Conflicting goals and obligations: Tensions affecting communication in pediatric oncology.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To describe the tensions experienced by clinicians and psychosocial professionals that affect communication in pediatric oncology.

Methods

Ten focus groups with nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians, and psychosocial professionals at 2 US institutions. We analyzed transcripts using thematic analysis, assessing tensions experienced when communicating with parents.

Results

We identified 5 themes of tensions, defined as challenges experienced when clinicians and psychosocial professionals are trying to achieve multiple conflicting goals or obligations while communicating: (1) Supporting parental hopes while providing honest opinions and information; (2) disclosing all possible outcomes while avoiding the creation of new worries or uncertainties; (3) building

SUBMITTER: Sisk BA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8978564 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature