Cancer nursing
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Studies have shown that social support is positively associated with posttraumatic growth (PTG) among white cancer survivors. Whether the same relationship holds among Asian American cancer survivors and through what mechanism social support may influence PTG is unclear. ⋯ Interventions that help to enhance Chinese American breast cancer survivors' social support may also facilitate their PTG.
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Activated patients have the skills, knowledge, and confidence to manage their care, resulting in positive outcomes such as lower hospital readmission and fewer adverse consequences due to poor communication with providers. Despite extensive evidence on patient activation, little is known about activation in the home hospice setting, when family caregivers assume more responsibility in care management. ⋯ Activated caregivers may facilitate patient-centered care through communication with nurses in home hospice, thus resulting in enhanced outcomes for patients with advanced cancer.
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Hepatoma is the second leading cause of cancer mortality among patients with cancer in Taiwan. Patients with cancer simultaneously experience multiple symptoms in clusters. Relevant studies have generally focused on a single hepatoma symptom. ⋯ Our results provide implications for further research on managing the most common co-occurring symptoms to reduce symptom clusters and improve the quality of life of hepatoma patients.
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Effective pain management requires careful assessment of pain. Auditory, visual, cognitive, and motor impairments in elderly people may affect their ability to use pain assessment tools. ⋯ Because the no-response rates for the scales depended on educational level and cognitive function, nurses should exercise good judgment in choosing pain intensity assessment tools for use with elderly patients.
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Families with children hospitalized for cancer treatment experience multiple, serious challenges. Family coping is a crucial moderator between family stress and family adaptation. A newly developed instrument, the Hospitalization Coping Scale (HCS), measures the effectiveness of family coping during a child's hospitalization. ⋯ The HCS can be used by pediatric oncology nurses to assess the effectiveness of family coping during a hospitalization of their child with cancer and may help pediatric oncology nurses to develop and implement realistic support strategies based on assessments of family coping effectiveness.