Psychological experience of discharge readiness in head and neck cancer patients undergoing particle radiotherapy: A qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the psychological experiences related to discharge readiness among head and neck cancer (HNC) patients undergoing particle radiotherapy, so as to provide nurses with guidance for personalized discharge education and continuous care programs.

METHOD: A descriptive phenomenological research design was used. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 HNC patients who were about to be discharged from the Shanghai Proton Heavy Ion Hospital after completing particle radiotherapy. Patients were selected using maximum variation sampling. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

The psychological experiences of HNC patients regarding discharge readiness undergoing particle radiotherapy were summarized into four themes: disruption of survival order caused by radiotherapy side effects, medical uncertainty and conflict with discharge decision, social role reconstruction, and adaptive coping strategies.

CONCLUSION

HNC patients who received particle radiotherapy experienced complex and multifaceted psychological responses prior to discharge, with this study identifying four core experiences. These findings provide a basis for the development of a personalized transition care intervention integrating physiological, psychological, and social dimensions.