To explore the experiences of the fundamentals of care for people with a cancer diagnosis, from diagnosis to after adjuvant treatment.
More focus is needed on the experience of people living with cancer, as current cancer care more emphasises on independence and resilience without fully acknowledging that there will be moments in the cancer journey where patients will need 'basic nursing care' to manage their symptoms and care pathways.
Secondary analysis of qualitative data.
Secondary thematic analysis of interview data from 30 people with a diagnosis of breast (n=10), colorectal (n=10) or prostate (n=10) cancer was undertaken.
The findings revealed vivid descriptions of the fundamentals of care (i.e. basic needs) and participants described physical, psychosocial and relational aspects of the delivery of care. Both positive (e.g. supportive and kind) and negative (e.g. humiliating) experiences related to the relationship with the healthcare professionals were re-counted and affected the participants' experiences of the fundamentals of care. Participants' accounts of their fundamental care needs were provided without them identifying who, within the health care system, was responsible for providing these needs. Specific nursing interventions were seldom described.
Some people with a cancer diagnosis have to strive for help and support from the nursing staff to manage to regain control over their recovery. Nurses in cancer care need to focus on the patients' fundamental care needs to optimise their patients' recovery. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Journal of clinical nursing. 2018 Jan 02 [Epub ahead of print]
Åsa Muntlin Athlin, Maria Browall, Yvonne Wengström, Tiffany Conroy, Alison L Kitson
Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala University Hospital, 751 85, Uppsala, Sweden., Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Nursing 141 83 HuddingeSweden & Karolinska University Hospital, Radiumhemmet, 171 76, Stockholm, Sweden., Adelaide Nursing School, University of Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia.