Article Review
Introduction
Cervical cancer results from the rapid and abnormal growth of cervical cells. This cancer type is among the most common gynecologic cancers in the world and is progressively becoming one of the deadliest global health issues. Zhang et al. (2020) report that the World Health Organization ranks cervical cancer fourteenth among cancer types by prevalence and related deaths in the general population and fourth most dangerous cancer type in women’s health and life. According to Li et al. (2023), cervical cancer was related to more than 600,000 new cancer cases across the world and around 342,000 deaths, 85% of whom were women from low-income socioeconomic backgrounds. Despite its deadliness, developments in cancer research have established standard diagnosis and treatment approaches to cervical cancer (chemo-radiography and surgery) as well as standard yet customizable nursing interventions that can be used to improve care outcomes as the illness takes its trajectory. Sufficient and accurate knowledge and understanding of cervical cancer by oncology nurses is an efficient tool with which to enhance cervical cancer prevention through public awareness.
Purpose of the Study
The study under scrutiny was designed to investigate the extent and level of healthcare professionals’ knowledge, perceptions, understanding, and experience in caring for women with cervical cancer. The study operates under the theoretical assumption that nurses’ abilities to provide sufficient care for cervical cancer patients depend on their level of knowledge and experience of the basic care standards required for women with the illness, as well as their general understanding and attitudes towards cervical cancer and women affected by the illness (Kim et al., 2019). The primary endpoint of the researchers is to assess if, and to what extent, nurses are often prejudiced about women with cervical cancer and the level to which such prejudices may affect the quality and details of care such patients are accorded. Kim et al.’s (2019) secondary endpoint was to assess if and the extent to which nurse prejudice and the nature of care provided to cervical cancer patients contributed to preventing cervical cancer across societies. Kim et al. (2019) developed a study model intending to trace if there was any meaningful correlation between nurses’ perceptions and experiences in caring for cervical cancer patients and the quality of nursing intervention and care extended to women with cervical cancer.
Results of the Study
The study under scrutiny assumed a qualitative research design in which a sample of 14 nurses from general hospitals in Seoul, South Korea, were interviewed to provide data on participants’ awareness and their experiences in caring for women with cervical cancer. Of the three categories of interview questions, nine important themes emerged. The first set of interview questions revealed that oncology nurses in Korean hospitals had a general fear of cervical cancer and, therefore, experienced a significant level of helplessness rooted in the life-threatening nature of the prognosis. Further, the interview reveals that the sexually transmitted nature of cervical cancer generated a general prejudice regarding women with the illness, as well as their marital or sexual partners.
Also, there was a shared recognition that while cervical cancer patients’ sexual partner’s involvement in the treatment process was significant, it was necessary, and thus, we strived not to let such prejudices reflect on the care delivered to the patients. The interview findings further established that nurses widely recognize the need to tailor the care delivered to cancer patients to reflect the characteristics and sensitivity of the illness. On this note, while the interviewees admitted their heartfelt sympathy towards the patients suffering, most of them expressed the burdensome nature and sensitivity of the illness and how it impacted their abilities to extend specific care. There was a shared growth in nurses’ awareness of the importance of preventing cervical cancer across populations with increasing practice experience and a shared optimism regarding nurses’ prevention roles and practices across society.
Limitations of the Study
The study’s main limitation lies in the authors’ design and methodological preferences. Being a qualitative study, the researcher’s presence during data collection, which was mainly conducted through interviews, often affects the authenticity of responses issued by respondents and could, therefore, skew the findings of the study in a particular direction by providing opportunities for biases (Curtis & Keeler, 2022). In this study, it would not be easy to maintain, assess, and demonstrate the rigor of the research process since the researchers can hardly control the perspectives of the practitioners interviewed. Lastly, it would have been more rigorous to incorporate into the study a side-by-side comparison of the treatment and care outcomes of patients when their sexual partners were made part of the care plan.
Application of the Study to the Professional Roles of Nursing
A particular area of the nursing profession that the study focuses on is their ability to address the care needs of patients suffering from emotionally and sexually sensitive illnesses like cervical cancer. Consistent with Mawardika et al. (2019), the widespread reluctance of nurses to offer personalized care that takes into consideration the sexual and emotional sensitivity needs of cervical cancer patients led to the provision of a generalized care framework, which is often inadequate in addressing all the care needs of each patient for optimal treatment outcomes. Consistent with Shin et al. (2021), this study also underscores the need to extend routine oncology and surgical nurses to cervical cancer patients and to involve patients’ sexual partners in the treatment and care framework. Further, in line with Chitha et al. (2023), the study underscores the need for extended education programs that expose nurses to valuable opportunities for specialized learning about cervical cancer care while helping them address the psychological incompetence that yields prejudices and its burdens on patient wellbeing. This way, nurses can be better equipped to provide personalized care that appropriately addresses patient needs while paying attention to their emotional and sexual sensitivities.
References
Chitha, W., Sibulawa, S., Funani, I., Swartbooi, B., Maake, K., Hellebo, A., et al. (2023). A cross-sectional study of knowledge, attitudes, barriers, and practices of cervical cancer screening among nurses in selected Eastern Cape Province, South Africa hospitals. BMC Women’s Health, 23(94), 764-769. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-023-02251-0
Curtis, A. C., & Keeler, C. (2022). Interpretive Methodologies in Qualitative Nursing Research. American Journal of Nursing, 122(10), 45–49. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.naj.0000890224.65902.0a
Fowler, J. R., Maani, E. V., Dunton, C. J., Gasalberti, D. P., Jack, B. W., & Miller., J. L. (2024). Cervical Cancer (Nursing). In StatPearls (pp. 877-881). Treasure Island, FL: StatPearls Publishing.
Kim, H. W., Kim, D. H., Kim, Y. H., Lee, E. J., Kang, S. Y., Lee, D. B., et al. (2019). Clinical nurses’ awareness and caring experiences for patients with cervical cancer: A qualitative study. PLoS One, 14(5), : e0217201. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0217201
Mawardika, T., Afiyanti, Y., & Rahmah, H. (2019). Gynecological cancer inpatients need more supportive nursing care than outpatients: a comparative study. BMC Nursing, 18(28), 129-135. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-019-0355-x
Shin, M. B., Gui Liu, 2. N., Garcia, P. J., Rao, D. W., Bayer, C. J., Ecker, L. O., et al. (2021). A Framework for Cervical Cancer Elimination in Low-and-Middle-Income Countries: A Scoping Review and Roadmap for Interventions and Research Priorities. Frontiers in Public Health, 9(1), 670032. https://doi.org/10.3389%2Ffpubh.2021.670032
Zhang, S., Xu, H., Zhang, L., & Qiao, Y. (2020). Cervical cancer: Epidemiology, risk factors, and screening. Chinese Journal of Cancer Research, 32(6), 720–728. https://doi.org/10.21147%2Fj.issn.1000-9604.2020.06.05
write