The nursing shortage and its impact on patient care are well-documented global problems. Patients living with chronic cancer have many psychosocial problems and often lack adequate support as a result of ineffective nurse-patient communication. A review of the literature on factors influencing the provision of psychosocial care to cancer patients indicates that the provision of psychosocial care in routine cancer care within the biomedical healthcare system has not been widely studied. Many cancer patients do not expect psychosocial care in the form of emotional conversations or counselling from busy nurses, but appreciate the attention nurses give to their physiological and physical needs. Nurse-patient partnerships in cancer care can reduce the potential workload for nurses. The psychosocial needs of cancer patients can be optimised by providing good physical care through effective communication in a time-limited oncology environment.
Patients' perceptions of their experiences with nurse-patient communication in oncology settings: A focused ethnographic study
18 December 2022