Cancer patients’ experience with implanted venous ports: A qualitative descriptive study

Aim

The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of cancer patients regarding venous access ports.

Background

The utilization of intravenous access ports for administering chemotherapy drugs is on the rise. Understanding patients' experiences with these devices can provide valuable insights for nursing managers and nurses.

Methods

A conventional qualitative content analysis approach was employed to explore the experiences of 14 patients who had venous access ports. The participants were selected from patients admitted to the oncology ward of a hospital affiliated with Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences. A purposive sampling method was used for participant selection. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted as the data collection tool. MaxQda-10 software was utilized for data management.

Results

The data analysis yielded three main categories and ten sub-categories. The categories consisted of positive aspects of venous access ports, negative aspects of venous access ports, and barriers to accepting venous access ports.

Conclusions

The participants highlighted both the positive and negative aspects of venous access ports, while also identifying insufficient knowledge and "fear and anxiety" as barriers to accepting these devices. Providing essential training and offering psychological support to newly hospitalized cancer patients could prove beneficial in this regard.