THE EXPERIENCE OF DYSPNEA IN LATE-STAGE CANCER - PATIENTS AND NURSES PERSPECTIVES

We examined the phenomenon of dyspnea during the last weeks of life as it is experienced by patients with cancer and understood by the nurse s providing their care. The literature on late-stage cancer suggests a discrepancy between the prevalence of this symptom and the degree to which it is considered clinically significant. Using a range of descri ptive and interpretive approaches, we sought to interpret that discrep ancy through an understanding of how patients and nurses interpret the nature and meaning of this serious and distressing symptom. Data sour ces included a pencil-and-paper survey of late-stage cancer patients, chart audit of a population of late-stage cancer patients in a metropo litan home-care hospice program, and intensive interviews with selecte d patients and nurses. The findings showed that although dyspnea seems to be a significant clinical problem for patients in late-stage cance r, and although effective intervention and management strategies are a vailable, dyspnea often goes unreported by patients and unnoticed by h ealth-care professionals.