Quality of life in cancer care: patients' experiences and nurses' contribution

People with cancer experience great changes in their lives. Disease, treatment and prognosis affect their quality of life. The aim of this literature review was to ascertain how the illness affects patients' quality of life and to what extent nurses can influence or improve this experience. Twenty-two research articles were reviewed, the majority of which were qualitative in nature, studies that allow patients to portray their experiences in their own words. The concept of quality of life was defined as consisting of well-being in four core domains, psychological, social, physical and spiritual. It was found that patients' quality of life is affected in all four core domains and that these domains are overlapping and interdependent. The qualitative data also highlighted that each patient's experience is unique to that patient. Nurses have to be aware of this and remain sensitive to the individual patient's needs. Few of the articles reviewed examined nursing care from the patient's point of view. Tentative conclusions were that nurses can improve patients' quality of life by ensuring they are competent in daily practice, by giving patients a feeling of security and by treating them with respect as individuals and human beings.