The cancer ward: patient perceptions--staff misperceptions.
The disparity the between patient and staff perceptions of life experiences associated with the diagnosis of cancer has relevance to our understanding of the dynamics of patient-staff interaction on an oncology unit. In order to better delineate the psychological issues within the staff-patient relationship, 26 advanced cancer patients, 5 oncologists and 10 nursing staff ranked in order of personal importance to the patients, 14 areas of life changes or loss commonly alluded to in the psychosocial oncology literature. Findings indicated considerable interpatient variability in what constitutes a major loss. Staff ratings of patient loss showed greater consistency and overemphasized certain losses. MD's significantly overrated the importance of pain in these patients. Such biased staff preconceptions about patient values may deleteriously affect the treatment milieu.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012803:Sick Role