Oncology nursing forum
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Oncology nursing forum · Jan 1994
Comparative StudyBehavioral adjustment and self-esteem of school-age children of women with breast cancer.
To describe children's psychosocial adjustment to their mother's breast cancer and to compare their level of adjustment with normative data and with the level of adjustment of children of women with fibrocystic breast disease or diabetes. Hypotheses tested were (a) children of women with breast cancer would be most negatively affected and (b) families of mothers with fibrocystic breast disease would require less family adaptation than families of women with breast cancer or diabetes. ⋯ Findings are preliminary in nature, and other explanations for findings must be ruled out. However, if a child's self-appraisal is affected negatively by the mother's illness, it would be appropriate to identify ways to increase emotional and physical exchange with the child and to interpret inaccessibility in ways that protect the child's positive self-appraisal.
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This study investigated the occurrence of chronic sorrow in individuals diagnosed with cancer and explored factors perceived as helpful to those experiencing grief-related feelings. Using the Burke/NCRCS Chronic Sorrow Questionnaire (Affected Individual Version), interviews were conducted with 10 individuals with cancer at least one year postdiagnosis. Interviews were transcribed and coding categories were developed. ⋯ Subjects most often used cognitive or action-oriented coping strategies to deal with their grief-related feelings. Nursing roles identified as particularly helpful to subjects experiencing chronic sorrow were providing an empathetic presence and being a teacher/expert. Nurses need to be aware that individuals living with cancer may experience chronic sorrow, and they need to be prepared to intervene in ways deemed helpful.
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The purpose of this project was to develop a valid and reliable patient-acuity tool for patients undergoing bone marrow transplant (BMT) as part of an overall patient-acuity system. A survey of other cancer centers and a review of the literature revealed no acuity tools that were designed for patients undergoing BMT. A four-level, nursing-diagnosis-based tool was developed with multiple indicators in each level, and its validity and reliability were studied. ⋯ CVIs ranged from 0.4 to 1.0 with an overall CVI of 0.93 for the tool. Interrater reliability using two raters for 79 patients was high (r = 0.94, p < 0.001). Results of the study provide sufficient evidence of validity and reliability to warrant use of the tool, but further study is needed.
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Oncology nursing forum · Jul 1993
Managing cancer pain at home: the decisions and ethical conflicts of patients, family caregivers, and homecare nurses.
The purpose of this paper is to present findings from an exploratory, descriptive study that investigated the experience of managing pain in the home from the perspectives of the patient, the primary family caregiver, and the homecare nurse. In particular, the decisions and ethical conflicts encountered by members of 10 patient-caregiver-nurse triads were studied. ⋯ Subjects also identified other areas that created conflict, such as spiritual/theological issues, when to tell the truth, and interpersonal relationships. Findings illustrate the importance of understanding the beliefs and values that influence individuals' decisions and conflicts, because discrepant perceptions of the pain experience among patients, caregivers, and nurses can interfere with satisfactory management of pain.