Nursing attributes and self-care abilities of patients undergoing autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation

Autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (APBSCT) has become the standard of care for many malignancies. Treatment is provided in outpatient oncology clinics and the patient is required to assume responsibility for complex care in the home environment. The nurse has a key role in ensuring that patients receive extensive education and support to facilitate complex self-care abilities and to alleviate complications. This qualitative, descriptive study was designed to determine if specific nursing attributes influence the self-care practices of patients undergoing APBSCT. Participant experiences of nursing interactions that influenced self-care activities throughout the transplantation process were elicted. In-depth, semi-structured, open-ended, audio-taped interviews, field notes, and observations were used for data collection. Data were analyzed by thematic content analysis.