摘要:

The study’s purpose was to describe the relations among self-esteem, learned resourcefulness, and social support, and to show how they predict health-related quality of life (HRQL) for long-term survivors of cancer. With advances in oncology and increased survival, variables influencing the HRQL of long-term survivors of cancer must be explored. The design was descriptive and correlational. Five instruments were sent to 456 long-term survivors in southern California. Data were analyzed for 62 of 111 consenting individuals, most of whom were married, retired, white, college-educated, female survivors of breast cancer older than 60 years of age treated by radiation and surgery. Subjects with higher self-esteem reported higher HRQL (r= 0.69;p= 0.00). Learned resourcefulness had a significant negative relation with HRQL (r= −0.32;p= 0.01). Social support was operationalized as functional components, network properties, and recent loss. Only the loss component of social support had a significant negative relation with HRQL (r= −0.38;p= 0.00). Together, the three variables explained more than half of the variance (R2= 0.53) of HRQL, with self-esteem being the strongest predictor. The HRQL of long-term survivors of cancer may increase with interventions such as both survivor-and nurse-led support groups aimed at supporting and improving self-esteem. In addition, education to anticipate social support losses may further enhance HRQL.

ISSN:0162-220X    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Quality of life (QOL) as an outcome for cancer treatment has been studied primarily in urban populations. Yet, descriptions of rural dwellers suggest that their perception of QOL may differ from that of their urban counterparts. The purpose of this study was to examine QOL in people with a cancer diagnosis of at least 1 month duration in two similar rural northeastern states. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy General (FACT G) scale was completed by 344 respondents. The mean QOL score was 89.41 ± 16.55. State of residence, gender, known recurrence, and marital status were significant predictors of QOL, explaining 18.3% of the variance in this study. Age, education level, income, type of cancer, living arrangements, and time since diagnosis were not predictive. The QOL scores in this rural sample were higher than those reported earlier for predominantly urban dwellers. Future research is needed to understand these differences.

ISSN:0162-220X    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

The purpose of this study was to identify and delineate what experienced hospice nurses perceive as the knowledge and skills base essential to their practice of hospice nursing as a specialty. Little of this specialty is taught in basic nursing programs, so another purpose was to determine the methods hospice nurses use for knowledge and skills acquisition. The qualitative study method of focused ethnography was used. This method allowed the researcher to examine hospice nurses in the context of their own community-based agency, enter the research arena with specific questions, describe the topic from the viewpoint of the participants, use multiple data sources, and begin data analysis concurrently with data collection, which continued until saturation was reached. During data analysis, 11 categories emerged. Four of these categories involved skills: (a) assessment skills, (b) communication skills, (c) technical skills, and (d) management skills; and seven categories primarily involved knowledge: (a) end-stage disease process, (b) signs of impending death, (c) palliative therapeutics, (d) collaboration between disciplines, (e) advocacy, (f) philosophy and ethics of hospice care, and (g) family dynamics. Of these 11 categories, the one discussed and observed most often was that of assessment skills. It was found that the hospice nurses learned their specialty by doing it. However, the need for graduate education in hospice nursing became apparent.

ISSN:0162-220X    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:0162-220X    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

The purpose of this study was to describe the content of caregivers’ (health care professionals’) presentation of care situations as told at supervision sessions. For 1 year, 21 caregivers in a surgical ward of a county hospital in the middle of Sweden participated in a clinical supervision session 2 hours every third week. The participants in the supervision sessions were divided so as to form three mixed groups composed of registered nurses, practical nurses, physiotherapists, and physicians. The purpose of the supervision sessions was to give caregivers the opportunity to reflect on different care situations in a way that contributed to the development of patient care. The 38 supervision sessions were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis. The caregivers described difficult care situations focusing on the feelings of patients, relatives, and caregivers, with an emphasis on the caregivers’ being dominant. Difficult care situations were described as giving caregivers feelings of discomfort, powerlessness, and reduced self-esteem. These feelings were described as arising in connection with caring for women with advanced breast cancer and other seriously ill patients in an organization lacking clear goals and rules. This study found that supervision sessions offering an opportunity to reflect on the difficult care situations are important for caregivers. These sessions seem therefore to be of vital importance for the future development of cancer care on the surgical ward.

ISSN:0162-220X    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Survival after breast cancer and after all cancers is significantly worse for African American women than for others. Although many reasons have been proposed, no studies have explored the reception of messages about breast cancer by African American survivors of this disease, and how public images and discourses about breast cancer affects both their perceived risk for this disease and their experiences of illness. Narrative accounts of their lived experiences with breast cancer were collected from 23 African American survivors of breast cancer. Three themes have emerged: (a) Breast cancer is perceived to be a white woman’s disease; (b) cancer is caused by experiences of repeated traumatic heartbreak; and finally, (c) there is a perceived lack of social support and understanding for the unique life experiences of the African American survivor of breast cancer. Nurses are on the front line of patient care. In the context of the managed care environment, they spend more time with patients than other health care providers and are soundboards for many patient concerns. As such, they can use the information provided in this study to inform high-risk women, current patients, partners, and other individuals in the medical community of how African American women might inaccurately access their personal risks for breast cancer, despite the public emphasis on this disease. Through the use of culturally sensitive pamphlets, nurses and other medical practitioners can also open discussions with underserved and minority patients as a means of realistically addressing some of these women’s fears about breast cancer. These fears are barriers to effective cancer prevention because these individuals may consciously or unconsciously link a diagnosis of breast cancer, or even behaviors related to cancer prevention, to a potential death sentence.

ISSN:0162-220X    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:0162-220X    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

The Breast Cancer Distance Education Program is the first tertiary-based education program for specialist breast care nurses in Australia. The program covers current treatment options, psychosocial issues, and professional development issues relating to breast cancer nursing. For the first two student intakes (n= 53), precourse, postcourse, and 3-month follow-up surveys were conducted to assess the perceived value of the course, identify any limitations, and note changes in practice that arose. Before taking the course, most of the students had experience in breast cancer nursing, but lacked confidence and hoped to learn more about responding effectively to psychosocial issues through communication, counseling, and provision of support to patients and their carers. After taking the course, the students were very positive about the course content, resources, and teaching support. They reported learning new skills for addressing psychosocial issues and symptom management arising from a diagnosis of breast cancer, stating a desire to implement these new skills. Comparison between results from the three surveys indicated that students’ confidence in providing breast cancer support increased significantly in most areas of practice, and was maintained at 3-month follow-up survey. Results suggest that students met the course objectives successfully, and in most cases subsequently translated their knowledge into improved practice.

ISSN:0162-220X    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

This in-depth, qualitative pilot study explored the impact of breast cancer on specific dimensions of the relationships and roles of women. It included interaction within the partner relationship as well as with family, friends, and colleagues. Data were obtained by individual and group interviews from 10 women with a diagnosis of breast cancer and 5 male partners. Both partnered and single women participated. There were four major findings seldom discussed in the literature, which have important implications for preventive intervention. First, partner relationships troubled before the diagnosis as well as those characterized by mutual caring faced challenges and negative changes. Second, in an effort to protect each other, communication within the partner dyad became less open, and there were changes in the usual manner of conflict resolution. Third, unpartnered women appeared to be more vulnerable to problems of negative adjustment, largely because of relationship issues. Fourth, participants confirmed the need for a comprehensive intervention to facilitate coping with issues relative to relationships, intimacy, and sexuality. Although the sample was small, in-depth data were obtained that provide a basis for specific areas in which further empirical investigation is needed, and they indicate that preventive intervention may well be warranted.

ISSN:0162-220X    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Research has indicated that information and social support may have helped children and adolescents with cancer to cope with their illness and lead normal lives. However, recent researchers have reported that youths with cancer express a clear interest in receiving more information and social support. This study reviewed research on information and social support for children and adolescents with cancer to understand their needs. Young patients with cancer showed high uncertainty about cancer. Besides, adolescents with cancer were more in conflict with their parents than healthy youths. Discussions on future plans or death are difficult for young people with cancer. They also are frequently absent from school over time. Moreover, they want to make healthy friends. To fulfill the needs of these youths, nurses should be aware not only of individualized information and social support, but also of these factors from an ecologic perspective. Further qualitative research is required to identify the needs of youths with cancer and resolve these issues.

ISSN:0162-220X    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID