Taking action: An exploration of the actions of exemplary oncology nurses when there is a sense of hopelessness and futility perceived by registered nurses at diagnosis, during treatment, and in palliative situations

Katherine J. Janzen, Beth Perry

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Articlepeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

"There is nothing more that can be done" is a phrase that may occasionally cross the minds of oncology nurses. This paper reports on the actions of exemplary oncology nurses who were faced with such situations where their colleagues gave up or turned away. The research question, "What actions do exemplary clinical oncology nurses (RNs) undertake in patient-care situations where further nursing interventions seem futile?" prefaced data collection via a secure website where 14 Canadian clinical oncology registered nurses (RNs) provided narratives documenting their actions. Thematic analysis utilized QRS NVivo 10 software and hand coding. Four themes were generated from data analysis: advocacy, not giving up, genuine presence, and moral courage. Implications for practice and future research are provided.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)179-194
Number of pages16
JournalCanadian oncology nursing journal = Revue canadienne de nursing oncologique
Volume25
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar. 2015

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