Abstract
This study explored patients' perceptions of "being known" in an ambulatory chemotherapy unit. Using a qualitative descriptive design, 10 participants with various cancer diagnoses were recruited from a large cancer centre in Montreal, Quebec. Audiotaped individual interviews were transcribed verbatim. Textual data were coded and analyzed thematically. Participants spoke of their need to have the staff approach them as individuals first and then as persons with cancer. They further underscored the importance of: (1) feeling truly welcome in the cancer care environment, (2) being provided with person- and situation-responsive care, and (3) considering occupational and social roles that go beyond the "sick role". Mutual patient-nurse disclosure also contributed to perceptions of a personalized care approach. In addition to key elements construed as crucial for enhancing perceptions of being known, future studies should further document how the interplay among demographic, physical/psychological, and cultural factors affect these perceptions.
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