| The study assessed whether a nursing intervention based on self-regulation theory, the Attentional Focus and Symptom Management Intervention (AFSMI), could help women who underwent day surgery for breast cancer to achieve better health outcomes. The sample consisted of 117 patients with breast cancer who were outpatients and undergoing surgery as part of the initial treatment for their cancer. All subjects were interviewed at three different occasions. The subjects were randomized into the experimental group (n=61) or the usual care group (control, n=56). The subjects in the experimental group received the intervention in two sessions, 3-4 days and 10-11 days after surgery. The outcomes were the subjects' symptomatology, emotional distress and functional status. Results showed significant differences between the experimental and control group at post-test on disruption in home management activities, total mood disturbance, confusion and tension scores implying that the intervention was effective in achieving these outcomes. Change scores indicated a moderate level of improvement in the experimental group, as hypothesised, in clinical functional status and emotional distress, the main outcomes of this study. As for symptom management, the intervention had no statistically significant effect on symptoms. However, the results indicate a small clinical effect on mental fatigue, reduced motivation, and affective pain. Findings from the present research have illustrated that a nursing intervention applied during immediate recovery of breast cancer surgery is quite clinically relevant to reduce emotional distress and enhance usual functioning. Self-regulation theory could effectively be used as a guide in the development of effective nursing interventions in clinical practice for patients with cancer undergoing day surgery. Future researcher should consider increasing the dose of the AFSM intervention and evaluating the impact of varying doses on symptom management. |
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