Abstract
Objective:
This research aims to better understand the needs and preferences of cancer outpatients, their families, and nursing staff with regard to private rooms, semi-open areas, or open areas for ambulatory cancer care.
Background:
Environments for cancer chemotherapy care are outpatient settings, and recommendations based on findings regarding inpatient settings may not be appropriate. Users of chemotherapy treatment environments include cancer patients, their families, and nursing staff.
Method:
A questionnaire survey was conducted in an academic cancer center in Louisiana. The participants included 171 cancer patients, 145 family members, and 16 nursing staff members. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to analyze the data. Participants’ environmental preferences were compared using analysis of variance. Reasons for preferences were analyzed through key word and content analysis.
Results:
Semi-open areas were preferred by the staff, whereas the three types of treatment environments were equally popular among both patients and families (preferred by 29%/28%/27% of the participants). Female patients and patients receiving longer periods of treatment per occurrence were more likely to prefer private rooms (p < .05). Three common reasons for preferences were needs for privacy, social interaction, and patient–nurse access. Additional reasons for patient and family preferences included needs for sleep, openness, and access to nature. A shared environment of chemotherapy care was suggested to be appropriate for four to seven patients to occupy.
Conclusion:
Multiple types of treatment environments should be provided in chemotherapy care to incorporate varied user needs. Privacy, social interaction, patient–nurse access, and access to nature should be considered during the design of environments for cancer chemotherapy.
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