Comparison of Symptom Distress Ranking Between Oncology Nurses and Pediatric Patients Receiving Chemotherapy

Purpose: This study aimed to identify and compare the chemotherapy-induced symptoms perceived as distressing by pediatric oncology patients and nurses, utilizing both patient-reported outcomes and proxy report outcomes frameworks. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted in three university hospitals in Türkiye between January 2023 and December 2023. A total of 122 pediatric oncology patients and 139 pediatric oncology nurses participated. The Children’s Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale was used to rank the perceived distress of symptoms. Results: Both pediatric oncology patients and nurses identified lack of energy, pain, nausea, feeling nervous, and feeling drowsy as the five most distressing symptoms. However, discrepancies were noted between the two groups: Pediatric oncology nurses reported higher distress rankings for symptoms such as nausea (p = .018), dry mouth (p = .027), cough (p = .030), mouth sores (p < .001), and difficulty swallowing (p = .003) compared with the patients. Conversely, pediatric oncology patients reported higher distress rankings for feeling nervous (p = .016), weight loss (p = .003), constipation (p = .014), and swelling of arms/legs (p < .001). Conclusions: The study revealed a general alignment in the ranking of distressing symptoms between pediatric oncology nurses and patients, with some notable differences. Practice Implications: Understanding the differences in symptom perception between patients and nurses is crucial to enhancing patient-centered care in pediatric oncology. Tailoring interventions to address the specific distress identified by patients and nurses can improve care outcomes and patient well-being.