J Korean Acad Nurs.  2011 Apr;41(2):214-224. 10.4040/jkan.2011.41.2.214.

Life Experience of Inpatients with Recurrent Breast Cancer

• Kim YJ

• KMID: 1754163
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2011.41.2.214

Abstract

PURPOSE
Understanding daily life experiences of patients admitted to hospital with recurrent breast cancer.
METHODS
The grounded theory method was used for this study.
RESULTS
Consistent comparative analysis was used throughout the study to obtain the results. Results showed that inpatients with recurrent breast cancer experience 'a co-existence of life suffering and fear of death'. The causal condition of this result was determined to be 'patient's response to cancer recurrence (acceptance/despair)', including contextual conditions such as, 'previous experience with cancer treatment', 'patient's current physical condition', and 'treatment methods for recurrent cancer'. Intervening conditions, such as 'a strong will to live', 'family support', 'moral support providers', and action/interaction strategies were found to provide patients with 'a strength to live'. Shown in these results, inpatients with recurrent breast cancer were seen to have a simultaneous 'hope for life and fear of death'.
CONCLUSION
When providing nursing services to inpatients with recurrent breast cancer, people must recognize there is a notable difference between individual patients' contextual conditions and interactive strategies. Henceforth, proper cognitive nursing must be provided which encourages patients to maintain a strong will to overcome the many hardships of treatment as well as physical nursing, such as management of side effects caused by chemotherapy.

Keyword

Breast cancer; Recurrence; Life experience; Grounded theory

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Attitude to Death
Breast Neoplasms/*psychology
Family Relations
Fear
Female
Humans
Interviews as Topic
*Life Change Events
Middle Aged
Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/*psychology
Quality of Life
Stress, Psychological

Figure

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  Figure 1 Life process of inpatients with recurrent breast cancer.

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