Study on Nursing Needs for Hospice Patients and their Families

Lee, Jun Ma; Kim, Jung Soon

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify nursing needs for hospice patients and their families in order to establish a foundation for appropriate Korean hospice care. To achieve the purpose of this study, I interviewed 50 patients who were going to die within 3 or 6 months and 42 family members of these patients who were registered in Pusan National University Hospital Hospice Program. The interview was done in the patient's room using semi-dialog style questionnaire. Data collection was done from March 1, 1999 to September 30, 1999. The important results of this study are summarized as follows: 1. Nursing needs that patients and their families have experienced were classified into six nursing domains; physical, emotional, economic, educational, spiritual and postmortal care. 2. Nursing needs of hospice patients are; pain control(80%), physical comfort(72%), consideration from medical personnel (68%), provision of information(64%), best treatment(60%), help of volunteers (36%), and continuous hospital treatment (32%). 3. Nursing needs of the families are; pain-control in patients(97.6%), best treatment(97.6%), physical comfort of patients(95.2%), continuous hospital treatment(92.8%), provision of information (80.9%), consideration from medical personnel(76.1%), expectation of recovery (66.6%), emotional support of family (61.9%), and physical comfort of family (40.4%). It is concluded that there is a real difference between the nursing needs of patients and the nursing needs of their families. Therefore we must examine and intervene for the demands of patients and their families using a holistic approach in order to meet their hospice needs.