A Study to Assess the Effect of Interventional Package on Acute symptoms experienced by Terminally Ill Patients with Head and Neck Cancer receiving Palliative Homecare Its management by the Primary Caregivers and their Holistic Wellbeing at selected Hospital in Kanyakumari District

Abstract

In developing world, cancer is the leading cause of death and cancer patients pass through various phases of experience throughout illness. When cancer patients reach the point at which treatment is no longer effective, they are considered as terminally ill. Palliative care is a bridge to enable the patient to cross over without pain and suffering and at peace with oneself, with the man and God. In the developing countries like India, home services are the primary focus of palliative care. If the terminally ill patients are cared for at home, it gives them an opportunity to continue family life with dignity. Family caregivers play a crucial role in the home care including administration of medications. The conceptual framework for the present study was adapted from Ernestine Widenbach s prescriptive theory. The study was undertaken with the aim of assessing the effect of interventional package on acute symptoms experienced by terminally ill patients with head and neck cancer receiving palliative home-care, its management by the primary caregivers and their holistic well-being at selected hospital in Kanyakumari District. The study used a quasi-experimental pretest-post-test control group research design. A total of 200 TIP with HandN cancer and their primary caregivers (100 in control group and 100 in interventional group) fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected using purposive sampling. This study has revealed that the pain, restlessness, nausea and vomiting and dyspnea were the common acute symptoms experienced by the cancer patients receiving palliative home care. The study result has concluded that the interventional package was effective in reducing the acute symptoms experienced by TIP with HandN cancer, improving their holistic well-being and reducing the expense of managing acute symptoms. This is probably important for the majority of cancer and other palliative patients receiving home care, but particularly so in settings where resources are limited and palliative care facilities scarce.