European journal of cancer care
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Fatigue is now widely recognised as a significant' problem for patients with cancer. While research effort into this subject has grown considerably in recent years, the exact mechanisms underlying fatigue remain unclear. ⋯ This paper describes the findings from a survey evaluating how nurses (n = 84) in a Cancer Centre in Edinburgh currently define and assess fatigue. The results demonstrate that while the problems associated with fatigue are acknowledged, assessment tools are not widely used and the majority of nurses report that they would benefit from further education on the subject to assist in the care of patients.
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Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) · Dec 1999
Assessing depression in palliative care patients using the visual analogue scale: a pilot study.
It is widely recognised that depression is not detected and therefore not treated in patients who are terminally ill. It is difficult to distinguish depression from sadness at the end of life and many of the criteria for diagnosing depression are not appropriate in the terminally ill patient. ⋯ This pilot study of 25 patients admitted to a hospice found that a 100-mm linear visual analogue scale (VAS) correlated well with both the depression sub scale and total score of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and was found to be quick and easy to complete by most patients. The finding suggest that the VAS may be useful as a screening tool for depression in patients with advanced metastatic disease and that larger studies comparing VAS to clinical psychiatric interviews should be undertaken.
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Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) · Dec 1999
Cancer patients' experiences of nurses' behaviour and health promotion activities: a critical incident analysis.
Patients with head and neck cancer report several disease- and health-related problems before, during and a long time after completed treatment. Nurses have an important role in educating/supporting these patients about/through the disease and treatment so that they can attain well-being. This study describes the cancer patients' experiences of nurses' behaviour in terms of critical incidents after nurses had given them care to promote health. ⋯ Continuous health promotion nursing interventions were of considerable value for the majority of this group of cancer patients. Oncology nurses could reconfirm and update the care of head and neck cancer patients by including health promotion activities in individual care plans. By more frequent use of health promotion models, such as the empowerment model, the nurses could identify and focus on those individuals who needed to alter their life-style as well as tailor their approach towards these patient by setting goals for well-being and a healthy life-style.
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Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) · Dec 1999
Comparative StudyPatients' and nurses' assessment of cancer pain.
The purpose of this study was to examine hospitalised cancer patients' and nurses' assessment of patients' cancer pain and to compare them. The data were collected from 51 patient-nurse pairs in two hospitals from oncological and medical clinics. Each nurse and patient took part in the study no more than once. ⋯ Nurses' knowledge about pain medication in general and morphine in particular was clearly associated with the differences observed in estimates of the intensity of pain. Nurses with poor knowledge underestimated the patients' most intensive experiences of pain. The difference was statistically significant.