War on Two Fronts: Experience of Children with Cancer and Their Family During COVID-19 Pandemic in Iran.
Jila Mirlashari, Fatemeh Ebrahimpour, Waliu Jawula Salisu
PMID 33212343WHAT IT FOUND
Children with cancer and families described fear, isolation and care disruptions during pandemic.
Hospital rules blocked fathers, play and school; protective gear made communication hard. They needed clear rules, supplies and emotional support.
Key findings
01Twenty-one participants yielded three themes and eight subthemes: fear to adaptation, emotional isolation, and care system confusion with decreased quality of care.
02Hospital restrictions kept fathers away, closed playrooms, stopped school and friend contact, and made staff hard to identify behind masks. Children felt bored and lonely.
03Participants reported inconsistent ward rules, expensive corona tests, shortage of disinfectants, and less staff time for questions and emotional support.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Single center in Tehran, so experiences may not apply elsewhere. Only 21 participants, including three nurses, and purposive/convenience sampling, so the findings do not represent a larger group. Telephone interviews prevented observation and field notes. The study describes experiences, not effects. Families were selected partly through researchers' previous knowledge of families, which may miss other perspectives.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as proof that hospital restrictions caused measured harm or that virtual entertainment and emotional support improve quality of life. The study was qualitative and did not test any intervention or outcome.