Psychological And Social Effects Of Cervical Cancer

Care plan is essential at this stage of patient X as she displayed a feeling of hopelessness and insufficient knowledge about her disease. It will identify numbers of nursing problems which will be focused in initial diagnosis since she displayed psychological concerns about her disease and treatment. As a matter of fact, psychological and social effects of cervical cancer start at the time of diagnosis and continues for many years afterwards. Its impact involves not only the patient but also her whole family. It is important to realize that patient X is anxious related to unfamiliar hospital environment, uncertainty about the outcomes, feelings of helplessness and hopelessness and insufficient knowledge about cancer and treatment as evidenced

At the end of the day, patient will relate the intent to continue the previous lifestyle as much as possible as indicated by communicating about feelings about possible changes and participating in self-care. Implementing it by first, encourage the patient to express feelings and thoughts about condition, progress, prognosis, effects on lifestyle, support system and treatments. This provides outlet for fears and frustration that can increase self-awareness. Second, provide reliable information and clarify any misconceptions as it can increase anxiety and damage self-concept. Third, encourage visitors like relatives and friends as they can support the patient and can help her to feel that she is still worthwhile and an acceptable person. Fourth, help the patient to identify ways of integrating the cancer experience into her life rather than allowing cancer to take it over. The nurse can help the patient to balance relationship and preserve the family system. The experience of cancer is different for everyone and what vitally important to one person may be inconsequential to another (Stevens 1992) (cited in Carpenito 2014, p. 609). Fifth, help the patient’s family and support persons to share their feelings regarding the diagnosis and actual or anticipated effects like anger, rage, depression or guilt (Carpenito 2014, p.

At the end of the day, patient will report strategies that will help her improved sense of energy and how she can perform activity of daily living in level of ability. In the light of, different chemotherapy agents affect the cell in diverse ways and at different stages of mitosis. However, the net result is the same. The tumour cells are unable to repair themselves from the chemotherapy-associated damage and the tumour thus reduces in size and ideally disappears altogether. As with radiotherapy, chemotherapy associated side effects relate to chemotherapy’s lack of specificity. Certain normal cells, are affected by chemotherapy drugs in the same way that the cancer cells are, therefore, decrease in normal cells in the body causes depletion of energy. Nursing intervention should first, have patient rate fatigue using a numeric scale if possible and the time it is more severe. This can help in developing plan for managing fatigue (Carpenito 2014, p. 78). Second, plan care to allow rest periods and schedule activities where patient has most energy (Carpenito 2014, p. 78). The rationale for this is that frequent rest and naps are needed to restore energy hence scheduling activities during times where energy level is higher may develop a feeling of well-being