Patients' perceptions of the importance of nurses' knowledge about cancer and its treatment for quality nursing care.
OBJECTIVE
To gain insight into how and why patients' perceptions of nurses' knowledge about cancer and its treatments relate to quality nursing care.


METHODS
Qualitative study inspired by Giorgi's approach to phenomenology.


METHODS
An oncology ward in a regional hospital in Norway.


METHODS
20 patients (10 women and 10 men). Most received life-prolonging and symptom-relieving treatment, whereas 4 had the possibility of being cured.


METHODS
In-depth interviews were tape recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. The text was read as a whole, condensed into units of meaning, and clustered into themes of importance. Finally, the consistency between identified themes and the general structure of the interviews was checked.


RESULTS
Patients regarded knowledge about cancer and its treatment as basic in nursing and took for granted that nurses had this competency. Three themes were identified that explained why the knowledge was important: (a) it makes patients feel safe and secure and alleviates suffering by providing useful information, (b) it prevents and alleviates suffering and insecurity during chemotherapy, and (c) it alleviates suffering by relieving side effects caused by the treatment and symptoms caused by the disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients appreciated meeting nurses who had experience and could combine clinical and biologic knowledge and nursing skills with a human touch. In addition, nurses alleviated patients' bodily and existential suffering and made them feel safe and secure.


CONCLUSIONS
Experienced, effective nurses with knowledge about cancer and its treatments are needed in oncology wards to provide optimal care to patients.
Kvåle
Kirsti
K
Institute of Postgraduate Studies, Betanien Diaconal University College, Fyllingsdalen, Norway. kirsti.kvaale@betanien.no
Bondevik
Margareth
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000451:nursing