Cancer patients and home care: extent to which required services are not received

Abstract

This study examined the frequency with which cancer patients who needed home nursing after hospital discharge did not receive required services. In addition, the types of healthcare problems these patients experienced were explored. This study represents a secondary analysis of a data set originally gathered to identify home care needs of patients with cancer. Additional data were gathered from patients' medical records. Results indicate that 41% (n = 15) of the 37 patients who did not receive home care in the present study had complex problems indicative of a need for ongoing nursing services in the home. Forty-one complex problems were identified for the 15 patients for whom home nursing services appeared to be required. Study results indicate that healthcare professionals need to continue efforts to identify and eliminate barriers to the receipt of required home nursing services for patients with cancer and their families.