'It stays with me': the experiences of second- and third-year student nurses when caring for patients with cancer.
Eur J Cancer Care (Engl)
; 23(4): 441-9, 2014 Jul.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-24134475
ABSTRACT
Little is known about student nurses experiences of nursing patients with cancer in the UK. With the increasing survival of people with cancer and with cancer no longer seen as a terminal illness it is useful to understand student nurses clinical experience when nursing those with cancer. This study takes a phenomenological approach involving three focus group interviews with 20 student nurses from the second and third year of their course in one centre in the UK. All the students had experience of caring for patients with cancer. The key themes emerging from the study were Communication, Impact on Self, Lack of Support and End-of-Life-Care. Students emphasised the need to have more knowledge and support in relation to cancer care. They describe how they lack communication skills and found it difficult to handle their emotions. A number of students found the whole experience of caring for patients with cancer emotionally distressing and draining and they describe avoiding contact with these patients by using distancing and avoidance strategies. Student nurses need additional support through demystifying cancer, using reflective practice and good mentoring in the clinical area to enable students to feel supported, and develop confidence in their capacity for care for people with cancer.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Students, Nursing
/
Terminal Care
/
Neoplasms
Type of study:
Qualitative_research
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
En
Journal:
Eur J Cancer Care (Engl)
Journal subject:
ENFERMAGEM
/
NEOPLASIAS
Year:
2014
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United kingdom