The perception of support received from breast care nurses by depressed patients following a diagnosis of breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
Due to their specialist training, breast care nurses (BCNs) should be able to detect emotional distress and offer support to breast cancer patients. However, patients who are most distressed after diagnosis generally experience least support from care staff. To test whether BCNs overcome this potential barrier, we compared the support experienced by depressed and non-depressed patients from their BCNs and the other main professionals involved in their care: surgeons and ward nurses.


METHODS
Women with primary breast cancer (n = 355) 2-4 days after mastectomy or wide local excision, self-reported perceived professional support and current depression. Analysis of variance compared support ratings of depressed and non-depressed patients across staff types.


RESULTS
There was evidence of depression in 31 (9%) patients. Depressed patients recorded less surgeon and ward nurse support than those who were not depressed but the support received by patients from the BCN was high, whether or not patients were depressed.


CONCLUSIONS
BCNs were able to provide as much support to depressed patients as to non-depressed patients, whereas depressed patients felt less supported by surgeons and ward nurses than did non-depressed patients. Future research should examine the basis of BCNs' ability to overcome barriers to support in depressed patients. Our findings confirm the importance of maintaining the special role of the BCN.
Clark
Louise
L
Division of Clinical Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK. l.k.clark@liv.ac.uk
Holcombe
Christopher
C
Hill
Jonathan
J
Downey
Hilary
H
Fisher
Jean
J
Krespi
Margorit Rita
MR
Salmon
Peter
P
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000451:nursing*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010465:Perception; D012944:Social Support