Abstract
The purpose of this study was to clarify the interactions with outpatient nurses required by outpatients with cancer and their family members in order to be able to live according to their own values while living with cancer. The subjects were 42 outpatients with cancer and their family members who belonged to a patients' association. We conducted five group interviews at separate patients' associations and used a qualitative and descriptive approach to analyze the collected data. From the data, we extracted 92 requirements from the patients and their family members regarding interactions with outpatient nurses. Based on semantic similarity, these were summarized into 22 points, such as the nurse making time to talk with the patient, assisting the patient in a relaxed atmosphere where it is easy to talk, strongly understanding the patient's disease condition and life situation, accepting the patient's feelings and remaining close by, providing straightforward explanations of the illness and treatment, considering solutions to problems together with the patients and family members, responding to phone consultations when the patient encounters difficulty at home, and encouraging the patient. These 22 points can be considered requests for outpatient nurses to create opportunities for interaction, requests concerning the nurses' knowledge and attitude when interacting with patients and their family members, and requests regarding the way in which the nurses interact with patients and their family members.
