Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34583693›Full record

ArticleBMC nursing2021

Nursing management of fatigue in cancer patients and suggestions for clinical practice: a mixed methods study.

Angela Tolotti, Loris Bonetti, Carla Pedrazzani, Monica Bianchi, Laura Moser, Nicola Pagnucci, Davide Sari, Dario Valcarenghi

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC nursing, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
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  8. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Angela TolottiNursing Research and Development Unit, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland (IOSI), Via Gallino, 12, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland.
Loris BonettiNursing Research and Development Unit, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland (IOSI), Via Gallino, 12, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland. loris.bonetti@eoc.ch.
Carla PedrazzaniDepartment of Business Economics, Health and Social Care, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), Manno, Switzerland.
Monica BianchiDepartment of Business Economics, Health and Social Care, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), Manno, Switzerland.
Laura MoserClinical Trial Unit, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland (IOSI), Via Gallino, 12, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland.
Nicola PagnucciDepartment of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Care, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
Davide SariDepartment of Nursing, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland (IOSI), Via Gallino, 12, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland.
Dario ValcarenghiNursing Research and Development Unit, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland (IOSI), Via Gallino, 12, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFatigue is a complex and frequent symptom in cancer patients, influencing their quality of life, but it is still underestimated and undertreated in clinical practice. The aims of this study were to detect the presence of fatigue in cancer patients, describe how patients and nurses perceived it and how nurses managed fatigue.

methodsThis is a mixed methods study. Data were collected in two oncological wards using the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), an ad hoc questionnaire, patient interviews, focus groups with nurses and the review of nursing records. Interviews and focus groups were analysed through thematic analysis. We used SPSS 22.0 for quantitative data and Nvivo 10 for qualitative data analysis.

resultsA total of 71 questionnaires were analysed (39 males, mean age 65.7 years). Fatigue was reported 5 times (7%) in nursing records, while in 17 cases (23.9%) problems associated to it were reported. Twelve patients were interviewed. Five themes were identified: feeling powerless and aggressive, my strategies or what helps me, feeling reassured by the presence of family members, feeling reassured by nurses' gestures, and being informed. Three themes were identified through the focus groups: objectivity and subjectivity in the assessment of fatigue, nurses' contribution to the multidisciplinary management of fatigue, and difficulty in evaluating outcomes.

conclusionsThe approach to the management of fatigue was unstructured. Patients were satisfied with the care they received but needed more information and specific interventions. Useful aspects were identified that could be used to change health professionals' approach towards the management of fatigue.

Indexed as

FatigueMixed methodsNeoplasmNurse

Identifiers

PMID34583693
PMCPMC8477483

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.