The child's view of the cystic fibrosis clinic experience : an ethnographic study

Abstract

This thesis is an ethnographic study of early school-age children with cystic fibrosis to determine the child's view of the cystic fibrosis clinic experience. Data were collected utilizing the protocol of the ethnographic interview, which were conducted with four early school-age children with cystic fibrosis. Each child was interviewed four times for a total of 16 interviews. Tape recordings of the interviews were transcribed and analyzed. Seven culturally relevant domains were analyzed, kinds of things that happen on a clinic visit, kinds of things seen on a clinic visit, kinds of people seen on a clinic visit, reasons for going on a clinic visit, ways of feeling about the clinic, kinds of things done to get ready to go to the clinic, and kinds of things done after a clinic visit. Cultural themes identified were: getting things done to my body, doctors and nurses do things to my body yet they are still my friends, waiting and getting- bored, sometimes like it--sometimes I don't, seeing friends, cystic fibrosis means my lungs are sick--having wheezes, crackles, phlegm, and coughing, and getting medicine. The view of the early school-age child with cystic fibrosis and recommendations for the practicing nurse were included. Use of the ethnographic interview for further research was suggested, and recommendations for further research and practice were included.