Intervention of humanized nursing accompaniment and quality of life in people with advanced cancer

Abstract

Objective: To assess the effect of an intervention of humanized nursing accompaniment, at home, on the quality of life of people with advanced cancer and of their family caregivers. Method: Pre-experimental study with pre- and post-intervention measurements. The intervention included home visits, internet platform, and telephone contact for three months. The sample was comprised of 17 patient-caregiver dyads. The data analysis was descriptive and correlational. Results: The study obtained a large magnitude of the effect of the intervention, in the global health of the person with cancer, with highly significant differences between the pre- and post-intervention, besides the decrease of symptoms, like fatigue and dyspnea. In the caregivers, there was moderate magnitude of the effect of the intervention on quality of life, in the settings of social relationships and environment, with highly significant differences between the pre- and post-intervention. Conclusion: A humanized nursing care intervention, which reinforces and reaffirms the social, affective, spiritual, and communication areas in the patient-family caregiver dyad, increases the quality of life of people with advanced cancer and that of their caregivers.