Facilitating Patients’ Coping With Fatigue During Chemotherapy—Pilot Outcomes

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Abstract
A pilot study was conducted to develop and test a nursing intervention to facilitate the management of fatigue in patients receiving chemotherapy. The intervention, named the "Beating Fatigue" program, has 4 elements: assessment/monitoring, education, coaching in the management of fatigue, and provision of emotional support. Beating Fatigue was implemented with and evaluated by 8 patients. Overall, patients were very positive about the program and perceived the opportunity to talk to someone about fatigue as the most beneficial strategy within the program, although individual patients varied in which aspect they most preferred. Data from the pilot work supported the view that a multifaceted approach to the management of cancer-related fatigue is appropriate because it enables an intervention package to be tailored to an individual's requirements. The approach appeared both feasible and practical. Although numeric data were limited, there was some evidence that the approach had the capacity to lessen fatigue and enhance emotional well-being.