Nurses’ Insights and Experiences in Palliative Chemotherapy Care

Abstract

Objective: The study sought to provide an overview of the perspectives and experiences of Jordanian nurses in the context of caring for patients undergoing palliative chemotherapy. Methods: A phenomenological qualitative design was used to explore the perspectives and experiences of 11 Jordanian nurses providing care to patients receiving palliative chemotherapy at a governmental cancer care center. Results: The nurses identified two main themes: “Patient Persistence in Hope” and “Positive Impacts of Palliative Chemotherapy.” They observed that some patients held onto false hopes of a cure when consenting to palliative chemotherapy, often influenced by family pressure. However, despite acknowledging fatigue as a major side effect, the nurses generally had a positive view of palliative chemotherapy, especially when it improved patients’ quality of life or relieved pain. The nurses believed that the patients’ resilience and positive attitude during treatment were encouraging. Conclusion: To better support patients, the study suggests that nurses should gain a deeper understanding of the significance patients attach to hope in advanced cancer situations to avoid misinterpreting it as denial or false optimism.