Malignant fungating wounds: An analysis of the lived experience

Piggin, Catherine; Jones, Vanessa

Abstract

AIM: This paper reports upon a study that aimed to illuminate the meaning and experience of living with a malignant fungating wound. BACKGROUND: The current understanding of living with a malignant fungating wound is derived from professionals' rather than the patient's perspective. An appreciation of the lived experience may assist in the development of more empathetic support approaches. METHOD: A Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used as the philosophical framework. Unstructured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of five participants. Content hermeneutic analysis was adopted to analyse the data. FINDINGS: Four themes were identified: representing the worst part of the patient's cancer; living within a body that cannot be trusted; a changing relationship with the patient's family and friends; and a loss of identity while continuously striving to be normal, yet feeling different. CONCLUSION: Health care professionals must possess a heightened awareness of: the importance of the impact of the wound upon day-to-day living, identity and purpose; the value of adopting the phrase used by the patient to describe their wound; and to focus more upon the subjective meaning of a visibly changing wound rather than objective measurement.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 10, 2007
• Online Publication Date: Aug 1, 2007
• Publication Date: Aug 1, 2007
• Deposit Date: Feb 14, 2023
• Journal: International Journal of Palliative Nursing
• Print ISSN: 1357-6321
• Publisher: MA Healthcare
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 13
• Issue: 8
• Pages: 384-391
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.12968/ijpn.2007.13.8.24537
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10438120
• Publisher URL: https://www.magonlinelibrary.com/doi/abs/10.12968/ijpn.2007.13.8.24537