Abstract

The purpose of this study was to find the adaptation task and the factor that influenced to accomplish the adaptation task. The subjects were 10 patients who had lost one eye by surgery. The data was collected through an interview using semi-structured questionnaire. The following results were obtained.

1. The patients who have lost one eye by surgery should fulfill the two adaptation tasks to adapt themselves to the loss. These are (1) to overcome a feeling of loss caused by the changes in facial appearance and visual function, and (2) to acquire new behaviors to compensate the changes of facial structure and visual function.

2. To overcome a feeling of loss caused by the change in visual function, it is important to reintegrate their bodies through acquisition of new behaviors to compensate for those changes.

3. It is essential to the fulfillment of a feeling of loss caused by the change of facial appearance, that the patients accept their facial changes as they are, and feel positively others' reactions to their faces wearing an artificial eye.

4. It is important to repeatedly practice to acquire new behaviors to take care the artificial eye and to compensate the changes in visual function.

5. The following six factors are found to influence to accomplish the adaptation tasks ; 1) the way of losing an eye ; 2) thoughts on the disabled ; 3) degree of facial deformity ; 4) occupation ; 5) social support ; 6) useful knowledge to solve problems.

Abstract

The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine how family members caring for cancer patients perceive their experiences during initial treatment. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews were recorded on tape and transcribed. The data was analyzed according to inductive procedures based on the Grounded Theory Approach.

The interviews targetted eleven family members caring for cancer patients. Of these, 8 were wives, one a mother, one daughter-in-law, and one a sister-in-law, i.e., all were females. Their perception of their experiences during initial treatment was classified into five cate-gories. “Reaction to cancer deagnosis” refers to haveing to face the fact that someone in the family has cancer, whether to inform the patient or not, and which of the flood of available cancer information to believe. “Severe reality of treatment” refers to facing the crisis and patient's distress, “Perceptual changes in the family” refers to perceptual changes in individual family members with regard to the cancer patient, the caregiver, and the family that support patient and caregiver, “Recognition of medical support” covers dependence on medical support, expectations, satisfaction, dissatisfaction, and tolerance. “Future expectations” covers concern about the patient's life and the threat of recurrence. Finally the structural relationship between these categories was investigated.

The findings indicated that family members of cancer patients feel a strong obligation to act as caregivers, which shoulders them with a heavy emotional and physical burden. This is where nurses can make a positive contribution by rendering the necessary support before and during initial treatment.