Lymphedema risk and management: challenges to nurses educating women treated for breast cancer

Hodgson, Pamela (2005) Lymphedema risk and management: challenges to nurses educating women treated for breast cancer. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

Twenty-five registered nurses from four different settings participated in audio-taped focus group discussions on lymphedema education for women with breast cancer. Findings were derived from themes developed through grounded theory methodology. Nurses provided samples of educational materials, which were assessed using validated readability tools, and recommendations from the literature. -- Findings from this study suggest that in the absence of policy guidelines on lymphedema, educational efforts are uneven. Nurses appear to spend little time on lymphedema education. According to their assessment of patient readiness to absorb information, nurses control what information they provide. Nurses are aware of the need for preventive education, but hesitate to inform patients whom they assess as anxious about the risk of lymphedema. Nurses provide patients with a superior information kit but there is no process for patient feedback. Nurses reported that their knowledge of and attitudes to lymphedema are changing, and they require more education themselves.

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