The 1992 APON Delphi Study to Establish Research Priorities for Pediatric Oncology Nursing

Abstract

The Association of Pediatric Oncology Nurses (APON) recently sponsored a two-wave Delphi study to identify the most important research priorities for pediatric oncology nursing. Seventy-five research priorities were rated for importance by 227 APON members. The majority of these members were inpatient or ambulatory care nurses who had been in pediatric oncology more than 25 months. The top 10 research priorities were primarily about nursing procedures and psychosocial care needs of patients and families. The top priority was to "measure the quality of life and late effects of treatment in long-term survivors of childhood cancer." Study findings will be used to encourage researchers to conduct research on these priorities and to encourage funding organizations to support research related to these priorities.

A Swedish perspective on nursing and psychosocial research in paediatric oncology: A literature review

“…The second most studied aspect was found to be wellbeing in children (28%) and caring aspects (as good care for parents and specific interventions to children) followed by social life, especially for parents. This is only partly in line with the research priorities stated by Hinds et al (1994); to measure the quality of life and late effects of treatment in long-term survivors of childhood cancer. As it is focusing on the wellbeing (QoL) of both parents and children, but has less focus on long-term survivors.…”

“…The priorities were primarily about paediatric procedures and psychosocial care needs of patients and their families. The top priority was to; measure the quality of life and late effects of treatment in long-term survivors of childhood cancer (Hinds et al, 1994). Since the 1990s, the body of researchbased knowledge in paediatric caring sciences has been increasing.…”

Occupational Therapy Research Priorities in Mental Health

“…al., 1994;Heffline, Clark, Hooper, Mamaril, Miller, Norris, Poole, Summers & Younger, 1994, Hinds, et. al., 1994Marvin, et.…”

“…The nursing profession is a good example of this, with a large number of research priority studies which cover a wide range of speciality practice areas including: perioperative nursing (Abbott, et al, 1994); nursing staff development (Bartu, McGowan, Nelson, Ng & Robertson, 1993); clinical nursing (Bartu, Nelson, Ng, McGowan & Robertson, 1991;Hollis, Davis & Reeb, 1995); acute care nursing (Cronin & Owsley, 1993); nurses working with patients with multiple sclerosis (Gulick, 1996); paediatrics (Schmidt, Montgomery, Bruene & Kenney, 1997); paediatric oncology (Hinds, et al, 1994); burn nursing (Marvin, Carrougher, Bayley, Weber, Knigthon, & Rutan, 1991); public health (Misener, Watkins & Ossege, 1994); orthopaedics (Salmond, 1994); and midwifery (Sleep, Bullock, & Grayson, 1995). Research priorities have also been established in mental health nursing (Davidson, Merritt-Gray, Buchanan & Noel, 1997).…”

“…The development of research priorities is a means of producing a professional research strategy where research is encouraged in particular areas which have been identified through a systematic method as important (Abbott, Diomede, Johnson & Macllraith, 1994;Erler & Thompson, 1995;Fitzpatrick, Sullivan, Smith, Mucowski, Hoffman, Dunn, Trice & Grosso, 1991;Forrest, Lyons, Bross, Gitlin & Kraemar, 1995;Hinds, Quargnenti, Olson, Gross, Puckett, Randall, Gattuso & Wiedenhoffer, 1994;Walker, 1994). When clinician perceptions are used to identify what research areas are important, then this can ensure the development of professional research strategies which are clinically relevant (Fitch, 1996;Tighe & Biersdorff, 1993).…”