Telenursing and Breast Cancer: The Turkish Case

A Randomized Controlled Study on the Influence of Telenursing Services to the Chemotherapy Treatment of Breast Cancer Patients: The Turkish Case

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of telenursing services on chemotherapy symptoms and comfort levels in patients with breast cancer in Turkey.

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of telenursing services on chemotherapy symptoms and comfort levels in patients with breast cancer in Turkey. The study employs an experimental research methodology with a sample of 96 ambulatory patients (48 experimental, 48 control) who were receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer for the first time in a state hospital. Research data were collected by using "Patient Information Form", "Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale", "General Comfort Questionnaire, "Symptoms Follow-up Form", and "Telephone Call Form". The experimental group received telenursing service every week until the end of the four-cycle chemotherapy treatment, which started one week after the first treatment. The control group did not receive any intervention. Investigators analyzed data with SPSS 15.0 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) with comparative statistical methods of MannWhitney U Test, Chi-Square Test, One Way Analysis of Variance in Repeated Measurements, and Pearson Correlation.

Inclusion Criteria:

• is volunteering to participate in the research,
• is 18 years of age or over,
• can communicate in Turkish,
• has Turkish literacy skills,
• has no hearing, vision problems, and mental disability that may hinder communication,
• is female,
• has a diagnosis of breast cancer for the first time in her life and consequently receiving chemotherapy treatment in the same protocols for the first time,
• did not have a different diagnosis of cancer and related chemotherapy treatment.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Having been diagnosed with breast cancer before and received chemotherapy treatment accordingly,
• Having been diagnosed with different cancers before and had chemotherapy treatment related to it,
• Cancer treatment with oral medications,
• Refuse to participate in the study
• Refuse education/counseling
• Not knowing Turkish