Cancer is a leading cause of death, and the number of cancer patients is increasing in korea. The needs for the home care of cancer patients are increasing recently, but the standardized home care protocols are not developed yet. This study was designed to develop nursing assessment-intervention algorithms for the cancer chemotherapy patients at home.
These algorithms suggest guidelines when we assess the patient´s condition, and find appropriate nursing interventions, so that standardization and quality control of home care can be attained. The algorithms were processed by yes-no tree.
Eleven common problems of cancer chemotherapy patients were identified by the literature review and oncology nurses´ experience. These were digestive dysfunction, pain, fatigue, infection, respiratory difficulties, activity intolerance, hemorrhage, sensory disorder. edema, skin problem, and mucosa problem. The algorithm needs to be validated and modified by using for the cancer chemotherapy patients at home.
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