Experiences of gynecological cancer patients receiving care from specialist nurses: a qualitative systematic review

Abstract

This systematic review synthesized the findings of seven studies that captured the experiences of women with gynecological cancer who received care from a specialist nurse. The specialist nurse offers tailored, accessible and expert care to women with gynecological cancer. From the synthesis it is recommended that women with gynecological cancer have access to the services of a specialist nurse at key points on the continuum of care, that specialist nurses provide information to patients on their disease and treatment in the form preferred by the patient and ensure that this information has been understood, and that specialist nurses are afforded time to spend with patients to enable greater exploration and identification of patient needs and the provision of personalized care. Further study that considers other key stakeholders in the specialist nurse role in gynecological oncology is recommended in order to gain a full understanding of specialist nurses' contribution to the care of women with gynecological cancer. Additionally, it is recommended that further studies be conducted to seek the perspectives of women with gynecological cancer from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and Indigenous populations on specialist nursing care as they appear to be under-represented in current research.

The evolving challenges of specialist gynaecological cancer nurse roles – A qualitative study

“…These attributes and characteristics are common to all specialist nurse roles, thus confirming that whilst this group of nurses face some unique challenges in the recognition of their roles, their role is fundamentally similar to those in other tumour streams or nursing specializations. These key functions also concur with the findings of a systematic review which found that women cared for by a specialist nurse saw the nurse as a dependable source of expertise and valued the accessible and tailored care that they offered (Cook et al, 2017) and those of Kobleder et al (2017).…”

“…Women with gynaecological cancers viewed specialist nurses as an easily accessed source of knowledge and support and trusted their experience and expertise (Cook et al, 2017). The results of this review, however, must be considered regarding the level of evidence from which they were derived (Cook et al, 2017). Since that review, a study was conducted in Switzerland that sought to identify the experiences of specialist nurses caring for women with gynaecological cancers (Kobleder et al (2017).…”

“…Of the nine studies reviewed it found that specialist nurse interventions which involved comprehensive or individualized care were most effective, however, the included studies were of variable quality (Cook et al., 2015). A further qualitative review of seven studies considered women with gynaecological cancer's experience of specialist nursing care and found that women valued the individualized care offered by specialist nurses (Cook et al., 2017). Women with gynaecological cancers viewed specialist nurses as an easily accessed source of knowledge and support and trusted their experience and expertise (Cook et al., 2017).…”

Gaining insight into the supportive care needs of women experiencing gynaecological cancer: A qualitative study

“…The evidence surrounding specialist gynaecology nurses is still developing; a limited number of international intervention studies examine their role in various aspects of care (Cook, McIntyre, & Recoche, 2015). Despite limited evidence to date, the positive attributes of specialist gynaecology nurses are recognised in promoting patient‐centred care through the provision of tailored, accessible care and dependable expertise (Cook, McIntyre, Recoche, & Lee, 2017). As such, the potential of their contribution to care may yet be fully realised.…”

The impact of gynaecological cancer treatment on physical activity levels: a systematic review of observational studies

“…37 The JBI includes comprehensive appraisal checklists for diverse study designs 38 and the checklists have been used in previous gynaecological cancer systematic reviews. 39,40 The checklists for cohort studies and cross-sectional studies consist of eleven and eight items, respectively, and require a yes, no, unclear or not applicable response for each item (more 'yes' responses represent higher quality). Any disagreements were resolved by discussion and a consensus response was assigned after discussion.…”