Psychological care for advanced ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality rate among gynecological malignancies. The current treatment is still thorough cytoreductive surgery, supplemented by postoperative chemotherapy. In the late stage, patients' physical functions change, their quality of life declines significantly, and they experience varying degrees of psychological stress. Their tense emotions can directly affect their treatment results and are not conducive to the smooth progress of chemotherapy. The psychological state of ovarian cancer chemotherapy patients was observed, and the main psychological problems are as follows.

1 Analysis of psychological factors

1.1 Fear and worry about a series of side effects caused by treatment, such as hair loss, bone marrow suppression, gastrointestinal reactions, etc. Most patients lack a full understanding of their own disease and regard cancer as an incurable disease. They have a strong fear of cancer and lose confidence in treatment, which manifests as tension, fear and anxiety.

1.2 Loneliness Due to the influence of social factors and the surrounding environment, patients receiving chemotherapy often feel a loss of self-worth, loneliness and helplessness. They are extremely sensitive and suspicious of the words and behaviors of medical staff and hope to receive more care.

1.3 Denial of chemotherapy: Fear that chemotherapy drugs will have a great impact on the body, difficulty adapting to the fatigue, nausea, hair loss and other pains caused by chemotherapy, and lack of confidence in the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs, which may lead to the idea of ​​giving up treatment.

1.4 Pessimism and disappointment Cancer and chemotherapy have disrupted their daily lives and seriously affected their careers and studies. They worry that their social roles after chemotherapy will be in stark contrast to their patient roles, which leads to strong pessimism and disappointment, resulting in low mood, loss of will, and loss of confidence in fighting the disease.

1.5 Anxiety: Due to surgery and long chemotherapy, patients worry about whether they can afford it financially, whether they can successfully complete the entire chemotherapy process, and what the results of chemotherapy will be. This makes patients skeptical and in severe cases they may even want to give up chemotherapy.

1.6 Depression Because patients lack a correct understanding of chemotherapy, they are psychologically unbalanced. Why did I get cancer? Various questions lead to their biased views on things, depression, self-isolation, unwillingness to talk to others, and a mentality of "indifference" or suspicion towards everything.

2Psychological care

2.1 Establish a good nurse-patient relationship. Approach patients proactively, be attentive, patient and caring. Correctly answer questions raised by patients and explain more successful chemotherapy cases. Comfort patients with sincere and kind words. Nursing operations should be gentle, meticulous, accurate and orderly to make patients feel safe. Use your skilled techniques to gain the trust of patients and eliminate their fear.

2.2 Nurses should have a high degree of sympathy and responsibility for patients, feel the pain of patients, think about what patients think, and communicate with patients in their hearts. In addition to being the main supporters, nurses should also actively encourage their family members, relatives, friends, colleagues, and leaders to comfort and care for them frequently, help and take care of them in life, so that patients can feel the love from all sides and the value of their existence, inspire confidence in life, eliminate loneliness, and build confidence in overcoming the disease.

2.3 Chemotherapy drugs have a great impact on the body. Nursing staff should introduce the drugs used and possible toxic and side effects and the countermeasures to patients before taking the drugs. If chemotherapy causes nausea and other symptoms, antiemetics can be given before and after chemotherapy; such as Dikanglishu and Lifuding, to protect the gastric mucosa and reduce the side effects of chemotherapy. To make patients feel safe, patients with mild reactions after taking the drugs can be arranged to receive spiritual and moral support to increase their confidence in recovery. Patients are advised to use appropriate makeup and grooming to improve their self-confidence and maintain their self-esteem.

2.4 Use examples of similar patients who are currently working and living smoothly to make the patients feel that they are still useful people, encourage them to build up confidence in overcoming the disease and meet the challenges of a new life.

2.5 Patiently explain the necessity of chemotherapy to the patient and his family, discuss and introduce the chemotherapy plan with the patient, and promptly inform the patient of relevant information during the treatment, such as the effect of the treatment, the cause of the disease, etc., so that the patient can actively cooperate with the treatment and enhance his confidence in the treatment. Give clear, effective and positive answers to the questions raised by the patient to eliminate his concerns, explain the possible adverse effects of anxiety on physical and mental health, and encourage the patient to do some activities to adjust his mood, such as reading books and newspapers, watching TV, listening to music, taking a walk, playing chess, etc.

2.6 Patient care: Take the initiative to talk with patients, show concern and love, encourage and enlighten patients, try to improve patients' confidence in overcoming the disease, fully mobilize all positive factors of patients' families and relatives, and require them to cooperate and assist medical staff. Visit and comfort patients more often during visiting hours, show more care and consideration for patients than in the past, so that patients do not feel lonely and still live in happiness and warmth, turn other people's care into their own motivation, thereby tapping their own potential and resisting diseases.