The meaning of oncology nursing: a phenomenological investigation.

PURPOSE

To describe the method used in a multisite study of the meaning of oncology nursing from the oncology nurses' perspectives.

DESIGN

Multi-institutional, descriptive, qualitative.

SETTING

Six sites in different regions of the United States; rural and urban cancer and noncancer centers.

SAMPLE

38 oncology nurses (mean age = 35 years; average time in nursing = 10 years and in oncology = 7 years; 47% bachelor's degree in nursing, 29% diploma, 13% associate degree in nursing, and 11% master's prepared).

METHODS

Phenomenological; content analysis of interviews.

FINDINGS

Nurses' experiences in caring for people with cancer have many similarities despite the differences among these nurses or their work settings. These similarities are described in this supplement.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

Many nurses said they had not described their experiences to interested listeners before. Providing these descriptions helped the nurses to see their work in new ways and led some of them to make changes in their personal and professional lives.