I interviewed my caregiver neighbor to understand how well she is coping with end-of-life cancer care. Caregivers can have physical or emotional detrimental effects due to the strain of the demands on them. When I reviewed the interview procedure, I realized that caregivers might be undergoing additional pressure because of their overwhelming responsibility (Kusi et al., 2020). I established that caretakers acknowledged their directness might help others, and they were only too glad to share their stories. Moreover, they valued that the importance of their role was being validated. I noticed caregivers oversaw the ill person, thus providing vital information about the ongoing changes. However, as a registered nurse, I noticed that the caregivers had a crucial role in their services as their focus was on healing and health. Their attention is not attached to curing and the disease. Through the inevitable pain, caregivers outstand their emotions to provide total support to the ailing individuals. In case of demise, one can see it in their eyes as they are impacted similarly to the family members by the loss. They maintain hope even in the death beds to the patient and the relatives, which is a vital thing to do in such times. From their reviews, the dying process does not inevitably bring despair. In the case of bereavement, caregivers play a significant role in validating the family’s feelings and showing them empathy. When all this is over, they are expected to give directions and the way forward on how the family can easily cope with the grief. Caregivers do not know what signs to anticipate and which ones are essential to reporting. Sometimes several signs reflect the advancement of a patient’s mild illness, which the caregivers do not know about (Rolling et al., 2019). However, when they are informed about what to anticipate, I realized they gained a sense of control. The lesson I learned from the interview guides me in attaining a more sympathetic attitude in my practice to serve them better.

References

Kusi, G., Boamah Mensah, A. B., Boamah Mensah, K., Dzomeku, V. M., Apiribu, F., & Duodu, P. A. (2020). Caregiving motivations and experiences among family caregivers of patients living with advanced breast cancer in Ghana. PloS one, 15(3).42-55. Web. Rolling Ferrell, B. and Paice, J., 2019. Oxford textbook of palliative nursing. 5th ed. Oxford University Press, pp.638-654