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Nurses' Caring Behaviors Toward Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy in Greece: A Mixed-Methods Study
Chyssoula Karlou1, Constantina Papadopoulou, Elizabeth Papathanassoglou
1Authors Affiliations: Oncology Nursing Department, 251 Hellenic Air Force General Hospital (Dr Karlou); School of Health, Nursing and Midwifery, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley (Dr Papadopoulou); Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada (Dr Papathanassoglou); Section of Internal Medicine-Nursing and Nursing Laboratory, Faculty of Nursing, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Dr Lemonidou and Dr Patiraki); Technological Educational Institute of Athens, Holargos (Dr Vouzavali); and Children's Hospital "A & P Kyriakou" Oncology Department, Athens (Mrs Zafiropoulou-Koutroubas); and Department of Nursing, National University of Peloponisos Faculty of Human Movement and Quality of Life Sciences in Sparta (Dr Katsaragakis), Greece.
Greek nurses prioritize knowledge and skills in patient care during chemotherapy. Qualitative insights reveal the importance of holistic care, respect, and empathy despite environmental challenges.
Area of Science:
- Oncology Nursing
- Patient Care Quality
- Healthcare Professional Development
Background:
- Nurses' caring behaviors are critical for patients receiving chemotherapy.
- Research on these behaviors is limited in non-Anglo-Saxon contexts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore nurses' perceptions of important caring behaviors for chemotherapy patients in Greece.
Main Methods:
- Mixed-methods approach combining surveys (Caring Behavior Inventory 24) and focus groups.
- Data collected from 72 nurses across 7 oncology wards in Greece.
Main Results:
- Nurses identified 'knowledge/skills' as the most important caring behavior.
- Qualitative analysis identified six key themes: care concept, respect, connection, empathy, fear, and professional role.
- Married nurses reported higher scores for caring behaviors.
Conclusions:
- Operational tasks and technical skills are central to Greek nurses' caring behaviors.
- Qualitative data underscore the need for skills enabling holistic, individualized care in demanding environments.