The Breast Cancer Prevention Trial: nurses' observations

Area of Science:

• Nursing research
• Clinical trial management
• Preventive healthcare

Background:

• The Breast Cancer Prevention Trial (BCPT) provided a unique setting to study the nursing role in clinical prevention.
• Understanding the nurse's contribution is crucial for effective trial execution and participant support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify nurses' self-descriptions and perceptions of their roles in the BCPT.
• To explore nurses' views on the participants' roles within the trial.
• To understand the broader context of nursing in clinical prevention trials and ethical considerations.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory research design.
• Data collection through telephone interviews and focus groups with 50 nurses.
• Analysis of data using ethnographic methods.

Main Results:

• The study revealed the multifaceted nature of the nurse's role in the BCPT.
• Nurses' perceptions of their roles and participant roles were identified.

Conclusions:

• The BCPT nurse role is complex and integral to trial success.
• The study highlighted critical social and ethical issues relevant to future prevention trials involving healthy volunteers.