Clinical nurses' awareness and caring experiences for patients with cervical cancer: A qualitative study

PLoS One. 2019 May 21;14(5):e0217201. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217201. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

To determine the degree to which nurses are aware of cervical cancer and to describe nurses' experiences of caring for patients with cervical cancer. To promote quality of nursing care of cervical cancer, we need to explore their perceptions and nursing experience in doing cervical-cancer care. This study was a qualitative descriptive design. Interviews were conducted with 14 registered nurses. The interviews were audiotaped, transcribed and analyzed. Content analysis was performed. Fourteen nurses who had been working at wards and cancer education centers were recruited in this study. Nine key themes emerged from three categories such as nurses' awareness of cervical cancer, awareness of cervical cancer patient and caring experience. Nurses expressed fear of cervical cancer and helplessness in the face of a life-threatening prognosis. Nurses stated that they might have prejudice about cervical cancer, since it is caused by a sexually transmitted disease. They also recalled that patients with cervical cancer were more sensitive and demanding. Our findings provide a comprehensive and in-depth perspective in understanding the experience of caring for cervical cancer patients. Clinical nurses showed complex emotional reactions to cervical cancer, and expressed prejudice against the sex life of cervical-cancer patients. More education is required to ensure that clinical nurses can provide a nurse-led intervention with patients by managing nurses' fear, prejudice, and the care burden.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Clinical Competence*
  • Female
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
  • Humans
  • Nurse-Patient Relations*
  • Nursing Staff, Hospital / psychology*
  • Qualitative Research
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / nursing*
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning [grant number 2015-R1-A1-A3A0-4001267 to HWK]. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.