2014 Volume 9 Issue 1 Pages 121-128
Objective: The objective of this research is to categorize longitudinally the effects of events prompting or hampering the continuation of home care of terminal cancer patients to the places of their deaths in order to identify patterns for such events. Methodology: Semi-structured interviews were held with 17 visiting nurses. Focusing on the two cases where the patient died at home and in the hospital, the reasons for requesting hospitalization and any change in the situation during home care, the response of the visiting nurse to the situation at that time and others were determined. Results: The patients who died at home were categorized into 1) the patient had wanted home care or death at home, 2) the patient experienced events that prompted and hampered the continuation of home care but continued home care until the end, and 3) the patient died at home owing to the earnest desire of the assistant caregiver. The patients who died in hospital were categorized into 1) the patient decided on hospitalization because the symptoms became severe, 2) the patient had wished for home care but faced multiple events that hampered the continuation of home care, and 3) the family of the patient had been less willing to provide care and hospitalized the patient due to according to the opinion of the doctor. Conclusion: By longitudinally categorizing the events that prompted or hampered the continuation of home care, this research may give useful suggestions for appropriate measures based on those patterns.
