“IT WAS LIKE TRYING TO GET RID OF FIRE”: BAD NEWS EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN WITH BREAST CANCER IN TÜRKİYE

Receiving bad news, which can be considered as the first stage of confronting cancer, causes different emotional reactions for the diagnosed individual and his family, and may negatively affect compliance with medication. This study aims to evaluate the experiences of 20 women with breast cancer, who are receiving outpatient or inpatient treatment in the oncology department of Adnan Menderes University Hospital, regarding the process of receiving bad news. In the study, a phenomenological approach, one of the qualitative research methods, was adopted. MAXQDA 2022 program was used in the analysis of the data. It was concluded in the study that women with breast cancer need to learn the diagnosis, to provide explanatory information, to be supportive and empathetic of the person delivering bad news, and to provide psychosocial support in all processes in well-timed and environment. The results of the research have been discussed from the perspective of social work.