The needs and experiences of people with a diagnosis of skin cancer: a systematic review.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Background Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Caucasians and the incidence is increasing worldwide. There has been no qualitative systematic review looking at the needs and experiences of patients through the skin cancer journey.Objectives The main objective of this systematic review was to identify, appraise and synthesise the literature relating to the needs and experiences of people with a diagnosis of skin cancer. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Adults with a diagnosis of skin cancer.The needs and experiences of people with skin cancer.All qualitative studies that described or analysed the needs and experiences with people who had been diagnosed with skin cancer.Search strategy The search strategy sought to identify both published and unpublished research studies. A three step search strategy was used, limited to English language papers.Methodological quality Each paper was independently assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological quality, using the critical appraisal instrument from Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment of Review Instrument (QARI), prior to inclusion in the review.Data collection The standardised data extraction tool from JBI-QARI was used to extract data from the papers.Data synthesis The qualitative research findings were pooled using JBI-QARI approach. This involved the aggregation of findings.Results Only two studies were included. The 12 findings were grouped according to their similarities of meaning to form 4 categories. These four categories resulted in two synthesised findings. The diagnosis of skin cancer produces a range of emotional responses in individuals. Individuals also delay seeking medical help however once treated are satisfied with care.Conclusions There is very little good research on patient's experiences and needs of skin cancer. People require support in coming to terms with the diagnosis and there is a need for an educational intervention of some form to prevent delay in seeking medical help.Implications for practice There is a real need to increase knowledge of skin cancer so that people do not delay in seeking medical help as early diagnosis can dramatically improve both prognosis and the patient experience since early lesions are treated more simply compared with larger or neglected lesions. Health professionals caring for these patients need to understand the psychosocial concerns of this patient group in order to design services appropriately and to provide patients with the support they need and information that they can easily understand.Implications for research Results from this review have identified that the needs and experiences of individuals with skin cancer remains under-researched and this has implications for those caring for and delivering services to this group of patients. There are very few studies considering this aspect of patients' experiences and therefore a real need to conduct further research into the needs and experience of skin cancer patients.

The knowledge and skills of pre-registration masters' and diploma qualified nurses: A preceptor perspective.

The role of nurse preceptor in the UK functions to support and nurture newly qualified staff during transition to accountable practitioners. Transition is a stressful time for all new staff, whether diplomates or graduates. Preceptors are in a prime position to assess the competence and confidence of new staff, and observe their fitness for practice. Studies show variable evidence concerning the benefit to practice of nurses with degree compared to diploma education. This exploratory study investigated preceptors' perceptions of differences in the knowledge and skills displayed by staff from a three-year Diploma programme (DNs), and four-year pre-registration Master in Nursing degree (MNs), run by one School of Nursing. In the first months DNs were said to exhibit more confidence in practical skills while MNs showed academic and analytic skills. Although DNs related well to patients, MNs were better able to communicate with professional colleagues. By six months MNs overtook DNs in their overall confidence. Preceptors valued both DNs and MNs for the skill mix they brought to nursing and the benefit of patient care. Further exploration of preceptors' views would inform education staff and advise preceptors and managers regarding newly qualified nurses.

Q-methodology: an alternative approach to research in nurse education.

An understanding of student experiences and perspectives are central to the delivery of quality nurse education programmes; implicit with this is a need to understand the attributes and characteristics of such individuals, their subjectivity. Traditional such inquiry has taken the form of questionnaires or interviews and focus groups. Q-methodology is offered as an alternative approach which provides insight into, and a method for studying, individual subjectivity through the use of factor analysis. Within Q-methodology, individuals are asked to rank-order (Q-sort) statements, which are then intercorrelated and subjected to factor analysis. In this way groups of individuals holding similar expressed subjectivities are identified. The factors are interpreted to provide an understanding of underlying subjectivities. This paper explores the theoretical underpinnings of Q-methodology and its application as a research method in the field of nurse education, providing a brief illustration of its use in mental health nurse education.

Involving mental health service users in nurse education through enquiry-based learning.

Service user involvement and enquiry-based learning (EBL) are two modern approaches to nurse education, which previously have remained separate entities. This article describes an innovative project that brought together the two learning methods within the University of Nottingham. Mental health service users participated actively in the EBL process with student nurses to facilitate learning in the classroom before, during and after mental health placements. The process is described and an evaluation presented with examples of student responses showing how the experience inspired the students and contributed to the development of their understanding of mental health issues in both theory and practice. It is hoped that the article will encourage other health and social care professionals nationally and internationally to realise the potential of integrating service user involvement and EBL.