2008, Cilt 15, Sayı 2, Sayfa(lar) 001-015
Evaluation of the Effeciency of a Home Care Program Developed for Mastectomy Patients
Yrd.Doç.Dr. Ayşe AKKAŞ GÜRSOY1, Prof.Dr. Fethiye ERDİL2, Prof.Dr. Nurhan BAYRAKTAR2
1Karadeniz Teknik Üniversitesi Trabzon Sağlık Yüksekokulu
2Hacettepe Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi Hemşirelik Bölümü
Keywords: Breast cancer treatments, mastectomy, home care, nursing

The basic goal of nursing care in breast cancer patients who have had surgery is to return the patient to normal life in the shortest period of time with the fewest problems. For this reason, from the moment the diagnosis, patient care should be continued in the home environment with a prepared plan of care that establishes needs and cooperation of the team.

The study was established experimentally, to evaluate the effect of home care program developed for mastectomy patients on the healing process. The sample of the study consisted 50 mastectomy patients in three hospitals and patients were divided into experimental (n= 25) and control (n=25) groups. Data were collected by using home care plan for the patients having mastectomy, patient information form, home visit following form, and the form for evaluation of knowledge of the patients after mastectomy. Three home visits were made up for experimental group and the patients in this group, received care according to the home care plan, and they were provided written information on self-care. Two home visits for control group were performed and these patients received just the services provided in the hospitals.

Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U, Chi square, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Cochran Q and McNemar tests. The results of the analysis showed that, the patients in experimental group patients had lower rates for pain at the operation site, edema in the arm at the site of operation, problems with sexual life than the control group patients. In addition, it was determined that arm-raising level at the site of the operation of the experimental group was better than the control group patients. Furthermore, it was found that, the mean self-care knowledge score of experimental group patients was obviously higher than control group patients.

Based on the results of this study, recommendations were made related to establishment of planned discharge education on self-care for the post mastectomy patients and improvement of home care services.