Hospital classroom experiences of hospitalized school-age pediatric oncology patients: A qualitative study

Abstract

Purpose: In this study, it was aimed to examine the hospital classroom experiences of school-age children who received treatment and care at a pediatric oncology-hematology clinic in Turkey.Methods: The study was conducted using the in-depth interview method with the participation of 17 children who were hospitalized in the pediatric oncology-hematology clinic of a research and training hospital in the Ankara province of Turkey. The data were collected using a Semi-Structured Interview Form. The interviews started with the question How do you perform the assignments given by your teacher while you are hospitalized?, and the interviews were recorded as audio with the consent of the children and their parents.Results: As a result of the interviews, three main themes, (1) Learning, (2) Maintaining normalcy, and (3) Ex-pectations, and 9 subthemes (teacher, continuation of learning, learning through play, feeling good, continuation of routines, peer interaction, communication with the school-teacher, basic sport activity, and tablet/internet access) were generated from the data. Conclusions: Hospital classrooms had a significant role in increasing the children's adaptation to hospital con-ditions and ensuring the continuation of school/learning.Practice implications: Pediatric nurses can refer children with long and repeated hospitalizations (e.g., pediatric oncology patients and children with chronic diseases) to hospital classrooms. Thus, children can adapt more easily to the procedures performed in the hospital.