Nursing diagnosis “nausea” during chemotherapy: concept analysis

Abstract

A study with the objective to analyze the concept nausea in chemotherapeutic treatment, to improve the nursing diagnosis “nausea”. We used the model proposed by Walker and Avant as a theoretical reference and, we conducted an integrative review in the databases PUBMED, EMBASE, CINAHL, and LILACS, with no time restriction. Thirty articles composed the sample, we identified 44 antecedents, being 25 related to the patient/biophysical, eight to the treatment/pharmacological factors and, 11 related to psychological factors. In the same sample, we identified 17 consequents, being the most frequent: “reduction of quality of life”, “chemotherapy can be cancelled, altered, dose reduced or interrupted treatment” and “decrease of nutrition/bad nutrition”. In the nausea definitions, the chemotherapeutic treatment is not cited as a cause. The precendents of this concept should be investigated in the clinical practice in an individualized way. The assessment of the consequents in this clientele can allow early interventions and decrease the undesirable nausea effects.