Date of Award

Spring 1992

Document Type

Thesis - Restricted

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Shaw, Christine

Second Advisor

OBrien, Maureen

Third Advisor

Schuster, Kimberly

Abstract

Fatigue in the oncology population is a multi-faceted complex phenomenon occurring in nearly all patients. It may exist before treatment begins as part of the disease process. Treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy, biotherapy, and radiation therapy, are likely to contribute to the feelings of fatigue. Fatigue interferes with the patient's ability to function and affects the patient's quality of life. In ten years of oncology nursing practice, I had repeatedly heard complaints of fatigue from patients throughout various stages of disease and treatment. This recurring complaint, coupled with little published research in this area, spurred me to examine the phenomenon of fatigue in patients receiving radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer. The following study was designed as an initial step in defining and intervening in this frequently occurring, disturbing side effect known as fatigue.

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