Couples surviving prostate cancer face long-term challenges in their relationships as they adapt to chronic illness. Ten couples surviving prostate cancer were brought together in a focus group to discuss their experiences and concerns regarding intimacy in their relationships. During three 30-minute segments, couples described their experiences (a) as couples, (b) as individual men and women in two concurrent break-out groups, and (c) regarding current intimacy and relationship needs. Questions asked of couples focused on (a) the process of being diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer, (b) what the experience was like for them as a couple, (c) what was helpful, harmful, and surprising throughout the experience, (d) what they currently needed most as a couple, and (e) what advice they had for other couples. Findings suggested that men and women think and respond differently to intimacy and relationship challenges that occur as a result of prostate cancer, diagnosis, and treatment. Consequently, healthcare providers in any clinical setting who may interact with prostate cancer survivors must consider the relationship and intimacy needs that are unique to men, women, and couples.

Nurses are in a key position to assess health-related QOL and sexual functioning concerns for prostate cancer survivors and their partners.

The study's purpose was to describe the relations among self-esteem, learned resourcefulness, and social support, and to show how they predict health-related quality of life (HRQL) for long-term survivors of cancer. With advances in oncology and increased survival, variables influencing the HRQL of long-term survivors of cancer must be explored. The design was descriptive and correlational. Five instruments were sent to 456 long-term survivors in southern California. Data were analyzed for 62 of 111 consenting individuals, most of whom were married, retired, white, college-educated, female survivors of breast cancer older than 60 years of age treated by radiation and surgery. Subjects with higher self-esteem reported higher HRQL (r = 0.69; p = 0.00). Learned resourcefulness had a significant negative relation with HRQL (r = -0.32; p = 0.01). Social support was operationalized as functional components, network properties, and recent loss. Only the loss component of social support had a significant negative relation with HRQL (r = -0.38; p = 0.00). Together, the three variables explained more than half of the variance (R2 = 0.53) of HRQL, with self-esteem being the strongest predictor. The HRQL of long-term survivors of cancer may increase with interventions such as both survivor- and nurse-led support groups aimed at supporting and improving self-esteem. In addition, education to anticipate social support losses may further enhance HRQL.

No abstract

No abstract

Survivor context (e.g., level of rurality) influences HRQOL outcomes. Context or culture-relevant risk minimization and HRQOL optimization nursing practices are indicated.

No abstract

In this article, authors report one College of Nursing's efforts to address the challenges of multiple academic role expectations by establishing faculty interest groups to promote collaborative scholarship. The background of the project is described in terms of past and recent academic, financial, and environmental influences. Collaborative scholarship is defined. Literature related to faculty productivity, variations in collaborative scholarship within and across disciplines, and incentives to motivate and reward faculty productivity are discussed. An evaluation of one faculty interest group's process is reported. Amey and Brown's Interdisciplinary Collaboration Model dimensions were used to analyze achievements and challenges. Organizational restructuring and disbandment of these groups provided a second opportunity to reflect on lessons learned. One perspective about the process and educational and professional implications of collaborative scholarship that would be of interest to faculty is provided. Lessons learned may inform other faculty facing the same task.