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Interdisciplinary collaboration in the pursuit of science to improve psychosocial cancer care
Author(s) -
McCorkle Ruth
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
psycho‐oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.41
H-Index - 137
eISSN - 1099-1611
pISSN - 1057-9249
DOI - 10.1002/pon.1766
Subject(s) - psychosocial , cancer , psychology , medicine , sociology , psychotherapist
Objective : Drawing on her substantial research experience in oncology and nursing, the 2009 Fox Award winner, Dr McCorkle, describes ways to advance the science of psychosocial oncology through collaboration. Methods : Critical literature illustrating barriers to collaboration and successful collaborative process are reviewed and compared to the author's personal experiences. Results : Currently, many researchers are beginning to see the need for collaboration, and yet many infrastructures, universities, and centers continue to create isolated researchers and research environments. Despite the need, there is a dearth of practical and tangible guidelines as well as theoretical defenses for performing collaborative research. This article addresses these gaps with such insights as the need for a team of experts built on humility and trust, pre‐ and post‐study networks across disciplines and settings, consistent meetings of staff as well as resources to support them, intervention monitoring techniques, and the crucial necessity for a stable institutionalized infrastructure that fosters collaboration, research and mentoring despite inevitable personnel turnover. Conclusions : These insights that stem from the distinctive nursing lens provide crucial methods for advancing the science and addressing the uniquely interdisciplinary nature of oncology. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.