PURPOSE
This study was done to investigate the educational needs of families of children who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and to compare these needs with the educational importance as perceived by nurses.
METHODS
The participants were 44 families of children who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and 50 nurses who cared for these children. Data was collected through self-report questionnaires which included items on educational needs and the degree of educational importance.
The data was analyzed using the SPSS/WIN program.
RESULTS
The educational needs of families before and after transplantation were high, with items on disease and treatment, and direct care ranked as most important, respectively. The degree of educational importance as perceived by nurses was different from that of families.
CONCLUSION
The findings indicate that the educational needs of families before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation were different from those after the procedure. Also, the perception of educational importance was different for families compared to nurses. Therefore nursing education programs based on the educational needs of families should be provided.
