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Cancer is one of the most dreadful diseases that can affect human beings of all ages. It is characterized by malignant growth or tumor as a result of the abnormal and uncontrollable division of body cells. Once it starts, cancer can spread to other body parts through the lymphatic system or the bloodstream. Over a long period now, the diagnosis, treatment and the associated side effects of cancer are very stressful encounters in the sufferers life, especially among children (Dowling, 2005). For children, it is not easy for them to endure the painful procedures, worries of losing somebodys parts through mutilation, as well as the uncertainty associated with the treatment of cancer. Many researchers have therefore tried to find out ways of effectively helping children deal with cancer. The paper seeks to discuss how a researcher will approach a research question concerning cancer and humor in children. It will then conclude on the most appropriate approach to use between qualitative and quantitative approaches. The research question under consideration is as stated below:
How do hospitalized children diagnosed with cancer respond to the use of humor by nurses?
To successfully research this question, a researcher must differentiate between qualitative and quantitative approaches in the task (Kelly & Lenn, 2004). Identifying the ways of collecting data under each category is also very essential. Trying to conduct a review of existing literature on the topic to be investigated is paramount. This will help in finding out the conclusions drawn by other researchers if at all the topic has ever been researched. According to Kelly and Lenn, the understanding of appraisal, stress, and coping strategies indicate that the outcomes are greatly influenced by the personal factors which are used in dealing with the patient (2004).
Then the researcher can define the limits for the group of children to be investigated. For instance, the age bracket of children to be studied will play a significant role. It is believed that children develop from birth to about age 6, and then from age 7, they move to a completely new group in terms of their perception of life and its experiences (Dowling, 2005). They can reason logically and can differentiate between good and bad. Being diagnosed with cancer, therefore, children within given categories may respond differently to treatment approaches used by the nurses. The effect of humor will not be an exception.
The impact of the environment under which the child is at the time of investigation is also crucial for a researcher. For instance, a hospitalized child will respond to treatment approaches differently from when at home. Furthermore, if the child is accompanied by parents or siblings, he or she will respond to humor differently from the case when the child is not accompanied. More so, the researcher must consider the type of humor-evoking approaches used by nurses.
The next strategy that research must consider is the instruments for collecting data from the child (Kelly & Lenn, 2004). To do this, the researcher must specify the objectives inherent in the research question. This will help in exploring the question effectively. Data collection methods like interviews, observations, and review of nurses records about the childrens progress would be invaluable for the researcher. The use of interview method will help determine how children express their worry and sadness when exposed to humor by the same nurse. Furthermore, the childs perception of whether the experience was humorous or not would need to be investigated. This would be a qualitative approach.
Making different observations as the child is exposed will require the use of different techniques to measure the childs response to humor. The researcher would want to collect data about the childs pain tolerance by conducting measurements. Other measurements that the investigator may want to measure as the child responds to humor by the nurse include; pain intensity, laughter and smile ratings. Some of the ways of evoking humor among hospitalized children include the use of funny movies and should be administered at the right time and place. All these would require quantification.
This research question, from the discussion, will require many instances of quantitative measurement as well as qualitative data collection. The assessment of a childs response to humor by the nurse seems to be mainly through subjective investigation; hence the best approach to use is the qualitative study after which the collected data can be analyzed for meaningful interpretation. However, there are human rights concerns about this kind of research. The researcher may not be able to access the childrens medical records to legal restrictions. The investigator would also have to get the parents approval as well as that of the hospital for their children to be participants.
The paper has discussed the factors that a researcher must consider when planning to investigate the relationship between the sense of humor and hospitalized childhood cancer stressors. The appropriate approach for collecting data has been identified.
References
Dowling, J. S. (2005). Impact of sense of humor, childhood cancer stressors, and outcomes of psychosocial adjustment. Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing. 20 (7) 272-291
Kelly, M. & Lenn, C. (2004). Investigating the impact of humor on hospitalized children diagnosed with cancer. [Peer Reviewed Journal]. Journal of Undergraduate Research. 3 (5) 34-67
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