Care Needs of Advanced Cancer Patients in a Long-term Care Hospital: Patient-Nurse Comparison

ABSTRACT

Purpose@#This study aims to identify the perceived care needs of nurses as care providers and patients as care recipients for managing adverse effects that result from chemotherapy. @*Methods@#This descriptive study used a mixed-methods design employed with convenience sampling. The instrument was a 25-item, 4-point Likert-scale questionnaire that focused on the care needs of patients with advanced cancer, completed by the patients and the nurses who care for them. The study also included an open-ended question.Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, an independent t-test, and content analysis. @*Results@#The total mean value of care needs was not significantly different between the patient and nurse groups (t=-1.67, p=.098). The results of one open-ended question analyzed using content analysis were identified in five categories: physical, psychological, spiritual, policy, and other. @*Conclusion@#This study suggested the multifaceted care needs for managing the adverse effects of chemotherapy among patients with advanced cancer at a long-term care hospital in Korea.