Part II: a critical review of qualitative research related to children's experiences with cancer.

Using the qualitative research process to study children's experiences with cancer is being promoted because it is believed that it will afford researchers the opportunity to access children's perspectives of their cancer experiences. A detailed understanding of children's experiences with cancer will result, including a description of their feelings, wants, needs, and concerns. The information gained from qualitative research will help pediatric oncology nurses to better understand what their patients are experiencing. Although adoption of the qualitative paradigm in the study of childhood cancer is in its infancy, qualitative research findings related to children's perspectives of cancer are now slowly emerging. Accordingly, the purpose of this article is to identify some of the meaningful contributions that qualitative research has made in advancing the knowledge base of children's cancer experiences. The first section of this article discusses major themes that have evolved from use of the qualitative research process in the study of children's cancer experiences. This discussion is followed by a critique of the research with suggestions that will aid pediatric nurse researchers in conducting qualitative research when children with cancer are the research participants. Copyright 2000 by Association of Pediatric Oncology Nurses