Over the years, the pediatric cancer patient's survival rate has dramatically extended, changing the role of the nurse from one of supporting families with a dying child in an acute setting to one of facilitating adaptation of families to long term care, often in home settings. The purpose of this study was to examine available research on the topic of family adaptation and home health care of the pediatric cancer patient. The method used for the purpose of this study was a review and synthesis of literature published on the topic from 1981 to 1999. This information was discussed and also summarized in 6 tables. Research reviewed provided information regarding the following questions which guided this study: 1. What is the process of family and individual adaptation to pediatric cancer? 2. How is home health care utilized with the pediatric cancer patient? 3. Does home health care better facilitate adaptation than traditional inpatient settings? 4. What is the cost of home health care compared to the cost of traditional management of pediatric cancer? Findings indicate that families adapt in unison and individually by changing their future orientation, coping with events that may cause anxiety and depression, reorganizing roles, managing the flow of information and the therapeutic regimen, evaluating and shifting priorities, and attempting to continue with life as "normal" as possible. Home health care was shown to be a growing field which offers technologically advanced care to the pediatric cancer patient in their home. In addition, findings show that the home is possibly a better setting for the family's psychosocial adaptation than in the hospital. Finally, home health care has been shown to be more cost effective than the inpatient care setting.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree Masters of Nursing in the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences 2015 / Background: Oncology nursing continues to evolve in response to advances in cancer treatment. The role of the oncology nurse in the management of cancer in children is very significant as these children go through a lot of emotional trauma due to the disease. Aim and objectives: The aim of the study is to explore and examine the quality of nursing care given to children diagnosed with cancer in Ghana. Some of the objectives are to examine strategies nurses use in planning care; and to determine processes nurses use to evaluate care given. Methodology: A mixed-methods qualitative cross-sectional descriptive design was used. Population and samples: Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Ghana is selected as the research site. The population consists of all nurses working in the hospital and parents/carers looking after children diagnosed with cancer. The samples was nurses working on paediatric wards/clinics, parents/carers, and key informants. Selection of sample groups was opportunistic. Methods of data collection: three sources were used to collect data, i.e. questionnaires for nursing working on paediatric wards/clinics, interviews with nurses and carers, and key informant interviews. Analysis: descriptive statistical analysis of data was undertaken and the three data sources were triangulated to determine similarities and differences of responses. Benefits of the study: The results of the study will be submitted to the hospital management and articles will be submitted to peer-reviewed nursing journals. Key words: paediatric oncology, nurses, oncology nurses, Kumasi, Ghana, Komfo Anokye teaching hospital.