"I see my mother's face": student nurse experiences caring for cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
With the numbers of cancer diagnoses increasing annually and the aging of the global citizenry, it is certain that more nurses with expert competencies in cancer care will be needed. Nursing students must have a broad understanding of cancer content in order to provide safe, effective care in the clinical setting as they learn to recognize their own experiences in caring for cancer patients. Experienced nursing educators are aware that student nurses bring into any clinical learning situation their unique knowledge, values, fear, uncertainty and bias. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of nursing students caring for cancer patients.


METHODS
This descriptive qualitative study included participants who were Junior or Senior Baccalaureate nursing students and had provided care for at least one patient with cancer during clinical experiences. Focus group interviews were transcribed verbatim for analysis and coding using accepted qualitative techniques.


RESULTS
Data analysis revealed student experiences to be varied in the type of cancer patient experiences. Four prevalent sub-themes emerged regarding student experiences: caring for patients and families, interactions between students and healthcare providers, student experiences with dying patients, and students' prior experiences with cancer. Further discussion with students revealed a student perspective for strengthening cancer in the curriculum.


CONCLUSIONS
Preparing students to be comfortable with cancer patients across the cancer illness trajectory will provide students with the necessary skills to gain confidence in their cancer patient care.
Sanford
Julie
J
Adult Health Department, University of South Alabama-Mobile, 307 University Boulevard North, Mobile, AL 36688, USA. jsanford@usouthal.edu
Townsend-Rocchiccioli
Judith
J
Quiett
Kimberly
K
Trimm
Donna
D
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D004645:Empathy; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000193:education; D011287:Prejudice; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000523:psychology; D035501:Uncertainty