The strength of the health workers in psychosocial management of cancer
Access by going to https://ipos-society.org/federation/turkey/
Psychosocial support is of great importance in the diagnosis, treatment and ease the difficult follow-up processes of cancer patients. However, it is not easy to form a well-structured psychosocial support study for this group of diseases and in different age, gender and sociocultural groups. A psychosocial support that is close to perfection is only possible with the participation of all health workers in the context of volunteering and the correct management and appreciation of their wishes and efforts.
The health care professional who volunteers to give such support needs some academic and technical information. For example, one needs to be informed about changing communication patterns in different stages and processes of patients or psychosocial approaches that vary according to culture and similar belonging groups. Most importantly, the health care workers need to cope with the psychosocial strain of the patients while they have the necessary information and equipment to protect their mental health, such as compassion fatigue.
This booklet has been prepared with the aim of increasing the knowledge and equipment of the health care workers who are struggling with this difficult population and thus reducing their difficulties and being more supportive to their patients.
Not only the well-known, frequently repeated and quoted information included in the preparation of this booklet, but also the experience of the psychooncology association experts. Particularly Ozan Bahcivan’s international experiences who is one of the directors of International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS), and health psychologist from Özel Oz Psikoloji Aile Danışma Merkezi (Oz Psychology Family Counselling Centre) in Izmir, and two valuable healthcare workers from the Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology Dr Başak Adaklı Aksoy, and Chemotherapy Nurse Nermin Albayrak's valuable experiences were also included.
