Caring for people with cancer: experiences from nurses facing it Cuidar a personas con cáncer: vivencias desde el afrontamiento en enfermeros

Abstract

Objective: Describe how the nursing professionals live and cope with the experience of caring for people with cancer. Materials and methods: Phenomenological qualitative research. The size of the sample was defined by theoretical saturation, made up by six nursing professionals working in oncology. The instrument was an in-depth interview. Reflexivity and credibility were maintained through a second interview to corroborate the interpreted data. Also, field notes and a re-reading made by research advisors were carried out. For the analysis of the information the Taylor-Bogdan method was used; the results were visualized trough matrixes of analysis and graphs. This study was supported by the Ethics Committee and an informed consent was used. Results: Two central themes were revealed: the first one titled “What I have to live, what do I have to do, who should I share with” using facing mechanisms from the inside; and, the second one “There are other ways to relieve ourselves” using facing mechanisms from the outside. Additionally, the following sub-themes were generated: transform the concept of death, consider certain special characteristics, change the way of seeing life, be spiritual, recognize the security that scientific knowledge and work experience offer, receive institutional support for the well-being of the worker and stimulate university education for oncologic care. Conclusions: The experience of caring for people with cancer revealed coping mechanisms that allow the nurses to adapt and resolve diverse situations in their professional activities in the oncology services.