title: Providing acupuncture in a breast cancer and fatigue trial: The therapists' experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the experiences of therapists providing acupuncture in a trial context, to women with fatigue, following breast cancer treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The focus groups were nested within a multi-site randomised control trial. Therapists (n = 15) involved in the trial were invited to participate in one of the focus groups, which took place in the north and south of England. The treatment protocol imposed constraints on dialogue to essential procedural conversation and stipulated needling times of 20 min.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 15 therapists (100%) participated. Whilst they reported learning more about fatigue and cancer, adhering to the trial protocol limited the holistic nature of their practice. Seeing improvements, despite the protocol, made some therapists question their practice, in terms of needling times and limiting dialogue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study provided information about the therapists' perspective of working within a trial. This could have implications for providing acupuncture treatments more cost effectively and timely within clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Complementary Therapies Department, Wilmslow Road, Manchester, United Kingdom; School of Nursing, Social Work and Midwifery, University of Manchester, Oxford, Manchester, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bardy
authors.affiliation: Breast Cancer Care, 5-13 Great Suffolk Street, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Finnegan-John
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Social Work and Midwifery, University of Manchester, Oxford, Manchester, United Kingdom; School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Molassiotis
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Social Work and Midwifery, University of Manchester, Oxford, Manchester, United Kingdom. Electronic address: Peter.Mackereth@christie.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mackereth
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Acupuncture; Breast cancer; Fatigue; Focus group; Therapist