Exploring the needs and resources of children in a haematology-oncology unit

Abstract

Too often a child’s body is restored to health in the hospital, but the child is sent home with emotional wounds. This study explored the needs of children in a haematology-oncology unit as well as the resources that could be mobilised in order to address these needs by firstly carrying out a literature review. A field study was then conducted in order to prioritise the resources according to their importance for children in a haematology-oncology unit. A definite trend could be found in the way that the children responded to the request to prioritise the resources. The first three resources, as chosen by the children, all concerned the external social environment of the child. It could therefore be concluded that support from parents and other people of significance are most important to the child and should be taken into account when facilitating support for children in a haematology-oncology unit. It could also be concluded that these children do not experience sufficient control in their situation and it could therefore be suggested that children in a haematology-oncology unit should experience more control and power in their situation.

Opsomming

So dikwels word ‘n kind se liggaam genees in die hospitaal, maar hierdie selfde kind gaan huis toe met emosionele wonde. Die behoeftes van kinders in ‘n hematologie-onkologie eenheid is ondersoek asook die hulpbronne wat gemobiliseer kan word om hierdie behoeftes aan te spreek deur gebruik te maak van ‘n literatuurstudie. Daarna is ‘n veldstudie gedoen om hierdie hulpbronne te prioritiseer volgens die belangrikheid daarvan vir kinders in ‘n hematologieonkologie eenheid. Die manier waarop die kinders die hulpbronne geprioritiseer het, het ‘n definitiewe tendens getoon. Die eerste drie hulpbronne wat deur die kinders gekies is, is al drie hulpbronne wat die eksterne sosiale omgewing van die kind behels. Die gevolgtrekking kan dus gemaak word dat die ondersteuning van ouers en ander persone wat belangrik is vir die kind, van uiterste belang is en in aanmerking geneem behoort te word in die fasilitering van ondersteuning van kinders in ‘n hematologie-onkologie eenheid. Die gevolgtrekking wat gemaak kan word is dat hierdie kinders nie genoeg beheer ervaar in hulle situasie nie en daarom word voorgestel dat kinders in ‘n hematologie-onkologie eenheid meer bemagtig behoort te word gegewe hulle omstandighede.