People experiencing disability and chronic disease often feel powerless, relinquishing medical control to "more knowledgeable" professionals. This article presents qualitative and quantitative results from three individual patients experiencing an emerging procedure called Recovery Preference Exploration (RPE). To inspire greater patient involvement, self-direction, and individual choice, we instructed participants to create an imagined recovery path, exposing recovery preferences while learning about clinical rehabilitation concepts. Results uncovered important values and feelings about disability, providing a richer context for patient evaluation and treatment goal modification. Applying mixed methods, RPE is presented as an explanatory process for quantifying recovery preferences in a way that stimulates rich narrative of how people see different types of disabilities. RPE shows promise for increasing depth of discussions among patients, family, and clinicians. RPE may promote greater quality of life through patient empowerment by directed learning, increased communication, and enhanced self-knowledge.

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This study examined the experiences of health care professionals who participated in monthly narrative oncology groups. Ten professionals participated in separate, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. Using a qualitative research design, the transcriptions of the interviews were analyzed using a phenomenological approach. The analysis yielded descriptive information about the professionals' positive experiences of participating in narrative oncology sessions and provides insight into the importance of such a group through five themes: (1) Shared perspectives and bearing witness, (2) Comfort in confidentiality and a safe-space, (3) Group-care becomes self-care, (4) Writing gives structure, and (5) Patient stories. Implications for incorporating narrative intervention in an oncology setting are discussed in this paper.

Background:Oncology professionals in fast-paced urban hospitals are at risk for burnout and secondary traumatic stress.Objective:This exploratory study evaluated the effectiveness of a workplace narrative intervention for oncology professionals in regard to reducing burnout and secondary traumatic stress.Methods:Thirty-five oncology health-care providers from three inpatient oncology units within an urban medical center completed the Professional Quality of Life Scale and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey before and after four monthly group narrative oncology interventions during the work day.Findings:Findings lend tentative support to the effectiveness of this intervention in reducing different aspects of burnout and secondary traumatic stress.Conclusions:Oncology social workers are in a prime position to take a leadership role in instituting such interventions in urban hospitals.