Purpose: This study aimed at identifying the nature of nursing for patients who have appearance changes due to cancer treatment. Methods: Nurses’ focus group interviews were conducted at two cancer hospitals. The data were analyzed qualitatively. This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee at the study hospitals. Results: Six focus group interviews were conducted, including a total of 21 participants. The participants’ mean age was 39.2 (SD=6.0) years. Their mean years of professional experience was 16.3 (SD=5.8) years. The participants also included a total of 16 Certified Nurse Specialists and Certified Nurses. Interviews took an average of 42 minutes. Four core categories derived from interviews were: “providing information in advance that is necessary for those having the risk of appearance changes to predict and to prepare,” “providing support to enhance patients’ self-care according to the processes of appearance changes in their daily lives,” “advocating patients’ decision to improve their quality of life,” and “utilizing specialty of multi disciplines through care coordination and collaboration.” Conclusions: Further study will systematically analyze details of appearance changes and necessary care associated with different cancer treatment methods, organ sites, and treatment cycles.

We present a case in which nursing intervention could play a great role in improving the patients activity of daily living (ADL). A 81-years-old female with progressive Parkinsonian syndrome was admitted to our hospital with the chief complaint of dysphagia and weakness. As her dysphagia and weakness were very severe and drug treatment was totally in effective, tube feeding was begun. She was hardly expected to get out of the hospital. We tried to improve the ADL by helping her to conquer the difficulty in swallowing. First, oral hygiene and exercise of chewing were started to stimulate her to regain the will to eat. Second, we arranged her menu according to her ability of swallowing. The patient gradually had a desire for good, and her ADL was improved. Finally, she could eat gruel, and leave the hospital. Appetite is one of man's instinctive tendencies. We have learned that if patients got this kind of will, their ADL could be enhanced, and that nursing intervention could give the patients this will. We consider that nursing intervention is beneficial to patients with intractable neurological disease.