Prior cancer‐death events: what impact does this have on radiation therapy students?

Abstract

Purpose: In 2004, a study was undertaken to determine whether treating cancer patients affected the identity development of radiation therapy students in New Zealand. Initial data analysis revealed many students had experienced significant cancer-death events, such as family members or friends dying prior to entering the course. Methods: A further thematic analysis was undertaken of the transcript data to determine the effects of having a prior cancer-death event on students' attitudes and perceptions of death. Results: Sixteen of the 21 students indicated that they had experienced a cancer-death event before entering the course. Four main themes evolved from the analysis of the student transcripts. The themes were: impact of having a prior cancer-death event; parent relationships; compassion; and a reported feeling that their lives are meaningful. Students reported the impact of the prior death-event on their professional choice and other aspects of their lives. Conclusion: Previous research found that young adults tended not to want to talk to their parents about death. In this study students openly discussed with parents issues relating to previous cancer-death events and dying patients. Both female and male students in this cohort demonstrated high levels of compassion. They expressed increased feelings of empathy with family and friends facing life-threatening illnesses of others although not necessarily if minor illness was involved. Students also reported that their life was made more meaningful by their past experience with a cancer-death. Further research will aim to explore whether a prior death-related event influences a range of tertiary students with respect to their attitude to life, their relationships with other people and their career choices.

A comparison of the frequency of death‐related events and their effect on undergraduate radiation therapy and education students

“…A previous small New Zealand pilot study (n = 21) found that 76% of radiation therapy students had experienced a cancer related death-event before entering undergraduate studies. 17 Several students reported that this event had infl uenced their career choice. Th e current study compares the frequency and nature of death-related events and their eff ect on attitude to life, relationships and career choice in a larger sample of radiation therapy students and a cohort of education students in New Zealand.…”