• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.287-295
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was done to compare educational needs for discharge after thyroid cancer surgery between patients and nurses. Methods: The participants were 107 patients who had thyroid cancer surgery and 70 nurses who have had experience of taking care of patients with thyroid cancer surgery at P hospital in Busan. The researcher reviewed the literature and conducted a preliminary survey to develop a questionnaire. Results: Although there was no significant difference in total perceived nursing discharge educational needs after thyroid cancer surgery between patients and nurses, both had a high level of nursing educational needs for discharge. The degree of patients' needs was higher than nurses in areas of dietary management after discharge and the degree of nurses' needs was higher than patients in the other areas. Although the first ranking area of educational needs was medication management for both patients and nurses, dietary management after discharge was the second ranking for patients and operation site and complication management was those for nurses. Conclusions: As the patients had different educational needs from the nurses, nurses need to focus on the patient's educational needs and provide relevant information. Educational programs should be developed and applied to post-surgical thyroid cancer patients.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.3-13
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship of fatigue and functional status in patients with cancer. Method: The data were collected from August, 15 to October, 10, 2005. The subjects were recruited from three university hospitals and two general hospitals in B, U, and S cities in Korea. Fatigue was measured using the Fatigue Scale for Cancer Patients, and Functional Status was measured using the Karnofsky Performance Status Index. Result: 1) The mean score of fatigue was $79.72{\pm}21.25$(range: 26-130), and the mean score of functional status was $79.33{\pm}13.02$. 2) There were significant differences in the scores of fatigue by sex, age, marital status, employment, major care-giver, pain, and period after diagnosis. 3) There were significant differences in the scores of functional status by employment, major care-giver, pain, stage of cancer, period after diagnosis, and type of cancer. 4) There was a significant negative correlation between fatigue and functional status (r= -.472, p= .000). Conclusion: Increase in fatigue was associated with decrease in functional status in patients with cancer. Nurses must assess fatigue and functional status when caring for the cancer patients, and provide nursing intervention to relieve fatigue and to improve functional status.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to develop an educational program reflecting the educational needs of Hospice Smart Patient service providers. Method: The description, goal, curriculum, method, and process evaluation of the educational program were constructed based on Modified Tyler-type Ends-Means Model followed by the analysis of current curriculum and needs of service providers. Results: The curriculum was constructed based on hospice volunteer program currently offered in Korea and the recommendations of hospice service volunteers and experts. A total of 90 hr was required to complete the curriculum that was composed of 'Introduction to cancer', 'Treatment and treatment complications of cancer', 'Post-treatment nutritional care', 'Helpful information', 'Introduction to hospice and palliative care', 'Comprehension of life and death', 'Holistic hospice and palliative care', 'How to communicate as a smart patient', 'Hospice and ethics', 'Pediatric hospice', 'Bereavement management', and 'Clinical practicum'. Conclusion: It is necessary to implement the developed educational program and evaluate its effectiveness, as well as making the service available to a greater number of cancer patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.2109-2114
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• 2014

Background: The aim of this planned research was to determine the comfort and anxiety levels of women with breast cancer receiving radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: This descriptive type study covered patients that applied to the radiation oncology breast polyclinic of our university hospital between January and May 2011. Patient Identification Form, Radiation Therapy Comfort Questionnaire (RTCQ), Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were completed and analysed. Results: The mean age of the women who participated in the study was $51.6{\pm}10.4$ years. Mean scores of women were $3.73{\pm}0.31$ for RTCQ, $29.1{\pm}5.88$ for SAI and $37.8{\pm}6.91$ for TAI. While the comfort levels of the women with breast cancer receiving radiotherapy were moderate, they experienced only low levels of anxiety. Conclusions: By determining the comfort level of the patient before radiotherapy, besides providing comfort in this direction, eliminating/minimizing anxiety and stress will positively affect radiotherapy application. More attention of nurses to this issue is to be recommended.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.2771-2776
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• 2013

Introduction: Quality of life (QoL) issues are of importance in relatives of women with breast cancer (BC)as caregivers in neglecting their own needs due to care of a patient and also as women regarding the potential risk of themselves developing BC. The objectives in the present study were to compare the QoL of female relatives of women in treatment for breast cancer. To date, no study had examined multi-dimensional QoL in accompanying people as compared them into two groups of female relatives whose first degree and second degree. Methods: QoL of female relatives was assessed using the Quality of Life-Family Version (QOL-FV) scale. Relationships between socio-demographic characteristics and QoL scores were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal Wallis and Crosstabs tests. Results: The mean age of the female relatives was 37.6 years, and nearly 48% had a university education. It was found that first degree relatives had worse QoL in all domains except physical wellbeing than second degree relatives. Conclusion: This study showed that being female relatives of BC, especially first-degree, affect QoL negatively. Health care providers are of an important role in the stage of information related to genetic influence of BC.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the coping and self-care behaviors between the individual and group education using the structured programs for the patients in chemotherapy. Methods: The quasi experimental study was designed for this study, and 30 patients received individual education and 30 patients received group education. Collecting data had been done through the seven months from March to Oct. 2011. Results: Hypothesis 1: "There could be differences in aspects of coping between the two groups educated using a structured education program" was rejected (F=2.71, p=.105). Hypothesis 2: "The individually educated group using the structured education program will have higher scores than the group education in self-care behaviors" was supported because there were statistically significant differences (F=4.16, p=.046). Conclusion: It was confirmed that individual education programs, among the patient education for cancer patients can be adopted as nursing intervention in nursing practice to improve self-care behaviors. However, there were no differences between th two group in the aspects of coping.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was to identify the relationship between mental adjustment to cancer and anxiety. Method: This study used a cross-sectional descriptive design. A total of 124 ambulatory cancer patients completed the Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC) scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA and Pearson correlation. Results: There was a significantly negative correlation between anxiety and fighting spirit which was adaptive adjustment to cancer (r=-0.29, p<0.001). However, anxiety had significantly positive correlation with helplessness/hopelessness (r=0.38, p<0.001), anxious preoccupation (r=0.55, p< 0.001), and fatalism (r=0.22, p<0.05) to cancer. Conclusion: Cancer patients' mental adjustment is correlated with the degree of the psychosocial distress. Anxious preoccupation and helplessness/hopelessness are the most maladaptive adjustments whereas fighting spirit is one of the most adaptive adjustment to cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.13
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• pp.5453-5458
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• 2015

Background: There are several factors that threaten the dignity of cancer patients in hospital settings. However, there is limited literature regarding the degree to which dignity of cancer patients is actually respected in daily clinical practice. The aims of this study were therefore to explore cancer patient perceptions of respecting their dignity and related variables in an Iranian cancer specific center. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-correlational study was carried out among 250 cancer patients admitted to a cancer specific center in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. These patients were selected using a convenience sampling method. The Patient Dignity Inventory (PDI) was used for data collection. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. Results: The patients' scores in 18 out of 25 items of PDI were 3 or greater which indicate the importance of considering these items in clinical settings. Also, the score of patients in three sub-scales of PDI including illness-related concerns, personal dignity, and social dignity were 74, 65 and 57, respectively (based on a total 100). The overall score of PDI was statistically associated with age, history of disease recurrence, education, employment and economic status of participants. Conclusions: According to the study findings the dignity of Iranian cancer patients is not completely respected in clinical settings which require special considerations. As nurses spend more time at patients' bedsides, they have an important role in maintaining and promoting dignified care.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.111-125
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• 2012

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to develop a navigation program for newly diagnosed cancer patients and to evaluate its effects. Methods: The navigation program was based upon Professional Navigation Framework. Patients were asked to complete self-administered questionnaires on satisfaction, distress, anxiety and depression for evaluating the program. Results: The navigation program consisted of facilitating two concepts: continuity of care and empowerment of patients. Information-education package, telephone counseling and navigator's phone number were provided to the newly diagnosed cancer patients for care continuity. Self-care diary and emotional support by telephone counseling were provided to the patients for empowerment of patients. A total of 163 patients - 78 control and 85 experimental participants - were included in the study. The mean scores of satisfaction, distress, anxiety and depression had no statistical differences between the two groups after program implementation. In patients with longer waiting days, the experimental group with the navigation program showed higher relational continuity than the control group after program implementation(p=.023). In patients with longer waiting days or with higher distress, satisfaction of relational continuity was improved after program implementation in the experimental group. Conclusion: The navigation program in this study has applied the concept of patient navigation into oncology clinical setting in Korea. Navigation program can play a significant role in assisting patients navigating across the care continuum.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.659-667
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• 2012

Purpose: The study was to identify the level of Spiritual Health and Fatigue in women with breast cancer according to three treatment phases (post op phase, adjuvant phase, follow up phase). Methods: The research method was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Data were collected from 161 women patients with a diagnosis of breast cancer. Both in-patient and out-patient units from two general hospitals were the source of subjects. The subjects completed two standardized instruments: the "Spiritual Health Scale" developed by Highfield and the "Fatigue Scale" developed and revised by Piper. The data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, ${\chi}^2$, ANOVA, Scheff$\acute{e}$ test, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and Multiple regression. Results: The subscale scores of Self-Esteem of spiritual health and fatigue in patients with breast cancer differed among the three treatment phases (F=3.14, p= .046; F=3.31, p= .039). Significant correlations were found between spiritual health and fatigue. The variables which explained 29% of the variance in fatigue in breast cancer patients were education, religious belief, economic status, and spiritual health. Conclusion: The study results demonstrated that spiritual health significantly explain fatigue. It is needed to develop nursing interventions to improve the spiritual health of breast cancer patients to manage fatigue according to treatment phases.