Patient Concerns, Emotional Resources, and Perception of Nurse and Patient Roles

Abstract

Thirty-three patients in a cancer research hospital responded to questions on a semi-structured interview schedule. Patients in this sample did not perceive institution factors as contributing to their distress, identified cooperation with therapy and with institution staff as normative patient behavior, and instrumental activities as normative nurse behavior. Distress stimuli, categorized as physical, psychological, or social were not likely to be entirely amenable to staff care strategies.