2013 Volume 27 Issue 3 Pages 63-70
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to interview terminal cancer patients who experienced animal-assisted activity about its effects on their physical well-being and psychological mindset, find out the main effects, and provide suggestions for future nursing practices. In this research, the subjects consisted of six terminal cancer patients who were hospitalized at a palliative care unit. The study data were collected by semi-structured interviews held before and after animal-assisted activity, and observation of participants. The collected data were analyzed using qualitative and descriptive study.
It was clarified that animal-assisted activity physically and psychologically affected the terminal cancer patients. The effects of animal-assisted activity on terminal cancer patientsʼ physical and psychological aspects were “Physical comfort”, “Feeling happiness”, “Receiving natural healing”, “Transferred from hospital room to a comfortable space”, “Satisfying time of peace”, “Sense of freedom”, “Felt the bond between humans and dogs”, “Raised self-respect”, and “Found how to live in the future.”
The results showed that these subjects facing death got a sense of freedom from tremendous pain and enjoyed a time of peace through contact with the dogs. Interacting with the dogs in a family-like atmosphere and creating close relationships clarified that it was worthwhile to introduce terminal cancer patients to animal-assisted activity as an effective complementary alternative medicine to relieve their physical and psychological distresses.
