Decisions and Actions of Nurses in the Outpatient Chemotherapy Unit When Reconsidering the Continuation of Cancer Treatment
- VernacularTitle:外来化学療法における看護師のがん治療継続を再考する時期の判断と行動
- Author:
Satomi MAEDA
1
;
Ayumi KYOTA
2
;
Yumi IIJIMA
3
;
Kiyoko KANDA
3
Author Information
- Keywords: cancer; chemotherapy; reconsidering; outpatient; nurse
- From:Palliative Care Research 2023;18(4):273-281
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
- Abstract: Supporting patients’ decision making of whether to continue chemotherapy as the disease stage progresses poses a significant challenge in cancer nursing. This study aimed to investigate outpatient chemotherapy unit nurses’ perspectives on reconsidering treatment continuation, and their subsequent actions. In total, 14 nurses participated in focus group interviews, and the interview content was analyzed using content analysis methods. The nurses’ perspectives on determining when to reconsider treatment continuation were grouped into four categories, including “respecting the patient’s desired way of life,” and “maintaining the patient’s quality of life and ability to lead their daily life as desired.” Additionally, three categories of subsequent actions were identified, such as “engaging in discussions with patients to plan future treatment aligned with their desired way of life” and “facilitating cooperation among nurses to ensure timely intervention for treatment discontinuation.” The outpatient chemotherapy unit nurses provided daily nursing care from a clinical ethics perspective, focusing on respecting patients’ desired ways of life. They also valued collaborative efforts among medical staff to enable timely interventions.
