Perspectives of Nurses Managing Pediatric Oncology Patients at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi City County, Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70619/vol6iss5pp13-23807Keywords:
Pediatric Oncology, Nursing Perspectives, Kenya, Qualitative Research, Resource-Limited Settings, ResilienceAbstract
Pediatric oncology nurses at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) must provide both intense emotional support and medical care to critically ill children and their families, given limited resources. The purpose of this study is to investigate the well-being, experiences, and coping strategies of pediatric oncology nurses at KNH, to develop institutionally-based programs for staff well-being. A qualitative phenomenological research design was utilized. Fifteen (15) Pediatric Oncology nurses were interviewed using semi-structured, in-depth interviews until data saturation was reached. The data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. The nurses expressed four (4) major themes related to their experiences: (1) experienced emotional/psychological burden of witnessing patients suffer; (2) communicated challenges associated with sharing complex and negative medical information; (3) chronic understaffing/shortage experienced in an organization, which impacts resources; and (4) utilized teamwork, spirituality, and encouragement from peers as coping strategies. The nurses at KNH experience high levels of stress, leading to burnout, yet they continue to practice diligently and with resilience. Programs to improve emotional health, increase nurse-to-patient ratios, and provide more structured/specialty training are needed as a result of this study.
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