Page 27 - APPENDIX B: Trials Investigating the Management of Acute Radiation-Induced Skin Reactions Reading Qualitative Research

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WOUND CARE

Literature Review (Phase I)

The computer assisted search revealed a handful of Canadian studies addressing the area

of interest. The rationale for seeking Canadian studies is the quest to find relevant evidence

particularly within the national context to address the research question regarding common

practice. The literature search was expanded to capture international studies.

The extraction questions for the literature review were:

• What is the existing evidence regarding radiating through dressings?

• Which dressings can be left in place on wounds of patients with cancer during

radiation treatments?

The literature review is organized by the following topics: patient experience, current practice in

Canada and overview of wound management. Due to limited relevant articles the method of

analysis for the literature review was exploring topical applications and wound dressings during

radiotherapy and not meta-analysis or meta-synthesis. The concepts of clinical decision-making

and inter-professional practice are explored in the literature within the context of wound

management in radiation oncology. Significance of the study also lies in understanding the

patient’s experience when dressings are removed or left in place during radiotherapy.

Patient Experience. The experiences of the patient living with wounds, whether acute

such as radiation dermatitis or chronic as in malignant wounds have been explored by

phenomenological studies. As our society continues to age, chronic wounds are becoming more

common and complex, demanding a planned and methodical approach to wound caring (Woo,

Orsted, & Gjodsbol, 2009). Considering the prevalence of chronic wounds, comparatively little

research has been conducted about an individual’s chronic wound experience (Beitz & Goldberg,

2005; Kohr, 2007). Chronic wound pain is described as “distressing and influences the patient’s

ability to function” (Reddy, Kohr, Queen, Keast, & Sibbald, 2003, p. 2). Quality of life