COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSING

Community Health Nursing

Community Health Nursing

Question A

During the last few years, there has been a striking change in care and support for cancer patients. This is especially because of growing perceptions about quality of life and promotion of good health. Furthermore, this perception has led key factors to drive tremendous improvement in assisting patients to endure treatment programs. Such perceptions develop sympathy that patients suffering from chronic disease like cancer, need and deserve, adequate care. As far as supportive care is concerned, it is primarily patient-centric and emphasizes on the importance of quality of life and daily life of patients having cancer. (Ferrans, 1996)

It is the right of every patient and respective families to have fairly well-preserved quality of life throughout cancer treatment. Furthermore, these are not only the rights but their expectations, which seem appropriate and increasingly realistic.

With the advent of new drugs and advancement in medical treatments, side effects of chemotherapy have significantly reduced. In the 1990s, the introduction of antiemetic medi-cations changed and transformed oncology practice and facilitated chemotherapy to move from the inpatient to the outpatient setting for most solid tumor types and many lymphomas and leukemias. (Moons, Budts & De Geest, 2006)

As a result of the developmental factors and other care programs, majority of the patients suffering from cancer can hope to have comparatively less pain and agony, during chemotherapy treatment. Such advancements have helped patients relieved from nausea and vomiting, less likely to be hospitalized for febrile neutropenia, and the need for red blood cell transfusions.

Therefore, it is obvious that supportive care helps in saving lives. It is the perception of quality of life and promotion of health, which have led to the advancement in clinical care for cancer patients. (Ferrans, 1996)

Perceptions about quality of life develop a sense of responsibility to provide ongoing care and attention to patients with cancer. It invokes a feeling to offer help, support and care to such patients, so that they could have the best in every area of their lives. Such patients need to be given physical, emotional, social and financial support and care. Furthermore, measures need to be taken to prevent, treat, reduce or remove discomfort in any way. It should be remembered that quality of life is more important than the length of life. (Moons, Budts & De Geest, 2006)

Question B

The three strategies which can be used to improve quality of life are given below:

Strategy 1

At first, Mrs. Thomas and her husband need to be advised that, they need to take care of their physical health. Mrs. Thomas and her husband may not feel like it, but it is essential that they maintain or start a healthy lifestyle. A healthy walk can be useful. Mrs. Thomas needs to exercise as much as she can, even if it's just a short walk each day. That is how, her body can get the nutrients it needs to stay strong and healthy and to stand up against the rigors of cancer ...