title: Risk communication with Arab patients with cancer: a qualitative study of nurses and pharmacists.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore pharmacist and nurse views and experiences in educating patients regarding their treatment safety and tolerability as well as the roles of other professions in this regard.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this qualitative study, six focus group discussions were conducted.
  
  
  METHODS
  The National Center for Cancer Care and Research in Qatar.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven pharmacists and 22 nurses providing direct patient care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Concepts related to three key themes were drawn from the seeding questions and included factors for determining the level of risk they communicated: the specific treatment regimen in question; the patient; and their assessment of the patient. Patient-related considerations arose from additional subthemes; both nurses and pharmacists described aspects related to the perceived psychological health status of the patient, as well as anticipated comprehension, as ascertained by demonstrated education and language abilities. In all discussions, it was noted that physician and family non-disclosure of cancer diagnosis to the patient profoundly influenced the nature of information they provided. While a high level of cohesion in safety communication prioritisation among these two health disciplines was found, a number of pharmacists asserted a more formal role compared to informal and repeated teaching by nurses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses and pharmacists in this Middle East healthcare environment were not reluctant to discuss treatment side effects with patients and draw on similar professional judgements in prioritising treatment risk information. We found that they did not always recognise each other's informal educational encounters and that there are opportunities to explore increased collaboration in this regard to enhance the patient care experience.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wilbur
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Alya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Babiker
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Okka
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Ebaa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jumaat
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Sumaya M Al Saadi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Al-Yafei
authors.affiliation: Nurse Urgent Care Unit, National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Abdulqadir J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Nashwan
mesh_terms: D018912:Arabs; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003142:Communication; D032882:Comprehension; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D009726:Nurses; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010595:Pharmacists; D024382:Professional Role; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011780:Qatar; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012306:Risk; D012449:Safety
keywords: ONCOLOGY; QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
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