited to, possible revisions to the Checklist, instructions, and training for relevant personnel. Future implementation of this Checklist may improve equity of opportunity of access to care for patients with cancer. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/48432.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Holly Chung
- Academic Nursing Unit, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Health Services Research and Implementation Science, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Amelia Hyatt
- Department of Health Services Research and Implementation Science, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Crone
- Academic Nursing Unit, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Donna Milne
- Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Skin and Melanoma Service, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Sanchia Aranda
- Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Karla Gough
- Department of Health Services Research and Implementation Science, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Meinir Krishnasamy
- Academic Nursing Unit, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Alliance, Victoria, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Min Y, Zhu Y, Ye M, Zhu Q, Xu Y, Li X. Life quality improvement of patients with non-small cell lung cancer undergoing targeted therapy: A case study of continuous care. Medicine (Baltimore) 2023; 102:e35678. [PMID: 37932985 PMCID: PMC10627644 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000035678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
To investigate the improvement effect of targeted therapy on non-small cell carcinoma patients life quality after the continuous nursing intervention. 104 non-small cell lung cancer patients in our hospital from July 2017 to November 2019 were allocated evenly and randomly into the control group (C) and the study group (S). By using clinical baseline data, quality of life questionnaire core 30 for cancer patients, evaluation of patient compliance behavior, the MOS item short-form health survey (SF-36), self rating depression scale (SDS), self rating anxiety scale (SAS), Overall Survival (OS) progression-free survival and adverse reaction symptoms were evaluated for the life quality of patients. There was comparability between the 2 sets of basic data. There was no significant difference in quality of life questionnaire core 30, SF-36, SAS, or SDS scores before treatment. After 3 months, there was a significant difference in the scores of various scales before treatment. At the same time, there was significant statistical significance before and after treatment in Group S. Their compliance rates were 84.62% and 98.08%. Adverse reactions incidence in Group S was lower. Taking a 2-year follow-up period as an example, significant statistical differences existed in OS and progression-free survival rates between adenocarcinoma and squamous carcinoma. SDS and SAS had high consistency in scoring with QLQ-30 and SF-36 scales. Targeted treatment for non-small cell carcinoma patients significantly improves their life quality and reduces the incidence of adverse reactions after continuous nursing intervention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yonghua Min
- Department of Thoracic Disease Center, Zhejiang Rongjun Hospital, Nanhu District, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Youcai Zhu
- Department of Thoracic Disease Center, Zhejiang Rongjun Hospital, Nanhu District, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Min Ye
- Department of Thoracic Disease Center, Zhejiang Rongjun Hospital, Nanhu District, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Qinya Zhu
- Department of Thoracic Disease Center, Zhejiang Rongjun Hospital, Nanhu District, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yumei Xu
- Department of Thoracic Disease Center, Zhejiang Rongjun Hospital, Nanhu District, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xiaofeng Li
- Department of Thoracic Disease Center, Zhejiang Rongjun Hospital, Nanhu District, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Sánchez-Muñoz F, Fernández-Medina IM, Granero-Molina J, Suazo-Galdames IC, Nunez-Nagy S, Ventura-Miranda MI, Ruíz-Fernández MD. Experiences in the training of specialist family and community nurses: a qualitative study. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1154084. [PMID: 37213648 PMCID: PMC10192694 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1154084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The specialist Family and Community Nurse Practitioner (FCNP) is a professional who, after a period of training, is qualified to be part of multidisciplinary teams in primary care. The aim of this study was to describe and understand the experiences of nurses during their training process in the specialty of Family and Community Nursing in Spain. Methods A descriptive qualitative study was carried out. Participants were recruited by means of convenience sampling from January to April 2022. Sixteen specialist nurses in Family and Community Nursing from different autonomous communities in Spain participated in the study. Twelve individual interviews and one focus group were conducted. Data were analyzed following a thematic analysis method in ATLAS.ti 9. Results The results showed two themes and six subthemes: (1) Residency period, more than a training: (a) Training during the residency period; (b) Specializing through a constant struggle; (c) Moderate optimism about the future of the specialty; and (2) A journey from illusion to disappointment: (a) Beginning of the residency: feeling special; (b) During the residency: between satisfaction and misunderstanding; (c) At the end of the residency: power and frustration. Conclusions The residency period is important in the training and acquisition of competencies for the Family and Community Nurse Practitioner. Improvements are needed to ensure quality training during residency and to help give visibility to the specialty.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Isabel María Fernández-Medina
- Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, University of Almería, Almería, Spain
- *Correspondence: Isabel María Fernández-Medina
| | - José Granero-Molina
- Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, University of Almería, Almería, Spain
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Temuco, Chile
| | | | - Susana Nunez-Nagy
- Department of Physiotherapy, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Fenlon D, Maishman T, Day L, Nuttall J, May C, Ellis M, Raftery J, Turner L, Fields J, Griffiths G, Hunter MS. Effectiveness of nurse-led group CBT for hot flushes and night sweats in women with breast cancer: Results of the MENOS4 randomised controlled trial. Psychooncology 2020; 29:1514-1523. [PMID: 32458473 PMCID: PMC7590063 DOI: 10.1002/pon.5432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Troublesome hot flushes and night sweats (HFNS) are experienced by many women after treatment for breast cancer, impacting significantly on sleep and quality of life. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is known to be effective for the alleviation of HFNS. However, it is not known if it can effectively be delivered by specialist nurses. We investigated whether group CBT, delivered by breast care nurses (BCNs), can reduce the impact of HFNS. METHODS We recruited women with primary breast cancer following primary treatment with seven or more HFNS/week (including 4/10 or above on the HFNS problem rating scale), from six UK hospitals to an open, randomised, phase 3 effectiveness trial. Participants were randomised to Group CBT or usual care (UC). The primary endpoint was HFNS problem rating at 26 weeks after randomisation. Secondary outcomes included sleep, depression, anxiety and quality of life. RESULTS Between 2017 and 2018, 130 participants were recruited (CBT:63, control:67). We found a 46% (6.9-3.7) reduction in the mean HFNS problem rating score from randomisation to 26 weeks in the CBT arm and a 15% (6.5-5.5) reduction in the UC arm (adjusted mean difference -1.96, CI -3.68 to -0.23, P = .039). Secondary outcomes, including frequency of HFNS, sleep, anxiety and depression all improved significantly. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that specialist nurses can be trained to deliver CBT effectively to alleviate troublesome menopausal hot flushes in women following breast cancer in the NHS setting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Fenlon
- Department Nursing, College of Human and Health SciencesSwansea UniversitySwanseaUK
| | - Tom Maishman
- Southampton Clinical Trials UnitUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - Laura Day
- Department of Health Services Research and PolicyLondon School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineLondonUK
| | | | - Carl May
- Department of Health Services Research and PolicyLondon School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineLondonUK
| | - Mary Ellis
- Southampton Clinical Trials UnitUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - James Raftery
- Primary Care and Population SciencesUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - Lesley Turner
- Southampton Clinical Trials UnitUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - Jo Fields
- Ladybird UnitPoole Hospital NHS TrustPooleUK
| | - Gareth Griffiths
- Southampton Clinical Trials UnitUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - Myra S. Hunter
- Department of PsychologyInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College LondonLondonUK
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Antaki C, Bloch S. Advising without personalising: how a helpline may satisfy callers without giving medical advice beyond its remit. Sociol Health Illn 2020; 42:1202-1219. [PMID: 32304241 DOI: 10.1111/1467-9566.13088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Callers to telephone helplines often seek advice beyond the authorisation of those staffing the service. On health helplines, this poses a problem to the call-taker. How do they manage the dilemma between, on the one hand, exceeding their competence and authority to give medical advice, and, on the other, leaving the caller unsatisfied with the service? We offer a framework in which to set newly identified practices along with those identified in previous studies. Using a set of calls to a medical helpline run by Parkinson's United Kingdom, we show that the call-taker manages the problem by (i) only suggesting courses of action highly marked for impersonality or contingency (displaying a 'low deontic stance', Stevanovic and Peräkylä 2012), and (ii) limiting the interactional risks of tailoring the advice to callers' personal circumstances. We show how our suggested framework of 'advising without personalising' may guide research into the difficult job of delivering advice where the service provider must observe a limit on what they can say.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charles Antaki
- School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
| | - Steven Bloch
- Department of Language and Cognition, University College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
García-Goñi M. Specializing Nurses as An Indirect Education Program for Stoma Patients. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2019; 16:E2272. [PMID: 31252585 PMCID: PMC6651232 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16132272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Education programs are beneficial for patients with different chronic conditions. Prior studies have examined direct education, where information is transferred directly to patients. In contrast, in this program, information is transferred directly to nurses who become specialists and transfer education individually to patients. Hence, this paper evaluates the impact of having specialist nurses for stoma patients at hospitals, as those nurses provide healthcare to patients but also inform and educate patients about their condition and needs. The analysis uses an observational study with ostomized patients in Spain at hospitals with and without specialist nurses, and measures health service utilization and health-related quality of life (HRQL), besides performing a cost analysis and a cost-effectiveness analysis at both types of hospitals. The results show that patients with access to specialist nurses self-manage better, present lower adverse events and a better evolution of HRQL, and significantly demand more consultations with specialist nurses and less to A&E, primary care or specialists, resulting in important savings for the health system. Consequently, specializing or hiring nurses to provide indirect education to stoma patients is cost-effective and highly beneficial for patients. This type of indirect education strategy might be considered for specific conditions with low incidence or difficulties in identifying target patients or delivering information directly to them.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manuel García-Goñi
- Department of Applied & Structural Economics and History, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Campus de Somosaguas, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Lin JX, Chen XW, Chen ZH, Huang XY, Yang JJ, Xing YF, Yin LH, Li X, Wu XY. A multidisciplinary team approach for nutritional interventions conducted by specialist nurses in patients with advanced colorectal cancer undergoing chemotherapy: A clinical trial. Medicine (Baltimore) 2017; 96:e7373. [PMID: 28658162 PMCID: PMC5500084 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000007373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Nutritional interventions for malnutrition in cancer patients can be helpful. However, concise intervention recommendations remain controversial. Thus, the aim of this study was to report on a nutrition intervention conducted by a multidisciplinary team of specialist nurses and to explore the effect of nutritional intervention on cancer patients. METHODS This prospective clinical trial study enrolled 110 colorectal cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. The patients were evaluated upon admission using the 2002 Nutritional Risk Screening system (NRS-2002). The patients were randomly divided into intervention and control groups including 55 patients each. Patients in the control group were administered a normal diet, while those in the intervention group received individual recipes developed by a team of professional nurses, clinical doctors, dietitian, family caregivers, and the patients themselves. Patient weight and serum albumin and prealbumin levels were compared between the 2 groups at different time points. RESULTS There was a significant difference in patient weight and serum albumin and prealbumin levels before and after nutrition intervention in the intervention group (P < .05). In the control group, weight did not change during ordinary diet guidance. Serum albumin level was slightly improved after 12 cycles of chemotherapy, similar to the prealbumin results. There were statistically significant differences in serum albumin and prealbumin levels between the intervention and control groups after nutrition intervention (P < .05). However, there was no statistically significant difference in weight between the groups after nutrition intervention (P > .05). CONCLUSION A multidisciplinary team approach for nutrition intervention conducted by specialist nurses improved prealbumin levels in colorectal cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, with no weight change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Xiang Lin
- Department of Medical Oncology and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University
| | - Xiang-Wei Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University
| | - Zhan-Hong Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University
| | - Xiu-Yan Huang
- Department of Medical Oncology and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University
| | - Jin-Jie Yang
- Department of Medical Oncology and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University
| | - Yan-Fang Xing
- Department of Nephrology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University
| | - Liang-Hong Yin
- Department of Nephrology, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xing Li
- Department of Medical Oncology and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University
| | - Xiang-Yuan Wu
- Department of Medical Oncology and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Salander P, Isaksson J, Granström B, Laurell G. Motives that head and neck cancer patients have for contacting a specialist nurse - an empirical study. J Clin Nurs 2016; 25:3160-3166. [PMID: 27301274 DOI: 10.1111/jocn.13283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study is to systematically explore the motives for patients with head and neck cancer to contact a specialist nurse during two years postdiagnosis. BACKGROUND Research focusing on the role of specialist nurses in cancer care almost exclusively concern cancers other than head and neck cancer. DESIGN Qualitative, descriptive study based on the contacts between patients with head and neck cancer and a specialist nurse. METHODS Patients were invited to contact a specialist nurse by telephone. The specialist nurse took systematic field notes, that is, she registered who contacted her, the nature of the call and the outcome. Sixty patients were included. RESULTS In descending order, the motives for contact were questions about practical and uncomplicated matters, consultations about medical troubles/worries, presenting a report of the patient's situation, requests for additional information about the treatment plan and requests for medical information. The pattern of the patients' motivations for calling was not related to medical or social factors, suggesting that the initiative to make contact is very much a question of the complexity of individual life circumstances. Very few referrals were sent from the specialist nurse to other professionals. CONCLUSIONS The specialist nurse turned out to be more than just a coordinator of health-care resources. The findings bring up questions about the potential of the nurse's function as a coordinator, but also as a potential attachment figure, and questions about the nurse's relationships to other professionals. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE When implementing a specialist nurse function, it is important to decide whether the function should be inspired by a broader relational perspective. In addition to the indispensible competence and experience in the clinical field of head and neck cancer, training in counselling and acquaintance with object-relational psychology will then be desirable.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pär Salander
- Department of Social Work, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
| | | | - Brith Granström
- Department of Clinical Sciences/Otorhinolaryngology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Göran Laurell
- Department of Surgical Sciences - Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
King AJL, Evans M, Moore THM, Paterson C, Sharp D, Persad R, Huntley AL. Prostate cancer and supportive care: a systematic review and qualitative synthesis of men's experiences and unmet needs. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) 2015; 24:618-34. [PMID: 25630851 PMCID: PMC5024073 DOI: 10.1111/ecc.12286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide, accounting for an estimated 1.1 million new cases diagnosed in 2012 (www.globocan.iarc.fr). Currently, there is a lack of specific guidance on supportive care for men with prostate cancer. This article describes a qualitative systematic review and synthesis examining men's experience of and need for supportive care. Seven databases were searched; 20 journal articles were identified and critically appraised. A thematic synthesis was conducted in which descriptive themes were drawn out of the data. These were peer support, support from partner, online support, cancer specialist nurse support, self‐care, communication with health professionals, unmet needs (emotional support, information needs, support for treatment‐induced side effects of incontinence and erectile dysfunction) and men's suggestions for improved delivery of supportive care. This was followed by the development of overarching analytic themes which were: uncertainty, reframing, and the timing of receiving treatment, information and support. Our results show that the most valued form of support men experienced following diagnosis was one‐to‐one peer support and support from partners. This review highlights the need for improved access to cancer specialist nurses throughout the care pathway, individually tailored supportive care and psychosexual support for treatment side effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A J L King
- Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - M Evans
- Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - T H M Moore
- Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - C Paterson
- Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - D Sharp
- Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - R Persad
- Urology, Bristol Urological Institute Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK
| | - A L Huntley
- Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| |
Collapse
|