CN79 Patients' experience of hope during cancer treatment: The different dimensions of hope

Abstract

The authors work as oncolocy contact nurses at Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden. During the specialist nursing education in oncological care, we became aware that hope is a central concept in care science and this has aroused a curiosity to study the significance of hope. The common preconception regarding the experience of hope is that patients undergoing cancer treatment most of all hope to recover. We hope this study can contribute to a deeper and more multidimensional understanding of patients' experience of hope. We also hope that this knowledge leads to an improved and person-centered nursing in the meeting with the patient in the oncological context. Hope is essential to experiencing health and alleviates suffering. Cancer causes existential suffering. Nurses can be bearers of hope, however, nurses in cancer care experience that it can be difficult to define what hope means to the patient and this can cause ethical issues. The study was conducted as a qualitative literature review in accordance with Bettany-Saltikov and McSherry (2016). Systematic searches were conducted in PubMed and CINAHL. 10 studies were included. The studies were quality reviewed based on the template designed by Caldwell et al. (2011). Analysis was performed in accordance with Bettany-Saltikov and McSherry's (2016) description of Burnard's (1991) analysis method. Four categories were identified. The importance of cancer treatment for the experience of hope showed that the cancer treatment affected the hope of, among other things, living and surviving. The changing hope showed that patients felt that hope changed through the cancer trajectory and gave new perspectives. Hope as a driving force showed that spirituality could be a source of hope and that hope was a vital force. The importance of relationships for the experience of hope showed how relationships with relatives and care staff affected experiences of hope. Hope has a deep and multidimensional significance for patients undergoing cancer treatment. This knowledge can contribute to an improved and person-centered nursing in the oncological context, which in turn can promote the patient's experience of hope.