Exploration of the Strategies of Iranian Nurses in Providing Palliative Care to Children with Cancer: A Qualitative Study.

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to explain the strategies of Iranian nurses in providing palliative care to children with cancer.

Method: This study is a qualitative research with an approach to the conventional content analysis. The main participants were nine nurses working in ward pediatric oncology. Also based on data analysis, five parents of children, two children, one social worker, one physician, one psychologist, and one nutritionist were also included. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and observation and were analyzed by the Elo and Kyngäs approach. Lincoln and Guba criteria were used for the trustworthiness of data analysis.

Results: Three conceptual categories were developed with qualitative analysis: "prevention and relief of pain and physical symptoms", "spontaneous compassion", and "strengthen parental resilience"; that were derived from the main categories: "attention to precautionary considerations," "friendly relationship of nurses with parents of children, create enjoyable moments, spontaneous assistance," "facilitate coping with current situation, perceived confrontation with child death."

Conclusion: In this study, the results showed that nurses' strategies in providing palliative care to children with cancer were a combination of professional and spontaneous strategies.