The effectiveness to chemotherapy symptoms, hope and meaning in life status of women who has gynecological cancer of the nursing care program based on watson' theory of human caring

Objective: Evaluate the effectiveness of the nursing care program based on Watson' Theory of Human Caring to chemotherapy symptoms, hope and meaning in life status of women who has gynecological cancer. Method: This research was mix method research including quantitative and qualitative approach. Quantitative phase was carried out on 52 women who has gynecological cancer including 26 experimental and 26 control groups by using the pretest-post test with randomized controlled study. Nursing care based on Watson's Theory of Human Caring was applied to the experimental group for a period of five weeks. Data were collected through Personel Information Form, Chemotherapy Symptom Assessment Scale, Herth Hope Scale and Life Attitude Profile-Revised. The analysis of data was conducted using descriptive and nonparametric tests. Qualitative phase was carried out on 15 women in experimental group through individual in-depth interviews and semi-structed interview form. Data obtained from interviews was evaluated by conducting content analysis. Results: There were statistically significant decreases in some chemotherapy symptom' frequency, severity and discomfort levels of women in the experimental group than control group (p<0.05). Also, women in the experimental group, posttest Herth Hope Scale and Life Attitude Profile scores were statistically higher than that of the control group (p<0.05). At the evaluation of qualitative data, five category that "existential anxiety", "seeking balance", "being in action:between hope-hopelessness", "authentic existence" and "authentic care" and eight main themes that "who knows that living", "revision", "changing", "rebuilding", "coping", "teachings-acquirements", "expectation: heart-center care" and "find: heart-center care" were revealed. Conclusion: Nursing care based on Watson's Theory of Human Caring led to manage some chemotherapy symptom and increase hope and mening in life levels among the women who gnecologic cancer. Also women who gnecologic cancer transioned to an authentic existence after experienced an existential anxiety. Keywords: gynecologic neoplasms, chemotherapy, hope, nursing, nursing theory