Abstract
Objective:
To understand the feelings of companions of cancer patients staying in hostel accommodation during treatment.
Methods:
This is phenomenological research founded on the thoughts of Martin Heidegger. Between May and July 2015, ten cancer patient companions lodged in hostel accommodation in the south of Brazil were interviewed.
Results:
The analysis identified three ontological themes: a feeling of concern for the other; worries about the distance from home life and the feeling of being welcomed in their home-away-from-home.
Conclusion:
It is understood that being-with-the-other lodged in hostel accommodation produces mixed feelings of worry about the patient's future and anxiety about the distance from daily life and future plans on behalf of the other.
Implications for practice:
While hostel accommodation represents a protective factor, the feelings experienced by caregivers can produce important emotional demands that should be considered in the planning of nursing care throughout the care network.
Keywords:
Neoplasms; Caregivers; Social support; Qualitative research; Nursing