• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.153-158
• /
• 2013

This paper reports on part of a large study to identify competencies of oncology nurses in Malaysia. It focuses on oncology nurses' communications-related competency. As an important cancer care team member, oncology nurses need to communicate effectively with cancer patients. Literature shows that poor communication can make patients feel anxious, uncertain and generally not satisfied with their nurses' care. This paper deliberates on the importance of effective communication by oncology nurses in the context of a public hospital. Four focus group discussions were used in this study with 17 oncology/cancer care nurses from Malaysian public hospitals. The main inclusion criterion was that the nurses had to have undergone a post-basic course in oncology, or have work experience as a cancer care nurse. The findings indicated that nurses do communicate with their patients, patients' families and doctors to provide information about the disease, cancer treatment, disease recurrence and side effects. Nurses should have good communication skills in order to build relationships as well as to provide quality services to their patients. The paper concludes by recommending how oncology nursing competencies can be improved.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.9
• /
• pp.5477-5482
• /
• 2013

Background: Communication plays an important role for the well being of patients, families and also health care professionals in cancer care. Conversely, ineffective communication may cause depression, increased anxiety, hopelessness and decreased of quality life for patients, families and also nurses. Objective: This study aimed to explore communication difficulties of pediatric hematology/oncology nurses with patients and their families, as well as their suggestions about communication difficulties. Materials and Methods: It was conducted in a pediatric hematology/oncology hospital in Ankara, Turkey. Qualitative data were collected by focus groups, with 21 pediatric hematology/oncology nursing staff from three groups. Content analysis was used for data analysis. Results: Findings were grouped in three main categories. The first category concerned communication difficulties, assessing problems in responding to questions, ineffective communication and conflicts with the patient's families. The second was about the effects of communication difficulties on nurses and the last main category involved suggestions for empowering nurses with communication difficulties, the theme being related to institutional issues. Conclusions: Nurses experience communication difficulties with children and their families during long hospital stays. Communication difficulties particularly increase during crisis periods, like at the time of first diagnosis, relapse, the terminal stage or on days with special meaning such as holidays. The results obtained indicate that pediatric nurses and the child/family need to be supported, especially during crisis periods. Feeling of empowerment in communication will improve the quality of care by reducing the feelings of exhaustion and incompetence in nurses.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.17
• /
• pp.7321-7326
• /
• 2014

Background: Sexual health and function frequently are overlooked by healthcare professionals despite being identified as an essential aspect of patient care. Patients with cancer have identified sexuality issues as being of equal importance to other quality-of-life issues. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the views and attitudes of oncology nurses caring for cancer patients regarding sexual counseling. Participants and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on the web site of the Turkish Oncology Nurses Association. With the participation of 87 nurses from oncology departments, the study determined that most nurses do not evaluate and counsel patients regarding their sexual problems and many difficulties prevent them from focussing on sexual health. The most important reasons for ignoring sexual counseling were the absence of routine regarding sexual counseling in oncology departments, the belief that the patient may become ashamed and the nurses' self-evaluation that they have insufficient skills and education to counsel in this subject. Conclusions: The most important variables in sexual evaluation and counseling are long years of service in the profession and a postgraduate degree.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.26-35
• /
• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to set the strategy that clinical nurses can efficiently cope with the stress from bereavement care, by examining and analyzing stress factors and coping methods of nurses' bereavement care. Methods: A total of 628 nurses were recruited from four university hospitals, two cancer specialized hospitals, and three public hospitals. Stress was measured using the bereavement care stress measurement tool, and coping was done using the cope with stress scale. Results: The stress level about bereavement care of the nurses working in the cancer unit was significantly higher than the level of the nurses working in the general unit. However, there was no difference of coping level between nurses working in cancer unit and general unit. Conclusions: It is important to ensure the methods that contrive to perform bereavement care efficiently by generating hospice nurses and by activating the system for nurses specialist who perform bereavement care.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.128-137
• /
• 2008

Purpose: To explore and describe the essence of oncology nurses' experiences of counseling with cancer patients. Methods: Qualitative research with a phenomenological study. Participants were 6 oncology nurses who had worked as a clinical nurse specialist or an education-counseling nurse. Data were collected through individual semi-constructed interviews and analyzed with a thematic approach according to Colaizzi's method. Results: Seven themes emerged from the data: harmony of education and counseling, burdening, useless self-blaming, getting more matured, experiencing rewards and meanings, internalized strategies for counseling, and needs for self growth. Conclusion: The study highlights the significant impact of counseling with cancer patients by oncology nurses. Oncology nurses experienced both positive and negative aspects of being involved in cancer care. They stated that they were personally growing and getting maturated with the counseling experience. Sometimes they felt sad when the patient's status was progressed. They learned and internalized counseling skill during the communication with cancer patients. They wanted to learn about the practical course of counseling and communication method and the psychology of cancer patients.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.321-331
• /
• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of customer experience management on nursing service satisfaction of cancer patients and their intent to revisit the hospital and also to identify empathy ability of oncology nurses. Methods: Participants were 376 cancer patients and 190 oncology nurses from a tertiary hospital in Korea. Cancer patients' satisfaction with nursing care and intent to continue using the hospital were measured and empathy of oncology nurses was measured using Empathy Construct Rating Scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ${\chi}^2$ test, t-test, one-way ANOVA and stepwise multiple regression analysis. Results: Patient satisfaction with nursing care and intent to continue using the hospital were higher in patients who received the customer experience management program than those who did not. Oncology nurses' ability to empathize was high. Clinical career, participate in customer experience management and education level together explained 20% of variance in empathy ability of oncology nurses. Conclusion: Findings from this study confirm that customer experience management affects patient satisfaction with nursing service and intent to continue using the hospital. Further research is necessary to reaffirm the empathy ability of the oncology nurses and to identify the related various factors.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.19-29
• /
• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this article was to review and discuss the current status, issues, and nursing perspectives of cancer survivorship. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted. Results: The major areas of concern for the survivors included recurrence, secondary malignancies, and long-term treatment sequalae which affect their quality of life. The four essential components of survivorship are prevention, surveillance, intervention, and coordination. Cancer survivorship care plan should address survivor's long-term care, such as types of cancer, treatment modalities, potential side effects, and recommendations for follow-up. It also needs to include preventive practices, health maintenance and well-being, information on legal protections regarding employment and health insurance, as well as psychosocial services in the community. Survivorship care for cancer patients requires multidisciplinary efforts and team approach. Conclusion: Nurses are uniquely positioned to play a key role in ensuring quality services for cancer survivors and family members. Nurses should review the care plans for cancer survivorship with patients and families by instructing them when to seek medical treatment, promoting any recommended surveillance protocols, and encouraging healthy life styles for health promotion and quality of life.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.12
• /
• pp.4885-4891
• /
• 2014

Background: Successful implementation of pain management procedures and guidelines in an institution depends very much on the acceptance of many levels of healthcare providers. Aim: The main purpose of this study was to determine the level of knowledge and attitudes regarding pain among nurses working in tertiary care in a local setting and the factors that may be associated with this. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional research study used a modified version of the Nurses' Knowledge and Attitudes Survey (NKAS) regarding pain. Basic demographic data were obtained for further correlation with the level of pain knowledge. Results: A total of 566 nurses, 34 male and 532 female, volunteered to participate in this study. The response rate (RR) was 76%, with an overall mean percentage score of $42.7{\pm}10.9$ (range: 5-92.5). The majority of participants were younger nurses below 40 years of age and more than 70% had worked for less than 10 years ($6.6{\pm}4.45$). Up to 92% had never had any formal education in pain management in general. The total mean score of correct answers was $58.6{\pm}9.58$, with oncology nursing staff scoring a higher percentage when compared with nurses from other general and critical care wards ($63.52{\pm}9.27$, p<0.045). Only 2.5% out of all participants obtained a score of 80% or greater. The majority of the oncology nurses achieved the expected competency level (p<0.03). Conclusions: The present findings give further support for the universal concern about poor knowledge and attitudes among nurses' related to the optimal management of pain. The results reflected that neither number of years working nor age influenced the level of knowledge or attitudes of the practising nurses. Oncology nursing staff consistently scored better than the rest of the cohort. This reflects that clinical experience helped to improve attitudes and knowledge concerning better pain management.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.407-418
• /
• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the nurse's role performance and the perception of the importance of role among nurses practicing in a cancer care facility. Methods: A descriptive study design was applied with convenient sampling of 175 nurses working at a cancer care facility in Daegu, Korea. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire from July 1, 2013 to July 5, 2013. Results: Cancer care facility nurse's role performance score was measured on average $3.23{\pm}0.64.$ Oral medication was the most frequently performed role, followed by encouragement, care related to medication, and pain management. The perception of the importance of nurse's role was measured on average $3.31{\pm}0.35$. Care related to medication was regarded as the most important, followed by transfusion, oral medication, and intravenous & intramuscular medication. Nurse's role performance was different according to nurse's age (F=3.21, p=.024) and current practice area (F=3.73, p=.012). The perception of the importance of nurse's role was different only in relation to current practice area (F=6.82, p<.001). Conclusion: Nurses practicing in oncology setting frequently involve encouraging patients and pain management. Training programs designed to facilitate frequently performed and highly regarded nurse's roles are required for nurses practicing in oncology setting.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.441-450
• /
• 2005

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to determine the core nursing interventions in nursing notes and the practice which was perceived by nurses of an oncology unit with patients with terminal cancer. Also, comparing interventions in nursing notes with interventions in perceived practice was done. Method: Subjects were 44 nursing records of patients with terminal cancer who had died from Jan. to Dec. 2002 at C University Hospital and 83 nurses who were working on an oncology unit for more than one year. Data was collected using a Nursing Interventions Classification and analyzed by means of mean and t-test. Results: The most frequent nursing intervention was 'nausea management' in the nursing note and was 'medication administration: oral' in perceived practice. The frequency of nursing interventions in the nursing record was lower than in perceived practice. Conclusion: This study finds that nurses actually practice nursing care, but they may omit records. To correct for omitted nursing records, development of a systematic nursing record system, continuous education and feedback is recommended.