Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Patients who are operated upon for cancer tumour are anxious about the postoperative information and the result of the surgical procedure. This investigation was undertaken to study the routines for postoperative information in a department of surgical oncology. Thirtytwo patients operated for abdominal cancer (»cancer patients«) and 36 patients operated for inguinal hernia or gallstone disease («hernia patients») answered a questionnaire with 16 questions. Sixtynine percent replied. The need for postoperative information about the result of the operation was higher for the cancer patients than for the hernia patients. The cancer patients were given more attention by the doctors post-operatively and were given more opportunities to ask about the operation than the hernia patients. However, there was lack of privacy in the information situation and both groups were informed on the ward in presence of other patients.

Keywords

Cancer postoperative information

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Swindale

J E

. The nurse's role in giving pre-operative information to reduce anxiety in patients admitted to hospital for elective minor surgery. J Adv Nurs 1989; 14: 899–905.

Johnson

J E

Rice

V H

Fuller

S S

Endress

M P

. Sensory information, instruction in a coping strategy, and recovery from surgery. Res Nurs Health 1978; 1: 4–17.

Engström

. Information to the patient. An attempt to satisfy the patient's need for information. Umeå: Umeå University, 1986. (Thesis). (Umeå University Medical Dissertations New series).

Engström

. The patient's need for information during hospital stay. Int J Nurs Stud 1984; 2: 113–130.

Ley

Bradshaw

P W

Kincey

J A

Atherton

. Increasing patient's satisfaction with communications. Br J Soc Clin Psychol 1976; 15: 403–413.

Krant

. Problems of the physician in presenting the patient with the diagnosis. In: Cullen

J W

, ed. Cancer: The Behavioral Dimensions. New York. Raven Press, 1976: 269–274.

Henriques

Stadil

Baden

. Patient information about cancer. Acta Chir Scand 1980; 146: 309–311.

Greenwald

H P

Nevitt

. Physician attitudes toward communication with cancer patients. Soc Sci Med 1982; 16: 591–594.

Waitskin

. Information giving in medical care. J Health Soc Behav 1985; 26: 81–101.

10.

Holland

J C

Geary

Marchini

Tross

. An international survey of physician attitudes and practice in regard to revealing the diagnosis of cancer. Cancer Invest 1987; 2: 151–154.

11.

Gottesman

Lewis

M S

. Differences in crisis reactions among cancer and surgery patients. J Consult Clin Psychol 1982; 50: 381–388.

12.

Ley

. Studies of recall in medical settings. Hum Learn 1982; 1: 223–233.

13.

Aabo

. Patienters evne til at opfatte og huske information. Ugeskr Laeger 1985; 147: 4041–4043.

14.

Derdiarian

. Informational needs of recently diagnosed cancer patients. Nurs Res 1986; 35: 276–281.

15.

Blanchard

C G

Ruckdeschel

J C

Fletcher

B A

Blanchard

E B

. The impact of oncologists' behaviors on patient satisfaction with morning rounds. Cancer 1986; 58: 387–393.

Information till patienter efter operation för cancersjukdom

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References