Nurses' and cancer patients' perceptions of symptom distress: A replication study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the congruence between hospitalized cancer patients' self-assessments of symptom distress and nurses' assessments of symptom distress in those patients. Using a comparative descriptive design, a convenience sample of 32 nurse-patient pairs completed the modified Symptom Distress Scale. A major finding was the difference between the nurse and patient groups concerning perceptions of symptom distress from mood. Nurses generally rated mood as the most frequent contributor to higher levels of symptom distress, in marked contrast to patients' self-assessments. Patients and nurses also differed in their perceptions of pain, although to a lesser degree than with mood. Nurses' assessments of patients' moods and pain may be influenced by assumptions related to the cancer diagnosis.