Advanced treatment for cancer improved most survival rates. However, there are manyside effects of treatment that affect the patient’s quality of life. Nowadays managementand reduction of treatment associated with side effects are significant in maintainingpatients’ quality of life and optimizing nursing outcomes. Cancer patients who undergochemotherapy will experience discomfort. This study aimed to identify nursing outcomesrelated to comfort among cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy. The methodchosen was an integrative review that drew data from five main electronic databases(PUBMED, Science direct, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Complementary index and Other) andonly 44 out of 148 papers identified met the inclusion criteria. The result showed that theliterature studies divided the theme of comfort according to the symptoms that occurredfrom chemotherapy as follows: 1) Physical comfort 2) Psychospiritual comfort 3)Sociocultural comfort and 4) Environmental comfort. Conclusion: Nursing outcomesdepend on a patient’s need and include the management not only of the physical symptomsand treatment-related side effects, but also the changes in a patient’s emotional status anddaily lives. Patients were supported by other patients with similar experiences especiallyspiritual needs, and support from family and friends had a dramatic positive impact onpatients’ adherence to treatment. The study findings are that the nursing outcomes of thepatients’ comfort after receiving chemotherapy (according to the patient’s point of viewabout the meaning of comfort) should be led by the patient’s quality of life and satisfaction.
Paranee Phongnopakoon, RN, PhD (Student)Faculty of Nursing, Thammasat University99 Klong1, Khlong Neung,Khlong Luang, Pathumthani12121, Thailand.email: [email protected]
Received: May 20, 2018
Revision received: May 25, 2018
Accepted after revision: July 6, 2018
BKK Med J 2018;14(2): 115-120.
DOI: 10.31524/bkkmedj.2018.09.019