Foreseeing everyday life for older postoperative patients with gastrointestinal cancer: a constructivist grounded theory

Abstract

Background: With the rapid ageing of societies worldwide, the number of older individuals diagnosed with gastrointestinal cancer is expected to increase. Aims: This study aimed to describe nursing practices foreseeing everyday life after discharge in older patients following resection for gastrointestinal cancer. Methods: Data were collected using participant observation and semi-structured interviews and analysed using Charmaz's grounded theory method. Categories and subcategories were constructed using theoretical sampling until theoretical sufficiency was reached. Findings: Overall, 19 nurses (16 women and three men) and two patients (one man in his 80s and one woman in her 70s) were included. The following three categories were constructed: ‘establishing everyday foundation,’ ‘maintaining the rhythm,’ and ‘foreseeing a new everyday life,’ which were further divided into subcategories. Conclusion: The nursing practice identified here describes the process of encouraging older patients to incorporate physical changes while maximising their independent activities following resection of gastrointestinal cancer.