Lived Experiences of Nurses in Pediatric Cancer Pain Management: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study

Abstract

Background: Paediatric patients with cancer have poor survival rates in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). These children experience severe pain during treatment. Although nurses have a significant responsibility for managing children’s pain, little is known about nurses’ experiences within the Ghanaian context. Aim: To explore nurses’ experiences of managing cancer pain in children in a low-resource setting in Ghana. Study Design: The study employed a descriptive phenomenological qualitative approach in the paediatric oncology unit of Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH). Methods: The study employed a descriptive phenomenological qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews to collect data from paediatric oncology nurses, and Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenological method of analysis was applied. Data saturation was reached after interviewing the 12th participant. Results: Four themes emerged: “Witnessing Children’s Persistent Suffering,” “Struggling to Manage Pain with Limited Resources,” “Coping Through Improvisation and Creativity,” and “Constraints of Pharmacological Pain Management.” Participants described coping through improvisation and creativity while witnessing children’s persistent suffering. The study highlights the challenges faced by nurses in managing pain among paediatric oncology patients in northern Ghana. These challenges include nurses’ distress when observing children with unrelieved pain and shortages of essential medications; therefore, greater attention needs to be directed towards oncology departments in LMICs to address these challenges. Conclusion: Paediatric cancer pain management presents substantial challenges for nurses, although they improvise to overcome systemic barriers. There is a need to strengthen training, resources, and policy support to improve pain outcomes among children in LMICs.