Nursing care in the rehabilitation center: the nurse’s role

Abstract

Objective: to recognize how women describe and understand the nursing care they receive in a rehabilitation center following mastectomy. Method: this qualitative, descriptive study was conducted at a rehabilitation center, with 26 patients, aged 18 or over, who had undergone mastectomy and attended the service at least once a month for at least one year. Data were collected by open interviews, after ethics commission approval. Results: four categories emerged: recognizing nursing and its importance in health care for women with breast cancer; nurses organizing and planning care, social and leisure activities; nurses leading the verbal group; and nurses providing care and comfort. Conclusion: The participants recognized that nursing was indispensable to the multi-professional team providing care, that they were welcomed and assisted satisfactorily, both physically and emotionally, and that this was due to a nurse’s organizing and managing all activities.