Providing effective support for patients facing disfiguring surgery.

Surgery for head and neck cancer can leave patients with obvious facial disfigurements. Some individuals adjust remarkably well to their altered appearance and require very little emotional support. Conversely, individuals with poor coping skills or limited support from those close to them can become socially isolated and depressed. Nurses, caring for patients during their hospital stay, are in the ideal position to assess how they are emotionally adapting to having a disfigurement. By listening to the patient, and their family's concerns, nurses can make a real difference to their recovery and quality of life. Through facilitating the development of the individual's practical coping skills and confidence in social situations, nurses can help patients to start to constructively adjust to their new appearance. It is crucial to put patients and their families in touch with ongoing support before they go home.