Nurses' experience of cancer
Nurses' experience of cancer
This paper provides an overview of research into nurses' experiences of working with cancer, both how nursing care is experienced by people with cancer and the effects on nurses of working in cancer treatment and care settings. The literature, although slim, suggests that the work of nurses is experienced as valuable and supportive, although this is not consistently the case. Although nurses find working with people with cancer rewarding, it is also emotionally demanding. Evidence for stress among nurses working in cancer settings is mixed and may be related to structural factors more than the difficulties of working with patients who may be dying, although this warrants further exploration. Studies of nurses' communication skills are limited by a measurement-orientated approach that measures behaviour against predetermined criteria. Observational studies provide rich insights into the complex relationship between how nurses work with people who have cancer, or who are dying, as they adjust to their predicament, how this is therapeutic, but also where it may go wrong. Little detailed or comparative work has been undertaken into the skills and experiences of nurses working in different roles, in particular those of nurse specialists. Research is needed to further elucidate themes identified, in particular to shed light on how nurses and other health professionals may be assisted to develop expert practice in working with cancer, but also to sustain health professionals in this work.
cancer nursing, stress, communication skills, attitudes, nursing research
193-199
Corner, J.
9544a106-1833-4c73-9e60-0f5d287a38ec
2002
Corner, J.
9544a106-1833-4c73-9e60-0f5d287a38ec
Corner, J.
(2002)
Nurses' experience of cancer.
European Journal of Cancer Care, 11 (3), .
Abstract
This paper provides an overview of research into nurses' experiences of working with cancer, both how nursing care is experienced by people with cancer and the effects on nurses of working in cancer treatment and care settings. The literature, although slim, suggests that the work of nurses is experienced as valuable and supportive, although this is not consistently the case. Although nurses find working with people with cancer rewarding, it is also emotionally demanding. Evidence for stress among nurses working in cancer settings is mixed and may be related to structural factors more than the difficulties of working with patients who may be dying, although this warrants further exploration. Studies of nurses' communication skills are limited by a measurement-orientated approach that measures behaviour against predetermined criteria. Observational studies provide rich insights into the complex relationship between how nurses work with people who have cancer, or who are dying, as they adjust to their predicament, how this is therapeutic, but also where it may go wrong. Little detailed or comparative work has been undertaken into the skills and experiences of nurses working in different roles, in particular those of nurse specialists. Research is needed to further elucidate themes identified, in particular to shed light on how nurses and other health professionals may be assisted to develop expert practice in working with cancer, but also to sustain health professionals in this work.
This record has no associated files available for download.
More information
Published date: 2002
Keywords:
cancer nursing, stress, communication skills, attitudes, nursing research
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 9430
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/9430
ISSN: 0961-5423
PURE UUID: a81737c3-3bf8-470c-999c-203900d4b186
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 05 Oct 2004
Last modified: 22 Jul 2022 20:21
Export record
Contributors
Author:
J. Corner
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics