Hope as a Key Element in Cancer Survivorship

Abstract

This article explores the concept of hope as a key element in providing planned, deliberate health care to patients with cancer and their families. The fact that more people of all ages are surviving the crises and impact of cancer is a strong basis for optimism and realistic hope. A fundamental concept is that hope should be recognized as crucial to survivorship; thus, procedures for instilling a sense of hope should be included in the interdisciplinary plan of care. To this end, the nursing process is used as a logical, databased, problem-solving approach to the provision of high-quality health care for the patient-family system. By progressing in an orderly manner through the phases of the nursing process, the patient's and family's needs are addressed in an organized, systematic manner. The author also discusses a number of actions that health professionals can implement for enabling patients and families to hope.