The family experience following bone marrow or blood cell transplantation

To explore how families with children at home managed 4-12 months after an adult family member was discharged from the hospital to home following bone marrow or blood cell transplantation.

Studies of these families have been limited in number. The Family Management Style Framework offers a conceptual framework relevant to families with children who have an adult member who has undergone a bone marrow or blood cell transplant.

This was a descriptive, qualitative, one-point-in-time study.

Content analysis in relation to the three conceptual components of the Family Management Style Framework was employed; inductive thematic analysis determined the emergent conceptual dimensions present in the data. The sample was composed of 29 participants: 15 transplant recipients and 14 significant others who met the study criteria in 2008 and 2009. Each patient and his or her significant other were interviewed; the audio-recorded interviews were analysed after transcription.

The three conceptual components of the Family Management Style Framework: (1) definition of the situation; (2) management behaviours; and (3) perceived consequences, were validated as relevant for this sample across all participants. New conceptual dimensions were also present, inclusive of recovery view, support base, financial picture, management domains, perceived consequences to the whole family, and perceived consequences to the dyad relationships.

There are several overarching findings in this study, notably that recovery at home is a family experience. Implications for nursing practice include the need for effective transitional care for the patient and family.