Finding meaning in life: an exploration on the experiences with dependence on care of patients with advanced cancer and nurses caring for them

Development and psychometric testing of the care dependence perception questionnaire

“…In our sample the scores of ‘ Positive perception of care dependence ’ were higher than those of ‘ Negative perception of care dependence ’ and consequently, the resulting hedonic balance score was positive. These results confirm previous qualitative findings reporting positive experiences of care dependence in patients with cancer, who see the relationship with nurses as a lifeline (Candela et al, 2020). This positive view of dependence is also reported by patients who learn to appreciate the important aspects of life and to discover ‘the human richness of people’ after becoming care dependent (Piredda et al, 2016).…”

“…These results confirm previous qualitative findings reporting positive experiences of care dependence in patients with cancer, who see the relationship with nurses as a lifeline (Candela et al, 2020).…”

“…Such data are pivotal to planning individualised nursing care that goes beyond standard care, which is mainly aimed at promoting and restoring patients' independence (Alligood, 2017). For instance, cancer nurses caring for patients who report higher positive than negative perceptions of care dependence, aware that this is probably due to patients viewing nurses as lifelines (Candela et al, 2020),…”

“…Such data are pivotal to planning individualised nursing care that goes beyond standard care, which is mainly aimed at promoting and restoring patients’ independence (Alligood, 2017). For instance, cancer nurses caring for patients who report higher positive than negative perceptions of care dependence, aware that this is probably due to patients viewing nurses as lifelines (Candela et al, 2020), should not just focus on achieving patients’ independence, since such patients could interpret this as abandonment. Instead, nurses should strive to build and foster significant interpersonal caring relationships both with patients perceiving dependence positively and with those perceiving it negatively.…”

“…The definition of care dependence used in this study was that of the condition of patients whose self‐care abilities have decreased and whose care requirements make them dependent on nursing care (Dijkstra et al, 1999). The theoretical framework used to develop the indicators came from a meta‐synthesis of patients’ perceptions of care dependence (Piredda et al, 2015) and from qualitative studies conducted with patients with advanced cancer admitted to hospitals in three cities located in central and northern Italy (Candela et al, 2020; Piredda et al, 2016). From the above findings, patients’ positive or negative perspectives of care dependence emerged.…”