Experiences of oncology nurses caring for patients with solid-tumor bone metastasis: A qualitative study

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: The aims of this study were to understand the experiences of oncology nurses caring for patients with solid-tumor bone metastases and provide a theoretical basis for oncology nurses to formulate a standardized training and management system for patients with bone metastases,so as to improve the ability of patients to care for their own bone health. Methods: A phenomenological, qualitative study design with objective sampling was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 oncology nurses in a third-grade a cancer hospital in Hebei Province from March to June 2022. Data collection and analysis proceeded simultaneously until data saturation was reached. The Colaizzi seven-step method of data analysis was used to analyze the data and refine the themes. Results: The experiences of oncology nurses caring for patients with solid-tumor bone metastases could be summarized into five themes: the oncology nurses have insufficient knowledge of the diseases of patients with solid-tumor bone metastases; Oncology nurses have a sense of weakness in managing patients with solid-tumor bone metastases; oncology nurses only pay attention to the primary disease and individual symptoms of patients with solid-tumor bone metastasis; oncology nurses hope to acquire more knowledge related to bone metastasis; and the role of oncology nurses in managing patients with solid-tumor bone metastases is ambiguous. Conclusion: The experiences of oncology nurses caring for patients with solid-tumor bone metastases are multi-dimensional. The interview results suggest that nursing managers need to strengthen nurse training related to bone metastases, formulate comprehensive and standardized nursing protocols for patients with bone metastases, and provide evidence-based support for nurses of patients with bone metastases. These changes could improve the self-management ability of bone health, delay the occurrence of skeletal-related events, and improve patient’ quality life.