During their hospitalization for cancer treatment, patients often face challenges such as limited mobility post-surgery, physical weakness, poor sleep, and inconveniences in daily life. The Comprehensive Oncology Department at our hospital has started with the patients' daily routines and added several unassuming small items, transforming humanistic care from a slogan on the wall into something visible, tangible, and practical at the bedside. This makes the ward not only a place for treatment but also a space filled with warmth.
1. A shampoo cap: allowing bedridden patients to feel refreshed
Cancer patients undergo long treatment cycles, and those who are bedridden or have undergone surgery are unable to bathe. Their hair remains unwashed for days, becoming greasy and sticky, which can dampen their spirits. To address this issue, our department has prepared a wash-free shampoo cap for patients who are bedridden or have undergone surgery and find bathing inconvenient. After wearing the cap, nurses gently massage the hair, which can be cleaned inside the cap without getting out of bed, wetting clothes or bedding, or making the bedsheets damp. Many patients report feeling refreshed and energetic after washing their hair with this cap.
2. An infusion alarm: allowing you to sleep peacefully while receiving fluids
Tumor patients have to undergo long infusion sessions, often lasting for most of the day or even extending into the night. In the past, patients dared not sleep for fear of blood refluxing after the infusion was completed; family members dared not close their eyes, staring intently at the infusion bottle, often feeling even more exhausted than the patients. Nowadays, the department has equipped infusion patients with infusion alarms, which can be clipped onto the drip chamber and will automatically alarm and remind when the infusion is complete. Patients can rest assured and sleep soundly, while family members can also take a moment to rest their eyes. This small device serves as a guardian, safeguarding not only the patients' peace of mind but also the physical well-being of their family members.
3. A pair of earplugs: Bringing quiet back to those with shallow sleep
The night in the ward is not truly quiet: the ticking sound of the monitor, the wheels of the treatment cart, and the soft footsteps in the hallway are all disturbances to patients with shallow sleep. The department has disposable noise-cancelling earplugs, and when admitting patients, the nurse will ask an additional question: "Do you sleep well? If you tend to wake up easily, you can try wearing earplugs before going to bed." This can allow people with shallow sleep to get a few more hours of sleep. With good rest, patients have the energy to "deal with" their illnesses.
4. "Three 30-Second Alerts" on the Bedrail: Place the Fall Prevention Reminder in Front of Your Eyes
The department has directly printed the "Three-Step Getting-Up Routine" on both sides of the bedrail - "Sit on the bed for 30 seconds, sit by the bed for 30 seconds, stand with support from the bed for 30 seconds, secure the tubes, and have a family member assist in walking." Every time the patient pulls up the bedrail and uses the rail to get up, the mnemonic is right in front of them, in their hands, making it difficult to forget; with family members by their side, they can also remind the patient according to the mnemonic. Fall prevention relies not on a one-time education upon admission, but on placing reminders where they are most easily and most needed to be seen.
5. A phone holder: When charging, the phone also has its own "seat"
Mobile phones are crucial companions for hospitalized patients to stay in touch with their families and pass the long hours of infusion. However, charging has always been a hassle: the charging cable is tautly placed on the bedside table, the charging head occupies the socket, and there is nowhere to place the phone. The department has pasted a small phone holder next to the socket at the head of each bed. When charging, the phone is placed inside, securely in place. The wires are no longer dangling and tangled, the bedside is tidy, and there are fewer safety hazards. Some patients quipped that the phone now has its own "little bed".
Humanistic nursing is not just a grand slogan, but is embedded in every tangible little thing. From hair cleaning, infusion safety, sleep assurance, fall prevention, to daily phone storage and charging, the Comprehensive Oncology Department is based on the real needs of patients and continuously optimizes nursing services. With small and thoughtful measures, we aim to alleviate the inconvenience and discomfort of hospitalization, bringing respect and warmth to every patient, making treatment vigorous and nursing warm.
Image and text: Song Xue
Editor: Ma Shiyu
Reviewed by: Jiang Bei, Huang Guifang