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The benefits of Narrative research methods for nurses understanding cancer
Conference presentation

The benefits of Narrative research methods for nurses understanding cancer

Ann Framp
Narrative, Health and Wellbeing Research Conference, 1st (Noosa, Australia, 08-Feb-2016)
Central Queensland University
2016
url
http://media.wix.com/ugd/c53d4f_149d536463a748a5a5a69ec11fecd786.pdfView
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Abstract

Nursing narrative cancer nursing wellbeing
Cancer is an illness that universally evokes fear of death, pain, loss of control and family disruption. These days, focused new treatments mean that many cancers can be considered a chronic disease, and not a death sentence. In Australia, almost half a million people are living with cancer, and 67% will survive longer than 5 years after diagnosis. Within one family in New Zealand however, these uplifting statistics do not apply. The family is afflicted by a rare form of hereditary aggressive cancer. For each person, if they have one parent with the mutated gene, they have a 50% chance of inheriting it themselves. If they do inherit the gene, they have an 85% change of developing the cancer within their lifetime. The average age that the cancer manifests is 37, with the youngest known person 14 years old. To understand how this unique family experiences, adapts and interacts with health professionals a narrative study was designed and undertaken. Throughout the process of inquiry, many stories were shared. In this presentation I will focus on stories of hope, fear and courage and I will utilise Frank's theory about illness narratives to explore how meaning can be made about this devastating illness.

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