'Es más difícil': experiencias de las enfermeras sobre el cuidado del paciente con recidiva de cáncer / 'It's harder': nurses’ experiences of caring for patients with cancer recurrence

Objetivo. Explorar las experiencias y las respuestas de enfermeras sobre el cuidado del paciente con recidiva de cáncer. Material y métodos. Estudio cualitativo transversal basado en la teoría fundamentada. La recogida de datos, basada en la entrevista semiestructurada, se llevó a cabo en cuatro unidades oncológicas de dos hospitales de la Comunidad Foral de Navarra tras obtener la aprobación ética. La muestra se compuso de 14 enfermeras. Se utilizó un muestreo de máxima variación para la selección de casos de amplia diversidad con el fin de fomentar la transferencia de los datos. Se llevó a cabo una única entrevista con cada participante, con una duración aproximada de 40 min. Resultados. El cuidado en la recidiva es descrito como una situación difícil, incluso más que el primer diagnóstico de cáncer, porque las enfermeras deben enfrentarse a pacientes con sentimientos de desconfianza en los tratamientos así como de desesperanza y miedo a una posible muerte. Ante esta realidad, los profesionales de enfermería tratan de abordar las necesidades emocionales de los pacientes lo mejor que pueden, desafiando con frecuencia obstáculos como la falta de tiempo, la sobrecarga de trabajo y la escasa formación en psicooncología. Conclusiones. Los datos evidencian la dificultad de las enfermeras para el abordaje de aspectos emocionales en el cuidado del paciente con recidiva. Si el compromiso de los servicios sanitarios es proporcionar un cuidado integral a los pacientes oncológicos y sus familias, debería existir un compromiso correspondiente para ofrecer una formación más amplia en aspectos psicosociales para los profesionales de enfermería(AU)

Objective. To examine the experiences and responses of nurses caring for patients with recurrence of cancer. Material and methods. A qualitative cross-sectional study based on grounded theory. Data was collected, based on semi-structured interviews carried out in four cancer units of two hospitals in Navarra, after obtaining ethical approval. The sample consisted of 14 nurses. Results. Providing care during cancer recurrence is described as a difficult situation, even more than in the first diagnosis of cancer. This is because nurses have to deal with the loss of patient hope in treatment and the fear of the possibility of the patient's death. To deal with this reality, nurses try to do their best to meet the emotional needs of the patient, at the same time as managing barriers including lack of time, workload, and inadequate training in psycho-oncology. Conclusions. The data show the difficulty nurses have in dealing with the emotional care of patients with recurrence. If the Health Service commitment is to offer holistic care to cancer patients and their families, there should be a corresponding commitment towards improving nursing training in psychosocial issues(AU)

["It's harder": nurses' experiences of caring for patients with cancer recurrence]. / "Es más difícil": experiencias de las enfermeras sobre el cuidado del paciente con recidiva de cáncer.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the experiences and responses of nurses caring for patients with recurrence of cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A qualitative cross-sectional study based on grounded theory. Data was collected, based on semi-structured interviews carried out in four cancer units of two hospitals in Navarra, after obtaining ethical approval. The sample consisted of 14 nurses. RESULTS: Providing care during cancer recurrence is described as a difficult situation, even more than in the first diagnosis of cancer. This is because nurses have to deal with the loss of patient hope in treatment and the fear of the possibility of the patient's death. To deal with this reality, nurses try to do their best to meet the emotional needs of the patient, at the same time as managing barriers including lack of time, workload, and inadequate training in psycho-oncology. CONCLUSIONS: The data show the difficulty nurses have in dealing with the emotional care of patients with recurrence. If the Health Service commitment is to offer holistic care to cancer patients and their families, there should be a corresponding commitment towards improving nursing training in psychosocial issues.