Patient's perceptions of caring behaviors in oncology settings

Cancer patients need a comprehensive nursing care. Knowing nurse caring behaviors as perceived by patients helps to facilitate quality nursing care based on priorities identified by patients. Purpose of this study is identifying nurses caring behaviors as was perceived by cancer patients. This is a cross- sectional study conducted on 200 patients who had been admitted to hospital’s medical oncology setting, in Tehran between 2012-2013. These patients were selected by proportional allocation sampling. Data was collected via Caring Behaviors Inventory (CBI). All of the samples completed the inventory. Reliability and validity were assessed in 2007 by Rafii et all. Cronbach's alpha was %92. Data analysis was done by SPSS v.16. According to the findings order of scoring subscale was: Professional knowledge & skill (5.5), Attentiveness to other's experience (5.13), Assurance of human presence (5.11) Respectful to the others (4.94), Positive connectedness (4.93). Since from the patients point of view the nurse's Professional knowledge & skill is seen more and Positive connectedness is seen less, it seems that nurses as well as maintaining their knowledge and skill should attempt to consider emotional and relational aspect of their caring behaviors for patients. This important aspect of caring, should be mentioned by nursing managers in during educational planning and nurses evaluation as well as staff distribution, Particularly in oncology wards. The lack of adequate personnel may not only cause unwanted neglect of the emotional aspect of nursing care, but also decreasing the quality of nursing care in all aspects.