Abstract

Introduction: Being a cancer patient is a unique and singular. The cancer disease associated with pain and suffering is a challenging process for the sufferer, for whom have around or for those caring for the sick. Pain, considered the 5 th vital sign, is often identified as the main complaint of our patients suffering from cancer. We dare to say that to explore the essence of the care provided by nurses and primary health care to cancer patients with prolonged pain at the time found in his home and family, we would be helping to build a know -how by itself, with positive externalities for patients, families, professionals and nursing itself. Methods: Ask "What does Care for Nurses and primary health care for cancer patients with prolonged pain in time for your family?" we may lead the cornerstone of our problems, by studying quantitative nature using a questionnaire and a significance level of care. Results: the average age is 59.27 years, mostly women, 51% are married and in 29.8% of studies has only completed the first cycle of education. The majority of cancer patients who participated in this study share a room with a relative. In regard to aspects of their pain, cancer patients referred to 47.1% of cases, that their pain started weeks ago and 38.5% even refers to the pain persists for months. The pain felt by these patients is not the severe type, in 68.3% of cases, and has an average intensity of 5, although we have 25% of these patients with pain greater than a 6.75. The Meaning of Caring scale applied to the group of nurses who provide care at primary health reveals an alpha of 0.8857 and 0.9025 standardized alpha. The Meaning of Caring scale applied to the group of cancer patients with prolonged pain at the time they are at home shows an alpha of 0.6672and 0.7374 standardized alpha. The Meaning of Caring scale applied to the group of cancer family patients with prolonged pain shows an alpha of 0.6712 and an alpha standardized 0.7399, slightly higher than the patients. Discussion: This scale applied to three groups of individuals, carers, nurses, and those who receive them, patients and family is crucial, because for the first time in Portugal will be possible to study theperceptual meaning of care from who conceptualized and by the recipient.