Measuring the impact of nurse cue-response behaviour on cancer patients' emotional cues

Objective: This study aimed to explore the impact of nurse responses to patients' and family members' emotional cues and concerns during the chemotherapy education consultation. Methods: 51 cancer patients and 13 nurses participated in this study. Nurse-delivered chemotherapy education sessions were audio-recorded, and patients completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 V3.0 questionnaire before the education. The audio records were transcribed and coded. Results: Patients expressed their emotions more than family members, but patients' cues decreased when family were present. Patients with lower emotional wellbeing (greater psychological distress) prior to the consultation did not express more cues/concerns. Nurses responded to patients' and families' cues equally in a cue-facilitative fashion. Facilitative responses were associated with decreased patients' cues. Conclusion: Family presence appears to hinder patients' cues/concerns. Nurses' PS responses were associated with less cues/concerns by patients. Practice implication: The current study challenges the common assumption that a higher number of cues is indicative of effective consultation, and indicates the influence of family in patients' cues/concerns. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.