Cancer Control Research
1R03CA077972-01
Hughes, Linda C.
DESCRIBING HOME NURSING CARE FOR CANCER PATIENTS
AbstractThe purpose of this study is to describe the nursing care activities
documented by advanced practice nursing during implementation of a
standard nursing intervention protocol (SNIP) with elderly breast
cancer and lung cancer patients. This protocol, consisting of three
post-hospitalization home visits and five telephone calls, is being
tested in an ongoing randomized clinical trial to investigate quality of
life outcomes among post-surgical cancer patients (McCorkle, PI,
NINR, 1R01 NR03229, 1992-1996). Intervention statements will be
classified using the Nursing Intervention Lexicon and Taxonomy
(NILT) developed by Grobe. NILT is a seven category nursing
intervention classification which permits categorization of
intervention statements documented in free text format using nurses'
natural language terminology. Nursing care activities will be
described by intervention type (NILT category assignment),
frequency of use, diversity, and variability during SMIP episodes of
care. NILT classification will permit quantification of nursing
interventions so they can be correlated with the outcomes of patient
symptom distress, enforced social dependency, depression, and
mental health status. Describing the characteristics of home-based
nursing care activities is needed to facilitate better utilization of
nursing resources and guide health policy decisions about formal
home care services needed by elderly cancer patients.
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