Abstract
Purpose and Methods: To identify the difficulties experienced by home visit nurses in dietary/ nutritional support for patients with cancer in the end-of-life stage, questionnaire surveys were conducted on home visit nurses in Prefecture A engaged in the nursing care of theses patients. Results and Discussion: Questionnaire Survey 1: Twenty-two items were identified as difficulties experienced by home visit nurses in relation to dietary/ nutritional support for patients with cancer in the end-of-life stage. Questionnaire Survey 2: The level of difficulty was evaluated for 34 items obtained from the results of Survey 1 and a literature review. The item with the highest level of difficulty was "controlling symptoms that interfere with eating," at 94.6% . The level of difficulty was found to differ depending on age, number of years of nursing experience, number of patients with cancer in the end-of-life stage cared for in a year, and whether or not the nurse had participated in workshops on dietary/ nutritional support for patients with cancer in the end-of-life stage. The results of the two surveys suggest content that should be incorporated into educational programs for home visit nurses to enhance dietary/ nutritional support for patients with cancer in the end-of-life stage under home care.
