Cancer Nursing Careers | Understanding impact of cancer on the individual, families and health care professionals

Understanding the Impact of Cancer
This session examines the potential psychosocial consequences of a cancer diagnosis and its treatment for people affected by cancer (PABC), including patients, families, lay carers and healthcare professionals. The concept of social support and assessing support networks will be used to identify the different types of support PABC may need. The support needs of healthcare professionals when providing care to PABC will also be considered.

The Importance of Support and Services
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This session is the fifth of eight sessions that aims to support your learning about cancer.

Each session is designed for registrants providing general cancer care and aligns with the nursing outcomes included in the RCN Career and Education Framework for Cancer Nursing.

Cancer Poses Unique Problems
Cancer poses unique problems for people affected by cancer (PABC). Patients, their families and their lay carers often feel vulnerable for months at a time.

Following initial treatment, which may be over several months, patients are not guaranteed a cure. The acute impact of a cancer diagnosis and treatment may cause their health and wellbeing to deteriorate.

As a result, PABC may need help and support from others.

Forms of Support
Support may take different forms and be provided by different people, including those in the patient’s social network, as well as health and social care professionals.

PABC may draw extensively upon lay support. There is considerable research identifying that social support assists people to adjust to the stresses of illness, when experiencing loss, and in bereavement.  

Each element of social support enables the exchange of reciprocal caring actions to enhance health and wellbeing.