2018 Volume 6 Issue 2 Pages 65-74
PURPOSE：The purpose of this study was to clarify the difficulties experienced by terminally ill cancer patients and their families and effective nursing practice in transition to home-based palliative care with peace of mind.
MATERIALS AND METHODS：This qualitative study was conducted using the content analysis technique of Krippendorff. Data were collected through individual deep interviews of eight participants, including four terminally ill cancer patients who moved to home-based palliative care after being discharged from the hospital and four family members.
RESULTS：The terminally ill cancer patients and their family members experienced difficulties after moving to home-based palliative care with “The medical staff not wanting the patient to feel abandoned and/or be discharged from the hospital” and “Both patients and families being unable to think,” among other issues. The transition to home-based palliative care aided patients in several ways, such as by “Assuring an acceptance system” and “Having arrangements made by nurses based on the patient’s disease condition and their family situation.”
CONCLUSION：This study shows that the medical staff need to handle patients and their families with consideration in order that they do not feel abandoned even after being discharged from the hospital, and also develop a support system help the patients and their families adjust to the new reality of being terminally ill. If this can be accomplished, then both the patients and their families can smoothly adjust to home-based palliative care with a peaceful feeling.
