2006 Volume 20 Issue 2 Pages 61-71
Abstract
The purpose of this research is to make evident the experience of the family accompanying a cancer patient undergoing surgery from the viewpoint of the family. I will examine how nursing support can supplement the growth of family’s accompanying cancer patients throughout the surgery including pre and post surgery.
I found nine target families, and having received their consent, I conducted semi-structured interviews that were about accompanying a cancer patient, and I observed the families as they spent time with the patient. In those ways, I collected date that I then analyzed qualitatively and inductively.
The results I found were that families accompanying cancer patients go through three stages. They are: a stage of reaction and preparation prior to the surgery, a stage of being at the mercy of the patient’s condition and having to face that reality, and a stage of the appearance of beneficial results from sticking together as a family. I also found that each family’s experience can be categorized into three patterns: being unable to escape a chaotic situation, the emergence of unshakable family bonds, and the surgery being a good opportunity to strengthen family bonds. Moreover, by combining these three stages and patterns, I was able to construct a diagram describing the experience of a family accompanying a cancer patient undergoing surgery.
Lastly, standing by a family member about to undergo surgery often brings about a sense of satisfaction and ease, and is one part of the growth as a family. However, there were also indications that there is a danger of latent problems and uncertainty within the family being brought to the surface. This is why nursing support which focuses on preoperative mental stress and helping the family to view their experiences in a positive light is necessary so that accompanying a family member with a cancer can contribute to the family’s growth.