Needs of patients living with advanced disease

Margaret I. Fitch

Abstract


When a person has a life-threatening illness, many changes occur.

These changes are more than just physical changes and include

psychosocial, practical and spiritual consequences. If disease

progresses, the impact of these changes intensifies. Nurses who are

caring for patients with advancing disease must be able to provide

appropriate interventions if they are to help individuals cope. This

paper highlights information regarding the needs of patients with

advanced disease and emphasizes approaches that could be taken by

cancer nurses in their care of these patients. The material is drawn

from over a decade of interviewing patients about their experiences

with cancer, the literature about patient needs, and discussions with

care providers. The over-arching perspective is one of seeing human

beings as bio-psychosocial-spiritual entities. Holding this perspective

has implications for assessment and interventions in caring for

patients with advanced disease.


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