The effective communication as a way to deal with oncology patients

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The communication is considered to be necessary, especially between the healthcare workers and the oncology patients. There are some specific models of communication and various steps that lead to a therapeutical communication. A particular emphasis should be placed on the usage of the bio-psycho-sociological model and various skills should be used so that this is acquired. Although such a model is effective in dealing with the patients and their relatives, it is not used by many of the healthcare workers.

Aim: The purpose of this bibliographical review was to examine whether the proper communication is helpful in dealing with oncology patients.

Material and method: For the accomplishment of this bibliographical review, articles were collected both in Greek and English from the Pubmed and Google scholar, by using the key-words: «communication», «oncology patient» and «health professional». Master thesis and senior thesis were excluded and articles and books were collected.

Results: All the medical staff should cope with the physical and psychological needs of cancer patients through the usage of communication. The communication should be patient-centered because only in this way is it beneficial to the participants. By many articles it is proved that, effective communication with the usage of specific methods leads to a reduction of the psychological problems and to an establishment of a proper therapeutic relationship. Also, there are various obstacles in the communication for the nurses to overcome, depending on the case. Finally, the oncology nurse must treat the terminal stage patient with a holistic approach thus, to establish a meaningful relationship.

Conclusions: The usage of the bio-psycho-sociological model and the communication in general is considered absolutely necessary, since the psychological status of the patient is improved (yet this does not mean that all the physiological problems are cured) and the healthcare workers benefits by the reception of necessary information.

Keywords:  communication, oncology patient, health professional