An influx of members to the Click occurred during the first few weeks after its launch, but the majority of online interaction happened between the researcher and individual members, rather than between members. The researcher participated in all facets of the website, welcoming new members and encouraging them to complete a SWEE on their blog page, providing information and support for the members or referring them to the BCCWA SBCNs, when the question asked was too difficult; or referring them to their doctor if their distress score, obtained through a Distress Thermometer, completed during the membership process, was high. Blogs were written and other Clickers blogs commented on, quotes of the month were sought and posted, videos and photos uploaded and many Click Chat sessions joined.
The following are some examples of the researcher’s Click posts both as the researcher and as Clicker. The Click researcher was identified as such, clarifying for members the researcher’s name and role within the community:
Information Post
If any of you are looking to change your diet and nutrition to help you fight your battle against breast cancer, you might like to read the Cancer Council nutrition information on the Click and/or red (sic) more by authors such as Jane Plant “Your Life in Your Hands” see link in the forum or the “Healing Power of Food” by Aussie Cheryl R see link below
The Healing Power of Food – Health and Wellbeing – Ark House Press
Quote of the Month
We learn something from everyone who passes through our lives. Some lessons are painful, some are painless, but all are priceless. Anonymous
Welcome Post
Hi Karen, Welcome to the Click. I see you have a high distress score so would suggest that you contact your local breast cancer support service or ring BCCWA on 0893243703 and ask if they know of a support group for supporters in your state. They will also be able to give you some advice about any immediate concerns you have which are contributing to your distress. You might like to write a blog or SWEE (which stands for structured written emotional expression) where you write how you are feeling about your partner/family members/friend's breast cancer.
According to research - doing this for 10-15 minutes for 3 days in a row may result in you feeling less distressed. I do hope you find someone to talk to soon and please join a Click Chat for more support. Cyn x
Comment on Annie’s blog entry
Golly Annie you are having a rough trot. Regarding the flu as you are doing everyone washing their hands after handling food, dishes etc. and covering their mouths when they cough helps prevent the spread of the bugs. You might like to try drinking lots of water and maybe take some mega doses of Vitamin c to help prevent you getting it. If you are getting a sore throat Betadine gargle is great. Short of shifting house Good hygiene is the key particularly if you are going to Bali. Make sure you get a good rest, eat healthily, lots of massages and iced cocktails should do the trick. Distant but heart felt hugs from Cynxx
Cynthia
The Click Researcher
It took approximately three months, after instituting Click Chat sessions, for the online support community was fully operative with a sufficient number of members interacting regularly and with enough warmth to fulfil Rheingold’s (2000) and Kozinets (2010) description of an online community.
Employment of Health Professional
During this time the online role of a SBCN was developed. Recruitment of an SBCN had commenced in Phase One of the study but was complicated by the lack of applicants for the position. More time was allocated for the SBCN recruitment, and this extra time allowed for consolidation of the online community. The difficulty in recruitment may be attributed, in part, to the role being a relatively new role and an innovative extension to their offline nursing practice. Finally an SBCN applied for the position, and at her request was offered and accepted a one-month trial of the position.
At the end of that time she found she could not fit it in with her offline workload and her family life, particularly because chat sessions were held in the evening and were a regular feature of the Click. The position was re-advertised online and through the SBCN professional networks several suitable candidates identified. After interviews were held, a SBCN was appointed who, serendipitously, also worked part-time in a city-based breast clinic. This is further discussed in the next phase of the study.
The successful applicant commenced work as a member, moderator and specialist nurse when the Click online community had become established through the Click Chat sessions and these had become a favoured method of communication on the Click. The SBCN became a co-moderator and then the primary moderator of the regular Click Chat sessions, with the researcher gradually taking on the role of observer and recorder of the online interaction with intermittent participation.
Data Collection
Collection of textual data had been occurring from the launch of the Click and the commencement of Phase Two. Although it should be noted that while the forum and blog data remains on the website, in perpetuity, the Click Chat session data were only available to the researcher. The instant chat session data were ephemeral in that it could not be saved and read by the researcher unless permission was gain from individual
members to do so. This occurred when the SBCN saved the transcripts of her chats with Diana, the central protagonist in one of the papers in this study.
Kozinets (2010) refers to data collection and data analysis as being intertwined and this was particularly relevant to the online textual data in this study. From the very beginning and throughout this study data were analysed and items or themes identified used to formulate papers for publication and to support the conclusions made.
Data were collected in the following way. Each of the weekly Click Chat sessions was examined for pertinent points raised by members with these highlighted, in a different colour for each of the Clickers. The chat text was invisible to other Clickers.
It was agreed between the researcher and the SBCN that the SBCN would save for review any personal chats and instant chats she had with Clickers. The transcripts of chat sessions were then copied and pasted to a monthly Click Chat file. The data were stored on a password-protected computer, which could only be accessed by the researcher. Notably the data from the forum or wall posts was limited, perhaps because the majority of the online interaction took place in the Click Chat sessions and on the blog pages.