European journal of oncology nursing : the official journal of European Oncology Nursing Society
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Comparative Study
Performance of the Swedish version of the Revised Piper Fatigue Scale.
The Revised Piper Fatigue scale is one of the most widely used instruments internationally to assess cancer-related fatigue. The aim of the present study was to evaluate selected psychometric properties of a Swedish version of the RPFS (SPFS). ⋯ The new Swedish version of the RPFS showed good acceptability, reliability and convergent and- discriminant item-scale validity. Our results converge with other international versions of the RPFS in failing to support the four-dimension conceptual model of the instrument. Hence, RPFS suitability for use in international comparisons may be limited which also may have implications for cross-cultural validity of the newly released 12-item version of the RPFS. Further research on the Swedish version should address reasons for high missing rates for certain items in the subscale of affective meaning, further evaluation of the discriminative validity and assessment of its sensitivity in detecting changes over time.
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Comparative Study
It's time for updating primary nursing in pediatric oncology care: qualitative study highlighting the perceptions of nurses, physicians and parents.
The aim of the study was to describe nurses', physicians' and parents' perceptions of primary nursing as a working model in a paediatric oncology care setting. ⋯ Perceptions related to primary nursing as a working model were revealed to be confusing by nature from the point of view of all involved. Thus, clarification is needed in the role of primary nurses and the process of primary nursing in order to gain expected family and organisational outcomes.
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Comparative Study
Differences in morning and evening fatigue in oncology patients and their family caregivers.
To identify distinct latent classes of individuals based on ratings of morning and evening fatigue; evaluate for differences in phenotypic characteristics, as well as symptom and quality of life scores, among these latent classes; and evaluate for an overlap in morning and evening fatigue class membership. ⋯ Different characteristics were associated with morning and evening fatigue, which suggests that morning and evening fatigue may be distinct but related symptoms. Additional research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms that may underlie diurnal variability in fatigue.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
A caregiver educational program improves quality of life and burden for cancer patients and their caregivers: a randomised clinical trial.
The French setting, including laws and guidelines, advocates greater involvement of informal caregivers in the care of cancer patients to protect the caregivers from depression, distress, and a decrease in their quality of life. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a caregiver educational programme by measuring two outcomes: patients' and caregivers' quality of life and caregivers' burden. ⋯ An educational programme for caregivers encourages the involvement of patients, informal caregivers and health-care providers in a triangular relationship which enhances the quality of life of patients and caregivers alike and decreases caregivers' burden. Care organisation should therefore be rethought as a triangular relationship between patients, caregivers and health-care providers, with nurses as the mainstay.
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To describe self-reported psychosocial wellbeing of adolescent childhood cancer survivors (CCS) compared with a control group of their peers. ⋯ Following a diagnosis of childhood cancer, intensive therapy, and the subsequent risk of adverse health outcomes, one might expect CCS to be doing less well than their peers in terms of psychosocial wellbeing. The findings of this study, however, show that CCS are doing as well, and in some respects better, than their peers.