一位肺癌末期病人與家庭照顧者共同面臨死亡適應過程之護理經驗

This report described the nursing experience of helping a 65-year-old patient with terminal lung cancer and his wife, a family caregiver, adapt to death. The nursing period spanned from July 27 to August 18, 2017. The Roy's adaptation model was used as the instrument, and interviews were performed to collect data. The results confirmed that the patient experienced health problems including death anxiety, impaired gas exchange, and pain. In addition, the caregiver was facing role strain. During the nursing process, the author showed empathy toward the patient and his wife, listened to them, kept them accompanied, communicated with them using the NURSE method, and thus established a therapeutic relationship with them. The author provided care to the patient and his wife individually and helped the patient alleviate discomfort due to pain and dyspnea. The patient and his wife both demonstrated fear and anxiety toward death. The author guided them to gradually accept and adapt to death. These processes improved the quality of life of the patient and his wife, allowing them to face death positively and peacefully. This nursing experience may serve as a reference for clinical nurses in caring for terminally ill patients.