Abstract
Lung cancer is a global health problem and the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer, with the majority of individuals living with advanced disease. A comprehensive literature review revealed lack of descriptive research regarding the experience of living with uncertainty and NSCLC. The aim of this study was to explore metastatic NSCLC patient's experience of living with uncertainty, how uncertainty is described, coping strategies used to manage uncertainty, and triggers that made the uncertainty worse. A qualitative descriptive design with Rubin and Rubin's (2012) responsive interviewing method was used. There were ten participants aged 50-75, diagnosed with NSCLC within six months of initial diagnosis or following disease recurrence. In-depth, audio-recorded interviews allowed for a rich description. Participants were recruited from the outpatient cancer center of a large, metropolitan teaching hospital in the Northeast. Strategies from Schatzman and Strauss' (1973) field research guided data collection and analysis. Four major themes were revealed : Burden, Loss, Self-Appraisal, and Enduring but Not Knowing. Main themes were consistent across research questions and for the majority of participants. Subthemes were identified for each major theme and within each research question. Participants described uncertainty as not knowing, disbelief, as an ongoing experience. Uncertainty led to family stress, loss and a disruption in participants' lives. Participants shared coping strategies and triggers of uncertainty. Findings offer healthcare providers a glimpse into how individuals with metastatic NSCLC describe and cope with uncertainty. Knowledge of triggers provides individuals living with uncertainty an opportunity to implement strategies to reduce it. Future research may focus on the development of an intervention to reduce uncertainty in this unique population..