A cultural snapshot to inform future practice development within a new cancer centre

The closure of an existing cancer centre and an inpatient cancer ward in a city centre hospital, with a move to a purpose-built unit, provided an opportunity to analyse the culture within the existing ward environments and patient hotel. This project was designed in response to the sense of loss and anxiety expressed by staff regarding the change to working in a brand new purpose-built cancer centre and new bed and breakfast facility. In addition, patients had expressed their sense of loss, not only of the staff who nursed them but of the environment in which they had been cared for. The method involve five senior nurses within the existing oncology department spending four hours in the five selected areas engaging in practice observation, critical reflective interviewing and photographing a ‘typical day’. Patients were also asked to take photographs, to capture their perspectives. In addition, nursing staff were asked to complete the ‘Aston Inter-professional Team working Inventory’ to give a comparative measure of the existing ward and department cultures. The findings of this study highlighted the multifaceted nature of ward cultures, including themes of communication, teamworking, values, loss and a sense of belonging. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.