Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 3, 2025

A Quantitative Sensory Testing Paradigm to Obtain Measures of Pain Processing in Patients Undergoing Breast Cancer Surgery
Published on: January 18, 2018
Cancer patients' experiences of realization of relatives' participation in hospital care: a qualitative interview
Terhi Lemetti1,2, Elli Partanen1, Maija Hupli1
1Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
Background:
Relatives' participation in the care of patients with cancer in hospital is essential to both patients and relatives. Although the meaning of relatives' participation has been recognized, knowledge about how patients experience this participation is rare.
Aims:
To describe the experiences of patients with cancer of the realization of relatives' participation in the hospital care.
Materials & Methods:
A qualitative study with semi-structured interviews of patients with cancer (n=21) were conducted. Data was analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.
Results:
Three main themes were identified among patients' experiences: Relative as part of the patient's care, Relative supporting patient's coping process, and Hospital enabling or preventing relatives' participation. The relatives were available for patients in seeking information and in the decision-making process. They helped with the daily needs of the patient, and supported patients emotionally and by managing everyday life at home. The behavior and attitudes of the healthcare professionals and the special nature of the hospital played a central role in the experiences.
Conclusion:
The role of relatives is an important part of the coping process and care of patients with cancer in the hospital.
Related Concept Videos
Nursing Ethical Principles II
Consider the following scenario, which illustrates how these principles are applied in the care of Mr. John, a fifty-year-old teacher diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer.
Initially, Mr. John's...
Cancer Survival Analysis
Patient-centered Care
Continuing Care
Techniques of therapeutic communication I: Active Listening, Sharing Observations, Validation, and Using Touch
Therapeutic communication is not the same as social interaction. Social interaction has no goal or purpose and consists of casual information sharing, whereas therapeutic communication has a plan or purpose for the conversation. Therapeutic...
Cancer
