The problems of the cancer patient's relatives and nursing approach

Abstract

Cancer; It is a universal health problem that is rapidly increasing in the world and in our country, requiring long-term treatment and care from the time of diagnosis, involving several symptoms. Cancer has a significant impact not only on patients but also on their relatives. Relatives of cancer patients; help patients to meet their needs in numerous areas, such as aiding medical treatment, managing symptoms, problem solving and decision making, providing environmental safety, coordinating care, physical, emotional, social and economic support. Being a caregiver as a relative of the patient, increases their responsibilities by introducing new roles to their usual lives. In the disease process, relatives of patients may have to cope with many problems such as fatigue, depression, role conflict, economic difficulties, limitations in social life and deterioration of immunological systems and physical and mental illness risks. As the prognosis of cancer further deteriorates worse, these problems are exacerbated. In this process, nurses who have a key role in health care need to ameliorate the emotional and social well-being areas of the relatives of the patient by examining the effect of cancer on the relatives of the patient. The nurse should devise a comprehensive training plan for the problems to prevent the caregivers from being adversely affected. They should also apply the training plan and evaluate its results. This review provides information on the emotional, physical and social problems of relatives of cancer patients and the role of nurses in solving these problems.