Cancer nursing--a problem-finding survey. The London Nursing Research Consortium

A survey was conducted to identify the most difficult patient-care problems encountered by nurses who care for patients with cancer and the most difficult problems personally experienced by nurses as a consequence of caring for these patients. Nurses who provided care to patients with cancer in two community health agencies, one cancer treatment center, one chronic care hospital, and three acute care hospitals were invited to participate. A total of 566 nurses responded (43% response rate). Results are presented by total sample for 15 top-ranked patient care problems, 10 top-ranked physical care problems, and 5 top-ranked personally experienced problems. Results are also presented as a qualitative analysis of 1,052 comments made by respondents. For all groups of nurses within the total sample, coping with diagnosis, disease progression, and emotional response comprised the top-ranked patient care problems. Nutrition and pain management were top-ranked physical care problems. Top-ranked personally experienced problems paralleled patient care problems. A comparison of study findings with two previous surveys to identify research problems indicated high consensus about important areas for cancer nursing research. Scott, Oberst, and Dropkin's Stress-Coping model will be used to guide development of the research program that began with this problem-finding survey.