Enhancing nurses’ communication about psychosocial needs and changes in intimacy and sexuality in patients with advanced cancer: a mixed-method study
Introduction: Patients with advanced cancer often experience psychosocial needs due to the diagnosis or treatment. Despite the importance of these needs, nurses often feel reluctant to address them, especially with regard to changes in intimacy and sexuality. Aim: To evaluate whether hospital nurses...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666142X2500044X |
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| author | Susanne A.M. Arends Corien M. Eeltink Floortje K. Ploos van Amstel Astrid W. Oosten Donna C. Ruijter Nelleke van der Loo Barbara Harterink-Poker Anneke L. Francke Irene P. Jongerden |
| author_facet | Susanne A.M. Arends Corien M. Eeltink Floortje K. Ploos van Amstel Astrid W. Oosten Donna C. Ruijter Nelleke van der Loo Barbara Harterink-Poker Anneke L. Francke Irene P. Jongerden |
| author_sort | Susanne A.M. Arends |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Patients with advanced cancer often experience psychosocial needs due to the diagnosis or treatment. Despite the importance of these needs, nurses often feel reluctant to address them, especially with regard to changes in intimacy and sexuality. Aim: To evaluate whether hospital nurses’ competences and practices regarding communication about psychosocial needs, including changes in intimacy and sexuality, with patients with advanced cancer, improved after training. Methods: Between 2022 and 2023, we conducted a mixed methods study in six hospitals in The Netherlands. Data were collected three months before and three months after the training course. Perceived competences and documentation regarding communication about psychosocial needs were determined using a survey questionnaire, patient record screening, and semi-structured interviews with nurses. Results: In total 53 hospital nurses participated in the training. Of these participants, 50 nurses completed the survey before the training and 33 after the training. More nurses reported feeling competent in addressing psychosocial needs three months after the training as compared to before (78.8 % and 46.0 %, respectively; p < 0.01), as well as in addressing intimacy (90.9 % and 64.0 %, respectively, p < 0.02) and sexuality (84.8 % and 50.0 %, respectively, p < 0.01). In addition, 83 electronic patient records were screened before the training and 102 after the training. This revealed that only limited notes were made regarding psychosocial needs, and especially regarding changes in intimacy or sexuality. In interviews, nurses mentioned that they felt reluctant to make notes about sensitive topics. Furthermore, they added that they still perceived a lack of time to discuss psychosocial needs, and felt discomfort in addressing intimacy and sexuality. Conclusion: After the programme, more nurses felt competent in discussing psychosocial needs in patients with advanced cancer, especially with regard to changes in intimacy and sexual functioning. The training had little effect on nurses’ notes about psychosocial needs in patient records; the focus remained on physical aspects. Even when they discussed changes in intimacy or sexuality, nurses felt reluctant to document discussions about such sensitive topics. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ca1fced8eace4bd8acd396c0fcaac2a2 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2666-142X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances |
| spelling | doaj-art-ca1fced8eace4bd8acd396c0fcaac2a22025-08-20T02:31:12ZengElsevierInternational Journal of Nursing Studies Advances2666-142X2025-06-01810033510.1016/j.ijnsa.2025.100335Enhancing nurses’ communication about psychosocial needs and changes in intimacy and sexuality in patients with advanced cancer: a mixed-method studySusanne A.M. Arends0Corien M. Eeltink1Floortje K. Ploos van Amstel2Astrid W. Oosten3Donna C. Ruijter4Nelleke van der Loo5Barbara Harterink-Poker6Anneke L. Francke7Irene P. Jongerden8Amsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Public and Occupational Health, Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Center of Expertise in Palliative Care, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Cancer center Amsterdam (CCA), Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsOncology Daycare Center, Dijklander Hospital, Hoorn, The NetherlandsDepartment of Medical Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The NetherlandsDepartment of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, The NetherlandsDepartment of Sexual Health, Noordwest Ziekenhuisgroep, Alkmaar, The NetherlandsOncology Daycare Center, Amstelland Hospital, Amstelveen, The NetherlandsDepartment of Urologic Oncology, Deventer Hospital, Deventer, The NetherlandsCenter of Expertise in Palliative Care, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; NIVEL. Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, Utrecht, The NetherlandsAmsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Public and Occupational Health, Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Center of Expertise in Palliative Care, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Cancer center Amsterdam (CCA), Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Corresponding author at: Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Public and Occupational Health. Van der Boechorststraat 7, NL-1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands.Introduction: Patients with advanced cancer often experience psychosocial needs due to the diagnosis or treatment. Despite the importance of these needs, nurses often feel reluctant to address them, especially with regard to changes in intimacy and sexuality. Aim: To evaluate whether hospital nurses’ competences and practices regarding communication about psychosocial needs, including changes in intimacy and sexuality, with patients with advanced cancer, improved after training. Methods: Between 2022 and 2023, we conducted a mixed methods study in six hospitals in The Netherlands. Data were collected three months before and three months after the training course. Perceived competences and documentation regarding communication about psychosocial needs were determined using a survey questionnaire, patient record screening, and semi-structured interviews with nurses. Results: In total 53 hospital nurses participated in the training. Of these participants, 50 nurses completed the survey before the training and 33 after the training. More nurses reported feeling competent in addressing psychosocial needs three months after the training as compared to before (78.8 % and 46.0 %, respectively; p < 0.01), as well as in addressing intimacy (90.9 % and 64.0 %, respectively, p < 0.02) and sexuality (84.8 % and 50.0 %, respectively, p < 0.01). In addition, 83 electronic patient records were screened before the training and 102 after the training. This revealed that only limited notes were made regarding psychosocial needs, and especially regarding changes in intimacy or sexuality. In interviews, nurses mentioned that they felt reluctant to make notes about sensitive topics. Furthermore, they added that they still perceived a lack of time to discuss psychosocial needs, and felt discomfort in addressing intimacy and sexuality. Conclusion: After the programme, more nurses felt competent in discussing psychosocial needs in patients with advanced cancer, especially with regard to changes in intimacy and sexual functioning. The training had little effect on nurses’ notes about psychosocial needs in patient records; the focus remained on physical aspects. Even when they discussed changes in intimacy or sexuality, nurses felt reluctant to document discussions about such sensitive topics.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666142X2500044XHealthcare professionalsCommunicationOncologyPsychosocial needsSexualityIntimacy |
| spellingShingle | Susanne A.M. Arends Corien M. Eeltink Floortje K. Ploos van Amstel Astrid W. Oosten Donna C. Ruijter Nelleke van der Loo Barbara Harterink-Poker Anneke L. Francke Irene P. Jongerden Enhancing nurses’ communication about psychosocial needs and changes in intimacy and sexuality in patients with advanced cancer: a mixed-method study International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances Healthcare professionals Communication Oncology Psychosocial needs Sexuality Intimacy |
| title | Enhancing nurses’ communication about psychosocial needs and changes in intimacy and sexuality in patients with advanced cancer: a mixed-method study |
| title_full | Enhancing nurses’ communication about psychosocial needs and changes in intimacy and sexuality in patients with advanced cancer: a mixed-method study |
| title_fullStr | Enhancing nurses’ communication about psychosocial needs and changes in intimacy and sexuality in patients with advanced cancer: a mixed-method study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhancing nurses’ communication about psychosocial needs and changes in intimacy and sexuality in patients with advanced cancer: a mixed-method study |
| title_short | Enhancing nurses’ communication about psychosocial needs and changes in intimacy and sexuality in patients with advanced cancer: a mixed-method study |
| title_sort | enhancing nurses communication about psychosocial needs and changes in intimacy and sexuality in patients with advanced cancer a mixed method study |
| topic | Healthcare professionals Communication Oncology Psychosocial needs Sexuality Intimacy |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666142X2500044X |
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