Experiences of Fundamental Care Needs After Cytoreductive Surgery Combined With Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy: A Qualitative Study

Aim To explore how patients experience their fundamental care needs during the early phase of recovery after cytoreductive surgery combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Design Qualitative with deductive approach. Methods Thirteen participants were interviewed approximately 2 weeks after surgery. A deductive, qualitative content analysis was performed based on the Fundamentals of Care framework. Results All three dimensions in the Fundamentals of Care framework were represented, most of which were physical needs: personal hygiene, toilet needs, nutrition, mobility, sleep and rest, and physical well‐being. The most evident psychological needs were participation and information. Participants highly valued the nurse–patient partnership as promoting recovery but expressed that environmental factors could hamper care and recovery. Conclusion Physical needs are commonly interrelated with psychological needs and the relation with nurses, highlighting the complexity of nursing and importance of a person‐centred approach. Environmental factors and organisational policies impact patients’ opportunities to have their physical and psychological needs met.