title: The paradoxical image of chemotherapy: a phenomenological description of nurses' experiences of administering chemotherapy.
abstract: The paradoxical image of chemotherapy: a phenomenological description of nurses' experiences of administering chemotherapyA sample of nine nurses who were employed within a haematology ward, a bone marrow transplant unit and a chemotherapy outpatient department of a single hospital Trust in the UK, and who regularly administered cytotoxic chemotherapy were recruited to participate in the study. A qualitative phenomenological design was used with a semi-structured interview format. The findings revealed a 'Paradoxical image of chemotherapy' that was related to the overall damaging effects of chemotherapy where it both serves as a curative treatment and 'another chance of life' and also causes damage (morbidity) while it cures. The nurses administering chemotherapy were found to also experience 'damage' as a result of seeing the suffering of their patients and being involved in dilemmas regarding administering chemotherapy treatments. The patient experiences are described from the nurses' perspective.
authors.affiliation: Specialist Medicine Group, Kings College Hospital NHS Trust, Denmark Hill, London, UK.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saltmarsh
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: De Vries
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D009726:Nurses; D009859:Oncology Nursing; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013315:Stress, Psychological
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents