Information needs of nurses regarding breast disease

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Oncology
• Public Health

Background:

• Effective patient education is crucial for managing benign breast conditions and breast cancer.
• Nurses play a vital role in disseminating health information to women regarding breast health.
• Understanding nurses' perceived information needs is essential for improving patient care and outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the information needs of nurses concerning benign breast conditions and breast cancer.
• To assess nurses' confidence and perceived sufficiency of knowledge in discussing breast health with patients.
• To evaluate the quality, quantity, and accessibility of existing information resources for nurses.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative study involving interviews with 105 nurses in Ontario.
• Nurses were directly involved in providing information to women about breast conditions.
• Data collection focused on nurses' perceptions of their information needs and available resources.

Main Results:

• Most nurses felt comfortable discussing breast health and believed their knowledge was adequate.
• Information on breast abnormality discovery and diagnostic phases was rated highest for quality, quantity, and accessibility.
• A significant proportion of nurses reported no perceived gaps in nursing information about breast disease.

Conclusions:

• While nurses generally feel well-equipped, patient experiences highlight potential discrepancies in information accessibility.
• This study underscores the need to investigate the reported patient difficulties in obtaining breast health information.
• Further research is warranted to reconcile nurses' perceptions with patient-reported information gaps in breast cancer care.