Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Case Studies of Patient Interactions, Care Provision and the Impact of Emotions: A Qualitative Study

  • Published:
Journal of Cancer Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Caring is a complex phenomenon. Nurses aim to relieve patient suffering, acknowledge subjective experiences, display empathy but also manage emotions related to care provision. This study explored nurses' perceptions, experiences and emotions related to caring for cancer patients. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews to explore the emotions management of 32 nurses working in a cancer hospital in Pakistan. Data saturation occurred after 20 interviews. Three themes emerged from the data related to caring, acknowledgement of patients' feelings, professional behaviour, patient involvement and emotional control. Some nurses repressed their emotions and feelings over patients who had difficulties sustaining hope. In such cases nurses require supportive networks to assist their emotions management and intra-personal skills. Educational support is needed to help nurses express their views in relation to emotional contagion, significance of repressed emotions and to identify supportive ways to assist nurses to communicate their experiences.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Erkisson K (2002) Caring science in a new key. Nurse Sci Q 15:61–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Morse JM, Solberg SM, Neander WL, Bottorff JL, Johnson JL (1990) Concepts of caring and caring as a concept. ANS Adv Nurs 13:1–14

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Lundgren SM, Berg L (2011) The meanings and implications of receiving care. Scand J Caring Sci 25:235–242

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Kelly D, Ross S, Gray B, Smith P (2000) Death, dying and emotional labour: problematic dimensions of the bone marrow transplant nursing role? J Av Nurs 32:952–960

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Staden H (1998) Alertness to the needs of others: a study of the emotional labour of caring. J Adv Nurs 27:147–156

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Attride-Stirling J (2001) Thematic networks: an analytic tool for qualitative research. Qual Res 21:385–405

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Wengraf T (2004) Qualitative interviewing. Sage, London

    Google Scholar 

  8. Morse JM, Barratt M, Mayan M, Olson K, Spiers J (2002) Verification strategies for establishing reliability and validity in qualitative research. Int J Qual Methods 1(2):13–22

    Google Scholar 

  9. Flick E (2009) An introduction to qualitative research, 4th edn. Sage, London

    Google Scholar 

  10. Department of Health. The Research Governance Framework for Health and Social Care. 2010. Department of Health. Available at http://www.d.gov.uk/en/Aboutus/Research goverance/DH_4002112. Accessed 11 Jan2013

  11. Iranmesh S, Axelsson K, Savenstedt S, Haggstrom T (2009) A caring relationship with people who have cancer. J Adv Nurs 65(6):1300–1308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Dahlberg K, Drew N, Nystrőm M (2001) Reflective life-world research. Studentlittertur, Lund

    Google Scholar 

  13. Lin CC, Tsai HF, Chiou JF, Lai YH, Kai CC, Tsou TS (2003) Changes in levels of hope after diagnostic disclosure among Taiwanese patients with cancer. Cancer Nurs 26(22):155–160

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Narayansamy A, Andrews A (2000) Cultural impact of Islam on the future directions of nurse education. Nurse Educ Today 20:57–64

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Watson J (1997) The theory of human caring: retrospective and prospective. Nurs Sci Q 10:49–52

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Barelds A, van de Goor I, van Heck G, Schols J (2009) Quality of care and service trajectories for people with intellectual disabilities: defining the aspects of quality from the client's perspective. Scand J Caring Sci 10:1–11

    Google Scholar 

  17. Chan CWH, Hon HC, Chien W, Lopez V (2004) Social support and coping in Chinese patients undergoing cancer surgery. Cancer Nurs 27:230–236

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Utterhoeve R, de Leeuw J, Bensing J, Heaven C, Borm G, de Mulder P, van Acheterberg T (2008) Cue-responding behaviours of oncology nurses in video-simulated interviews. J Adv Nurs 61:71–80

    Google Scholar 

  19. Esbensen B, homé B (2010) Being next of kin to an elderly person with cancer. Scand J Caring Sci 24:648–654

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Molassiotis A, Huberman M (1996) Evaluation of burnout and job satisfaction in marrow transplant nurses. Cancer Nurs 14:360–367

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Dunnice U (2000) Nurses' experiences of being present with a patient receiving a diagnosis of cancer. J Adv Nurs 32:611–618

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Brataas HV, Thorsnes L (2009) Cancer nurses narrating after conversations with cancer outpatients: how often do nurses' roles and patients perspectives appear in the nurses' narratives? Scand J Caring Sci 23:767–774

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Koväcs M, Koväcs E, Hegedus K (2011) Is emotional dissonance more prevalent in oncology care? J Adv Nurs 27:147–156

    Google Scholar 

  24. Omdahl BL, O’Donnell C (1999) Emotional contagion, empathic concern and communicative responsiveness as variables affecting nurses' stress and occupational commitment. J Adv Nurs 29:1351–1359

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Duquette A, Kerouac S, Sandhu B, Besudet L (1994) Factors relating to nursing burnout: a review of empirical knowledge. Issues Ment Health Nurs 15:337–358

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, UK

    Maggi Banning

  2. Nursing and Nurse Education, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Johar Town, Lahore, Pakistan

    Virginia Gumley

Authors
  1. Maggi Banning
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Virginia Gumley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maggi Banning.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Banning, M., Gumley, V. Case Studies of Patient Interactions, Care Provision and the Impact of Emotions: A Qualitative Study. J Canc Educ 28, 656–661 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-013-0526-5

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-013-0526-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation