Experienced Pediatric Oncology Nurses Using Self-Reflective Practices in the Clinical Setting: A Phenomenological Investigation

Abstract

IV ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Completion of this dissertation could not have been possible without the amazing leadership, daily support, and passionate guidance from the faculty and staff in the Attallah College of Educational Studies at Chapman University. I specifically acknowledge and thank all four of my committee members, beginning with my doctoral teacher and dissertation chair. Dr. Whitney McIntyre Miller was the first to hear my enthusiasm for developing this dissertation and she has continued to be there for me every step of the way. Dr. Penny S. Bryan was the first faculty member I met at Chapman University. Although she retired during the Spring 2018 semester after 24 years at Chapman, she continued her support and has helped me develop a dissertation of which I am proud. Dr. Dawn Hunter is an amazing educator and human being whom I admire. She was integral to my success as a doctoral student and future educator. Dr. Michael Andersen was invited to join my committee from the University of Southern California. I am thankful to Dr. Andersen for his commitment to my success both as a doctoral student and healthcare professional. I truly respect and admire the amount of time and energy each committee member has invested in my education. To my amazing familia, specifically Dad and Mom, los quiero mucho y soy un Doctor por el sacrificio y el amor que me han dado desde el principio. To big brother and big sister, words cannot express how thankful I am to have your love and support throughout my pursuit of higher education. To Kerinda, my love, thank you for the daily encouragement and for always being there when I needed you. And finally, to all my family and friends, thank you for always sticking by my side and having my back no matter what. V ABSTRACT Pediatric oncology nurses can develop hazardous feelings of burnout over decades of clinical practice (Boyle & Bush, 2018). Interventions that help decrease burnout and improve professional development are reflective practices (Caldwell & Grobbel, 2013). Currently, there is a paucity of information on pediatric oncology nurses with 10 or more years of experience and how they use self-reflection to cope with workplace stressors. The purpose of this study was to explore how expert-level pediatric oncology nurses describe their experiences using selfreflective practices in the clinical setting. An interview-based exploration of the lived experiences of participants was necessary to understand the unique self-reflective practices currently used among nurses. Descriptive phenomenological methods were used, and data were organized and analyzed using the modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen method (Moustakas, 1994).Convenience and snowball sampling procedures were used. Six nurses fit the inclusion criteria and consented to participate in this study. Each participant completed three interviews. Results of the study were arranged in two categories: (a) the experience of using self-reflective practices in the clinical setting and (b) the experience of using self-reflective practices a...