Caring of Terminally Cancer Patients

Abstract

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to clarify the relationship constituting the caring provided by caregivers to terminally cancer patients.

Participatory observations and interviews among eight subjects were used to study caregiver-patient relationship which imparted a perception that caregivers provided support or assistance and which produced a sense of security of mind. The data was analyzed according to inductive procedures based on the phenomenological approach.

The study defined 16 caregiver-patient relationship, including “Concern” “Recognition of worth” and “Respect for will”. These 16 caregiver-patient relationship constituting caring were also classified into five categories of : 1) caring intensifying trust in the caregiver, 2) caring providing perceptible support, 3) caring sustaining hopes, 4) caring confronting suffering while recognizing self-limits, and 5) caring sustaining patient stability. Caregivers included both professionals and non-professionals.

Caring allowed terminally cancer patients to acknowledge their own limitations and pain frankly and to live according to their true nature. Caring assisted self-actualization of terminally cancer patient. The results showed that in order to assist self-actualization of patient needs, the nurse should provide caring for them. The results also suggest the need for care allowing families to serve as caregivers.