Ethical problems experienced by oncology nurses

Authors

  • Kely Regina da Luz Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina
  • Mara Ambrosina de Oliveira Vargas Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina
  • Pablo Henrique Schmidtt
  • Edison Luiz Devos Barlem Universidade Federal do Rio Grande
  • Jamila Geri Tomaschewski-Barlem Universidade Federal do Rio Grande
  • Luciana Martins da Rosa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/0104-1169.0098.2665

Abstract

Objective: to know the ethical problems experienced by oncology nurses. Method: descriptive and exploratory study with a qualitative approach, performed in inpatient units and in chemotherapy out-patients units that provide assistance to oncological patients in two capitals in the South region of Brazil. Eighteen nurses participated in this study, selected by snowball sampling type. For data collection, semi-structured interviews were carried out, which were recorded and transcribed, and then analyzed by thematic analysis. Results: two categories were established: when informing or not becomes a dilemma - showing the main difficulties related to oncological treatment information regarding health staff, health system, and infrastructure; to invest or not - dilemmas related to finitude - showing situations of dilemmas related to pain and confrontation with finitude. Conclusion: for the effective confrontation of the ethical problems experienced by oncology nurses to occur, it is important to invest in the training of these professionals, preparing them in an ethical and human way to act as lawyers of the patient with cancer, in a context of dilemmas related mainly to the possibility of finitude.

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Published

2015-12-01

Issue

Section

Original Articles

How to Cite

Luz, K. R. da, Vargas, M. A. de O., Schmidtt, P. H., Barlem, E. L. D., Tomaschewski-Barlem, J. G., & Rosa, L. M. da. (2015). Ethical problems experienced by oncology nurses . Revista Latino-Americana De Enfermagem, 23(6), 1187-1194. https://doi.org/10.1590/0104-1169.0098.2665