Patient experiences with videoconferencing as social contact and in follow-up from oncology nurses in primary health care

Abstract

Patients with various forms of cancer often have unmet psychosocial support needs. By interpretative phenomenological approach, this study aimed to acquire a deeper understanding of home-living patients with cancer’s experience and meaning from videoconferencing in oncological nursing follow-up in primary healthcare and contact with networks. Six patients from rural Norway participated. Three themes emerged: (1) From skepticism to videoconferencing-enthusiasm; (2) Oncology nurses ensured tablet mastery and delivered close follow-up; and (3) Oncology nurses helped ensure general social support using videoconferencing. Oncology follow-up care in rural areas using videoconferencing may enhance care availability and provision of psychosocial support meeting patients’ needs.