Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2015, 6(1):201-208 | DOI: 10.15452/CEJNM.2015.06.0004

Parents' experience with a dying child with cancer in palliative care

Elena Gurková1,*, Ivana Andraščíková2, Juraj Čáp3
1 Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Care, University of Presov in Presov, Slovakia
2 Department of Oncology and Hematology, Children's Teaching Hospital in Kosice, Slovakia
3 Department of Nursing, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia

Aim: The aim of the descriptive qualitative study was to illuminate and analyze experience of parents with failed treatment and the death of their child suffering from cancer. The analysis was focused on how the parents perceived the treatment itself, the care of their child, the level to which they were informed as well as health care workers' attitudes during the treatment.

Design: A descriptive qualitative study.

Methods: A semi-structured in-depth interview was used for data collection. One married couple and three mothers whose children died from cancer were interviewed. The respondents' ages ranged between 37 and 46 years. The thematic analysis method was used to analyze the data.

Results: Three basic themes were identified: Managing the treatment; The return of the disease; and Communication and support. Within the themes, eleven subthemes were identified: Activation and protection; Consequences of the treatment; Re-evaluation of decisions; Disappointment; Experimental treatment; Siblings and bone marrow donation; The conflict of perspectives; Inner Conflict; Being informed; The control of treatment; and Understanding from health care workers - emotional and instrumental aspects.

Conclusion: The results of the descriptive qualitative study can help nurses and other health care workers better understand the issues from the parents' perspective and suggest options that are available to make the therapeutic communication and emotional support for suffering families better and more effective.

Keywords: cancer, palliative care, thematic analysis, dying child, parents' perspective

Received: July 8, 2014; Accepted: September 11, 2014; Published: March 30, 2015  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Gurková E, Andraščíková I, Čáp J. Parents' experience with a dying child with cancer in palliative care. Central European Journal of Nursing and Midwifery. 2015;6(1):201-208. doi: 10.15452/CEJNM.2015.06.0004.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Braun V, Clarke, V. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology. 2006;3(2):77‒101. Go to original source...
    2. Démuthová S. Keď umiera dieťa. 1. vyd. Pusté Úľany: Občianske združenie Schola philosophica; 2010. (in Slovak)
    3. Earle EA, Clarke SA, Eiser C, Sheppard L. 'Building a new normality': mothers' experiences of caring for a child with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Child: Care, Health and Development. 2006;33(2):155‒160. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    4. Firth P, Luf G, Oliviere D. Ztráta, změna a zármutek v kontextu paliativní péče. 1. vyd. Brno: Společnost pro odbornou literaturu, 2007. (in Czech)
    5. Hendl J. Kvalitativní výzkum: základní metody a aplikace. 1. vyd. Praha: Portál, 2005. (in Czech)
    6. Kars MC, Duijnstee MS, Pool A, van Delden JJ, Grypdonck MH. Being there: parenting the child with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 2008;17(12):1553‒ 1562. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    7. Kohlsdorf M, Costa AL. Psychosocial impact of pediatric cancer on parents: a literature review. Paidéia. 2012;22(51):119‒129. Go to original source...
    8. Malta JDS, Schall VT, Modena CM. Câncer pediátrico: O olhar da família/cuidadores. Pediatria Moderna. 2008;44(3):114‒ 118. (in Portugal)
    9. McGrath P. Beginning treatment for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: Insights from the parents' perspective. Oncology Nursing Forum. 2002;29(6):988‒996. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    10. McGrath P. Identifying support issues of parents of children with leukemia. Cancer Practice. 2001;9(4):198‒205. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    11. Miovský, M. Kvalitativní přístup a metody v psychologickém výzkumu. 1. vyd. Praha: Grada, 2006. (in Czech)
    12. Švecová A. Změny v rodinných vztazích po úmrtí dítěte očima pozůstalých matek. Diplomová práce. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, Fakulta sociálních studií. 2014. (in Czech)
    13. Yorke DM. Parents' reflections on the quality of dying and death of their children in the pediatric intensive care unit. A dissertation thesis, School of Nursing, University of North Carolina, 2007.
    14. Záhorec M, Andrášiová M, Korošová V. Princípy suportívnej komunikácie zdravotníckych pracovníkov s rodinou umierajúceho dieťaťa. Detský fond Slovenskej republiky, Projekt Detského fondu SR "Aj oni sú naše deti", 2009. (i n Slovak)

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content