Cancer nursing
-
Comparative Study
Health beliefs of women with and without breast cancer seeking genetic cancer risk assessment.
Genetic cancer risk assessment (GCRA) is increasingly being incorporated into clinical care. Planning supportive nursing care for women seeking GCRA requires knowledge of their health beliefs. We described and compared the cancer risk-related beliefs of 134 women with a personal history of breast cancer (affected group) and 80 women without breast cancer who had a family history of the disease (unaffected group), prior to risk assessment, using a mailed survey. ⋯ Significantly more unaffected women believed they were at higher risk for breast cancer than affected women. Both groups expressed desire for, but lacked knowledge of, genetic testing. Nurses are in a prime position to assist women seeking GCRA by providing accurate information and emotional support regarding cancer risk, risk factors, and genetic testing.
-
Comparative Study
Cancer patient and staff ratings of caring behaviors: relationship to level of pain intensity.
This study explored differences in the perceived importance of nursing caring behaviors between patients with cancer pain and oncology nurses and to explore the relationship between level of pain intensity and the importance of various nursing caring behaviors. The study included 50 matched cancer patient-staff pairs from oncology inpatient units of 3 hospitals in northern Taiwan. The Brief Pain Inventory-Chinese version (BPI-C) and the Caring Assessment Report Evaluation Q-sort (CARE-Q) were used for data collection. ⋯ Patient self-reported level of pain interference was significantly positively correlated with the "monitors and follows through" behavior and significantly negatively correlated with the "explains and facilitates" behavior. Staff perception of both a patient's level of pain intensity and pain interference was significantly positively correlated with staff rating of the "being accessible" behavior. Results demonstrated that greater patient-staff communication is needed for staff to more accurately provide caring interventions to make patients with cancer pain feel cared for.
-
Although unlicensed staff have routine contact with patients in pain, little research relates to their role with these patients. The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of unlicensed inpatient hospital staff caring for cancer patients in pain. We sought to understand pain identification and communication practices, describe common practice situations, and identify training needs. ⋯ Unlicensed staff reported performing important functions related to pain, including alerting nursing staff to patients' pain, and providing psychosocial support. Participants shared difficulties of working with patients in pain and expressed interest in education on pain identification and course of illness. Findings provide insight into the role of unlicensed staff, and have implications for the educational preparation of this group as well as the nature of their participation in the care delivery system.