Rehabilitation nursing in older oncology inpatients with physical activity intolerance: An exploratory feasibility Pre–Post study

INTRODUCTION: Physical activity intolerance (PAI) is common among oncology inpatients, leading to reduced autonomy, increased symptom burden, and diminished quality of life. PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility of delivering rehabilitation nursing interventions and to estimate changes in performance status, symptom burden, and well-being in hospitalized older adults with cancer and PAI. METHODS: A quantitative, prospective, single-arm pre-post study was conducted in a General Oncology Surgery Department in collaboration with the In-Hospital Palliative Care Support Team. Participants were inpatients aged ≥65 years. Assessments included the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS-r), Palliative Performance Scale (PPS), diagnostic confirmation of PAI, and physiological measurements. Rehabilitation nursing interventions-respiratory and motor re-education and activities of daily living training-were delivered. Changes between pre- and post-intervention scores were estimated using mean differences with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and standardized within-participant effect sizes (Cohen's d_z). RESULTS: Thirty inpatients (67% male; mean age 76.7 ± 7.3 years) participated. Performance status increased by a mean of +7.67 points (95% CI 3.00 to 12.34; d_z 0.61). Overall well-being improved (mean change -3.30 points; 95% CI -4.06 to -2.54; d_z -1.62). Fatigue decreased from 5.33 ± 2.51 to 2.87 ± 2.29 (mean change -2.47; 95% CI -3.68 to -1.25; d_z -0.76). Most symptoms showed changes toward improvement, whereas appetite loss and dyspnoea showed minimal change. CONCLUSIONS: Rehabilitation nursing interventions were feasible to deliver, and estimates suggested improvement in performance status and selected symptoms. Given the small sample size and single-arm design, findings should be interpreted cautiously and confirmed in controlled studies.