Bone marrow transplantation

Objective: Pediatric bone marrow transplants represent a medically stressful, potentially traumatic experience for children and caregivers, and psychological support for parental caregivers is paramount to their long-term well-being. However, many medical centers do not have protocols in place to sustain caregiver well-being during these distressing experiences.

Purpose/Objectives: To describe the dynamics of commitment, expectations, and negotiation from the perspective of caregivers of patients undergoing blood and marrow transplantation (BMT).

Research Approach: Descriptive, exploratory, qualitative methodology. Setting: Comprehensive cancer center in a major southern U.S. city. Participants: 40 caregivers of patients undergoing BMT.