In this article, we describe how young adults who are transitioning off treatment for childhood cancer and beginning early survivorship are living in what might be described as a paradox of reality. These survivors' dual reality is their experience of intense frustration with their current state of functioning, and an overwhelming relief that therapy is over and that they survived. They have feelings of fear, trepidation, and anxiety for what experiences lay ahead, but have hope for the future. Finally, they acknowledge the growth they achieved through the experience of cancer treatment, as well as the many missed opportunities to experience normalcy while undergoing therapy. Young adults who are in early cancer survivorship exist in a reality in which they are living disease free, but perceive themselves as having a long road to travel to be healed.
The purpose of this research was to establish the feasibility of delivering the Hope Intervention Program (HIP) using a Web-based design among 6 female survivors of childhood cancer. The HIP is an 8-week program to foster and promote hope. Each session of the HIP has specific focus, goals, and activities that offer opportunities for participants to share and discuss issues of importance to them. The HIP was delivered online with the use of educational software that included Web cameras and voice and text chat capabilities. Feasibility was evaluated by examining how easily and effectively the software and hardware technology could be used to deliver the HIP and if meaningful dialogue and interactions among the study participants and the nurse interventionist could occur online. The evaluation of this study suggested that using a Web-based approach was effective in the delivery of the intervention, as evidenced by participants' evaluation of the program and their descriptive comments that reflect that the online sessions promoted intimate, meaningful human-to-human interactions to foster hope and build a trusting relationship among and between group members. The results of this study suggest that Web-based psychosocial nursing interventions for survivors of childhood survivors are feasible for nurse researchers to conduct.
Purpose/Objectives To describe the challenges encountered in the recruitment and retention of a sample of older adolescent and young adult female survivors of childhood cancer for a longitudinal study testing a targeted psychosocial intervention aimed at enhancing hope. Data Sources Published literature on constructing longitudinal intervention studies and strategies in the recruitment and retention of childhood cancer survivors in research was used to develop the protocol of this study. Data Synthesis Using empirical literature to construct the study’s design resulted in achieving certain goals for the design, but not in the recruitment and retention of study participants. Using online technology to deliver the intervention and collect data was efficient and effective. Traditional approaches to recruitment and retention of those survivors, however, were not effective. Use of more novel approaches to enroll study participants demonstrated only modest success. Conclusions Additional research is needed on strategies to successfully recruit and retain older adolescents and young adult female survivors of childhood cancer in longitudinal intervention studies. Implications for Nursing The improvement in the psychological well-being of female survivors of childhood cancer remains an important outcome in ongoing care. The need to continue to identify creative and effective ways to recruit and retain those survivors is warranted.
Pediatric oncology nurses experience loss and grief in their daily clinical practices as a result of working directly with pediatric cancer patients and their families. These experiences of loss and grief can pose many threats to pediatric oncology nurses' emotional, physical, and psychological well-being. Although there have been numerous suggestions from professionals indicating that the loss and grief of professional nurses warrant investigation, there continues to be a lack of research in this area. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the experience of work-related losses for pediatric oncology nurses. Analysis of the data yielded the themes of connectedness, alienation, action, maintaining control, and a changed perspective. Awareness of the psychological needs of pediatric oncology nurses will enable educators and administrators to provide the support needed for these nurses to process work-related losses and continue their professional practice in this specialty area.
There has been an increased interest in the grief experiences of nurses. Unacknowledged, unaddressed compound grief can have devastating consequences on professional nurses and the patients and families under their care. A telephone survey was conducted using the current Children's Oncology Group institutions in the United States to ascertain what education and support is available to pediatric oncology nurses regarding professional grief. Three questions were asked of the person contacted at the participating institutions regarding grief education during orientation, grief education beyond orientation, and support mechanisms for staff experiencing professional grief. Out of the 176 eligible Children's Oncology Group institutions that were invited to participate in the survey, 78 institutions participated. The analysis of the results concluded that support for pediatric oncology nurses is often informal and sporadic and that education regarding professional grief is often nonexistent or very limited in its content.
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