Tele-Nursing for Informing Breast Cancer Patients in the Post-Operative Period

Abstract

This study was conducted with the aim of determining the problems, disease perception of the patients and required information by breast cancer patients. A total of 30 patients who had undergone breast operation were included in the study. The patients did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone therapy. All patients were verbally informed by the physicians and the nurses in the post-operative period, and phone calls were made on the post-operative day 5-7 and after their education needs had been determined, and they were informed about these issues. Disease perception was evaluated through face-to-face interviews at the clinic and phone calls at home. The form including the data about the socio-demographic characteristics of the patients, the disease perception and the information they needed were adapted by the researchers. The data were given as numbers and percentages.The mean age of the patients was 54.36 ±7.02 years. Of the patients, 83.3% were elementary school graduates, 86.7% were married, and 90% of the patients were in stage III. Modified radical mastectomy was performed in 83.3% of the patients. Axillary lymph node dissection was performed in 93.3% . The rate of the patients who had requested information about wound healing, infection control, and lymph-edema was 100%. The rate of the patients who were sent to control with suspicion of infection was 10%. The patients measured their arm circumference after phone calls in the post-operative period; there was 1 cm difference in 10% of the patients. Tele- consultancy in early post-operative period of breast cancer provides high patient satisfaction. Therefore, providing a standard education and arranging certification programs for tele-nursing for breast-care nurses are of great importance.