JOURNAL of
ONCOLOGICAL
SCIENCES


Impact of Caring for Pediatric Oncology Patients on Health Professionals’ Life: A Qualitative Study
Received Date : 16 Aug 2021
Accepted Date : 11 Oct 2021
Available Online : 27 Oct 2021
Doi: 10.37047/jos.2021-85783 - Article's Language: EN
J Oncol Sci. 2021;7(3):139-49
ABSTRACT
Objective: As cancer is a leading cause of death for children globally, getting treatment at a medical center specializing in pediatric oncology can help pediatric oncology patients get the best possible medical care and treatment. Caring for pediatric oncology patients is a comprehensive process that synergistically affects all health professionals’ quality of life. The purpose of this study was to determine the positive and negative impact of caring for pediatric oncology patients on health professionals’ life. Material and Methods: A descriptive qualitative research study was conducted with 19 health professionals from the pediatric oncology clinic of a university hospital in Turkey. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed with thematic analysis. Results: In the study, three themes and nine sub-themes were created for the positive impact and negative impact of caring for pediatric oncology patients on health professionals’ life. For positive impact themes were the development of social relation, strengthening of spirituality, and psychological empowerment; for negative impact themes were changes in attitude and feelings, changes in thoughts about the future, emergence of fears. Conclusion: This study revealed that caring for pediatric oncology patients had a positive impact as well as a negative impact on health professionals’ life. Our results revealed that hospital management should be aware of both the positive and negative effects of caring for pediatric oncology patients on healthcare professionals’ lives while it becomes extremely important to support and strengthen health professionals to reduce the negative impact for robust care strategies.