This study aims to examine the effects of the respiratory rehabilitation program on perceived self-efficacy and dyspnea in patients with lung cancer. This is a quasi-experimental research study with a two-group repeated measures design with the pretest and post-test at Week 4 and Week 8. The theory of self-efficacy by Bandura was used as the conceptual framework. The sample consisted of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer Stage 4 who visited the oncology clinic in a university hospital. Twenty-eight patients were enrolled and equally allocated to the control group and experimental group. The control group received routine nursing care only, whereas the experimental group received the respiratory rehabilitation program. The program comprised dyspnea educating, breathing exercise, using handheld fans, effective coughing, respiratory strengthening training, and follow-up by phone in the third and sixth week. Data for perceived self-efficacy and dyspnea were collected before the program start and reassessment in the fourth and eighth week. Instrumentation was composed of the respiratory rehabilitation program, demographic data, perceived self-efficacy assessment for respiratory rehabilitation, and the Cancer Dyspnea Scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and one-factor repeated measures analysis of variance and by comparing means between groups. The result revealed that almost all of the patients in the sample were men, and the mean age of the experimental group and control group was 65.80 years (standard deviation = 8.80) and 73.00 years (standard deviation = 7.60), respectively. There was significant different in the mean score of perceived self-efficacy and dyspnea between the experimental group and the control group (p < .050). Based on the findings of the study, the respiratory rehabilitation program should be used to promote self-efficacy and relieve dyspnea in patients with lung cancer.

Objectives: The purposes of this study were to describe and compare the spiritual needs and spiritual well-being among terminally ill patients receiving care in different palliative care settings and to investigate the differences in spiritual well-being in relation to the level of Buddhist practices.Methods: A cross-sectional multicenter study was carried out that included community/home-based care (Home), a faith-based organization for patients with AIDS (FB_AIDS), a faith-based organization for patients with cancer (FB_CA), and a hospice ward (Hospice). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the participants’ demographics, Buddhist practices, spiritual needs, and spiritual well-being. The analysis was performed using analysis of variance and Kruskal–Wallis tests to compare the spiritual needs and the spiritual well-being in the different settings. The Kruskal–Wallis test was used to investigate the differences in spiritual well-being in relation to the level of Buddhist practices.Results: A total of 170 patients with a terminal illness (30 Home, 33 FB_AIDS, 64 FB_CA, and 43 Hospice) participated. Patients with a terminal illness receiving care at the FB_CA and Home had significantly higher mean scores for spiritual needs than those in the other settings. Patients with a terminal illness receiving care at the FB_CA had a significantly higher mean score for spiritual well-being than those receiving care in the other settings. Participants having a higher frequency of Buddhist practice had significantly higher mean scores for spiritual well-being.Significance of results: Spiritual needs and spiritual well-being differed significantly among participants in different palliative care settings. The more the patients engaged in Buddhist practices, the higher their scores were for spiritual well-being. Thus, religious-based strategies should be integrated into palliative care and should be more emphasized.

The World Health Organization approximates that around 56.8 million individuals require palliative care annually, with 25.7 million of them being in the final stage of life. Ensuring high-quality care, particularly towards the end of life, can significantly enhance the quality of dying and death (QODD) for terminally ill patients. This, in turn, may alleviate grief among their loved ones following their passing. This descriptive study seeks to explore the correlation between the quality of end-of-life care (EOLC), QODD, and the experience of grief among bereaved family caregivers. A total of 318 participants, the primary family caregivers of patients who died within 3–12 months, were recruited for this study by the purposive sampling method. The instruments used for collecting data included (1) the participant demographic data form, (2) the family APGAR questionnaire, (3) The Family Satisfaction with the End-of-Life Care (4) the quality of dying and death questionnaire (QODD), and (5) the inventory of complicated grief. The data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, and Spearman rank-order correlation coefficient. The results showed that bereaved family caregivers had satisfaction with the quality of care and their perceptions of QODD at a moderate level. Bereaved family caregivers had 74.8% of normal grief. The quality of EOLC and QODD had a significant negative correlation with grief in bereaved family caregivers. The quality of EOLC also had a significant positive correlation with the QODD. Improving the quality of EOLC, can improve the QODD and help bereaved family caregivers cope with grief.

Background/Objectives: This study aims to investigate the effects of a home-based cardiac rehabilitation (HBCR) program via a LINE application on functional capacity and quality of life (QOL) in open-heart surgery patients. Methods: This study involved 54 open-heart surgery patients divided into a control group and an experimental group (27 intervention, 27 control) using pair matching. Participants in the intervention group participated in the HBCR program, while the control group received standard care. Orem’s self-care theory was used as the conceptual framework. Functional capacity was measured via a six-minute walk test and the Duke Activity Status Index, while QOL was measured via the Thai version of the Short Form-36 Survey. Results: The findings from the study reveal that the patients who underwent open-heart surgery in the experimental group had significantly higher functional capacity compared to those in the control group (p < 0.05). Additionally, the overall QOL of the open-heart surgery patients in the experimental group was significantly better than that of the control group, alongside physical functioning, emotional roles, vitality, mental health, social functioning, and general health (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of physical roles and bodily pain (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Using an HBCR program via the LINE application has the potential to enhance the at-home self-care ability of post-open-heart surgery patients, thus improving their functional capacity and QOL.

Delayed early mobilization after major abdominal surgery in people with critical illness has a considerable impact on recovery outcomes and the incidence of complications. This quasi-experimental study investigated the effects of an early promoting mobility program, grounded in the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) framework, on postoperative recovery outcomes. Forty participants undergoing major abdominal surgery were purposively recruited from a tertiary hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. They were matched by age and the specific type of surgical procedure and then assigned to the experimental group (n = 20) that received the intervention program within the first five to seven days after surgery in addition to usual care. The control group (n = 20) received only usual care. The data collection instruments included a Demographic Form, Bowel Function Recovery Assessment, Pulmonary Function Test, Postoperative Pulmonary Complications Assessment, Postoperative Time Out of Bed, and Quality of Recovery-40 Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test statistics, Mann-Whitney U, and chi-square tests. The results indicated that, upon completing the program, the experimental group had significantly better pulmonary function than the control group. However, no significant differences were observed in other outcome variables. These findings suggest that while the program effectively enhances lung function, it may have a limited impact on different aspects of recovery. Further investigation is needed to understand its full impact better. An additional study employing randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes is necessary to evaluate the program's effectiveness across a broader range of outcomes. Additionally, incorporating this program into routine intensive care unit practice and assessing its feasibility in real-world clinical settings by nurses and others will be important for successful implementation.

Populations are rapidly ageing. Advance Care Planning (ACP) is an important activity to help prepare for future healthcare needs. Little is known of the pe