A Program to Enhance Writing Skills for Advanced Practice Nurses.

BACKGROUND: Advanced practice RNs (APRNs) make important contributions to scholarly journals that are derived from scientific evidence and clinical practice. This article presents a writing program designed to enhance the writing skills of APRNs with a series of online modules, a workshop, and a manuscript checklist. METHOD: The writing program was implemented in a Doctor of Nursing Practice program and evaluated with a writing self-efficacy scale and open-ended questions. RESULTS: Findings indicate self-efficacy was high after the writing program, and participants found the checklist to be useful. CONCLUSION: This program has potential as a course in a nursing school's curriculum or as a continuing education class. Participants can use the program's tools to maintain their writing skills and enhance publication success throughout their careers. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2019;50(3):109-114.].

Childhood Cancer Symptom Cluster: Leukemia and Health-Related Quality of Life.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship of the Childhood Cancer Symptom Cluster-Leukemia (CCSC-L) with health-related quality of life (HRQOL). SAMPLE & SETTING: 327 children receiving treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia from four pediatric oncology programs across the United States. METHODS & VARIABLES: Participants completed fatigue, sleep disturbance, pain, nausea, and depression symptom questionnaires at four time points; these symptoms comprised the CCSC-L. HRQOL was measured at the start of postinduction therapy and then at the start of maintenance therapy. Relationships between the CCSC-L and HRQOL scores were examined with longitudinal parallel-process modeling. RESULTS: The mean HRQOL significantly increased over time (p < 0.001). The CCSC-L had a significant negative association with HRQOL scores at the start of postinduction therapy (beta = -0.53, p < 0.005) and the start of maintenance therapy (beta = -0.33, p < 0.015). Participants with more severe symptoms in the CCSC-L over time had significantly lower HRQOL at the start of maintenance therapy (beta = -0.42, p < 0.005). IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Nurses are pivotal in providing management strategies to minimize symptom severity that may improve HRQOL.

Symptom Trajectories of Adolescents During Hematopoietic Stem Cell Recovery.

BACKGROUND: Adolescents undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) experience multiple symptoms during and after the transplant. These symptoms can increase the need for medical care and reduce the quality of their life. However, little is known about symptom experiences specific to adolescents undergoing HSCT. OBJECTIVE: The primary aim was to describe symptom incidence, severity, and distress trajectories among adolescents from pre-HSCT through 90 days post-HSCT. A secondary aim was to examine the relationship between symptom trajectories and demographic and treatment factors. METHODS: A repeated-measures design was used for this prospective study. Demographic and treatment information was collected from the medical record. Symptoms were assessed with the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale 10-18. Symptom trajectories were identified by latent class growth analysis with growth mixture modeling; logistic regression evaluated relationships of demographic and treatment characteristics on the latent classes of symptom trajectories. RESULTS: Two distinct latent class trajectories were identified for symptom incidence, severity, and distress. Symptom incidence declined, but symptom severity and distress remained stable. No significant relationships were noted among any demographic or treatment characteristics to any of the symptom trajectories. CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms persist and remain severe and distressing throughout the first 90 days after HSCT, with pain and lack of energy among the highest in incidence, severity, and distress. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Awareness of symptom trajectories empowers nurses to assess for symptoms throughout the HSCT process and conduct meaningful symptom discussions with their patients.

Factors Affecting Adolescents' Willingness to Communicate Symptoms During Cancer Treatment: A Systematic Review from the Children's Oncology Group.

The purpose of this systematic review is to (1) synthesize evidence facilitators and barriers affecting adolescent willingness to communicate symptoms to health care providers (HCPs) and (2) create practice recommendations. The PICOT (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Time) question guiding the review was, among adolescents with cancer, what factors affect their willingness to communicate symptoms to HCPs? Three databases, PubMed, CINAHL, and PsychINFO, were searched using keywords from the PICOT question. Inclusion criteria included original research studies with samples of at least 51% adolescents aged 10-18 years who were receiving or had received cancer treatment. Studies were included that evaluated outcomes related to willingness to communicate in general as well as communication of specific treatment symptoms. Exclusion criteria included systematic reviews and publications emphasizing cancer screening, cancer prevention, survivorship, or decision making. A total of 11 studies were included in the systematic review. Two of the studies focused on symptom communication; the remaining nine studies focused on general communication or the overlap between general and symptom communication. Barriers to symptom and/or general communication included negative expectations, health-related uncertainty, ambiguousness with assessments, unfamiliarity, restriction of information, perceived negative provider characteristics/behaviors, adolescent circumstance, worry about others' perceptions, and provider approach. Facilitators to symptom and/or general communication included open communication, perceived favorable provider characteristics/behaviors, seasoned adolescent, and patient-provider rapport. Five practice recommendations were developed from the evidence that supports general and symptom communication between adolescents who are receiving or have completed cancer treatment and their HCPs.

Parent Psychological and Physical Health Outcomes in Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Parents of children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are at risk of adverse health outcomes due to their intense caregiver demands. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe adverse health outcomes in parents of children who survived an allogeneic HSCT done within the past 1 to 10 years. METHODS: This cross-sectional study, conducted at a children's hospital in the western United States, enrolled English- and Spanish-speaking parents of children who survived allogeneic HSCT between 2005 and 2015. Outcome measures included Beck Anxiety and Depression Inventories, Perceived Stress and Parent Stress Scales, Physical Symptom Inventory, and Short-Form 36 version 2. Parent scores were compared with normative means. Subsequently, the parent sample was stratified by the amount of time since their child's HSCT for comparison between groups. RESULTS: Fifty-four mothers and 7 fathers (n = 61) were enrolled. Global mental health scores were lower for parents in the sample compared with norms (P = .003). Parents in the sample reported moderate anxiety and depression (20% and 23%, respectively), yet reported less parenting stress and superior health outcomes compared with norms (P < .001). Social functioning and general health scores were lower for parents whose children survived an allogeneic HSCT done within the past 1 to 4.99 years (P = .012). CONCLUSION: Parents of survivors of allogeneic HSCT may concurrently experience posttraumatic growth and stress following their child's HSCT. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Health screening and psychological support for parents of children post-HSCT may help to identify parents at risk of adverse outcomes and allow for early, targeted interventions.

Pediatric oncology nurses' perceptions of prognosis-related communication.

BACKGROUND: Disclosure of prognosis-related information is an essential aspect of communication with pediatric patients with cancer and their families. The nurse is believed to play an important role in this process, but nurse perceptions and experiences have not been well-described. PURPOSE: Provide an exploration of pediatric oncology nurses' experiences with prognosis-related communication (PRC). METHOD: Mixed-methods, multiphase design. This paper highlights the qualitative portion of the study. FINDINGS: Three themes were identified: Importance of collaboration, impact of PRC, and delivery of prognostic information. DISCUSSION: Collaboration is a critical element of PRC. Nurses are often not included in the disclosure process, which limits the ability of nurses to fully function in their roles, compromising patient, family, and nurse outcomes. A paradigm shift is required to empower nurses to be more active participants. More education of physicians and nurses is necessary to consistently engage nurses in PRC and prepare nurses for critical conversations.

The Why Behind the Questions: Question-asking in Parents of Children Newly Diagnosed With Cancer - A Report From the Children's Oncology Group.

PURPOSE: For parents of children newly diagnosed with cancer, the exchange of information during initial educational processes is critical. This focused analysis was completed to describe parent question-asking during the new childhood cancer diagnosis timeframe. DESIGN & METHODS: In previous research of new diagnosis education experiences, parents spoke extensively about asking questions. These data, captured in first level coding, were incorporated across higher level codes to describe how parents processed information after their child's cancer diagnosis. Using constant comparative analysis, we returned to our data to complete a focused analysis of our first level code, Asking Questions. Team members independently coded Asking Questions data from 20 parent interviews, followed by team discussions and consensus agreement for code assignment. RESULTS: Parents asked questions to learn, fill an unmet need, or clarify information. Clinicians asked questions to assess parent learning. CONCLUSION: Question-asking is a technique used by parents and clinicians to communicate new information, assess understanding of provided content, and/or to confirm previously provided information. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Clinicians can benefit from carefully listening to patients/parents and reflecting on the type of questions asked in an effort to understand the reason behind the question. This can be used to guide further education.

Physical Activity, the Childhood Cancer Symptom Cluster-Leukemia, and Cognitive Function: A Longitudinal Mediation Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Children undergoing leukemia treatment report co-occurring symptoms of fatigue, sleep disturbances, pain, nausea, and depression as a symptom cluster. Physical activity (PA) is essential for development and may influence symptom severity. Children with leukemia are at risk of cognitive impairments from central nervous system therapies. Using a longitudinal parallel-process model, relationships among function and symptom clusters were explored. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the longitudinal mediation effects of PA on cognition via a symptom cluster during leukemia treatment. METHODS: Symptoms, PA, and cognitive function of 327 children aged 3 to 18 years were measured over 4 intervals during the first year of leukemia treatment. Children 7 years or older self-reported and parents reported for younger children. Parents completed cognitive function measurements for all children. The influence of the first time point and the subsequent change between all 4 time points of PA on the symptom cluster were explored. Analysis determined whether the symptom cluster mediated the effect of cognition over the treatment period. RESULTS: Patients with a higher PA at time 1 reduced their symptom cluster severity over the measurements. However, when PA increased over the measurements, symptom cluster severity also increased. When the symptom cluster was more severe at time 1, cognitive function was lower at time 1, and cognitive function decreased over time. When symptoms became more severe over time, cognitive function declined. CONCLUSIONS: The symptom cluster acted as a mediator between PA and cognition. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Symptom management during treatment may be an additional strategy for protecting cognitive function.

Perspectives of children, family caregivers, and health professionals about pediatric oncology symptoms: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the existing body of evidence to determine the current state of knowledge regarding the perspectives of the following groups: (1) children with cancer, (2) family caregivers, and (3) healthcare professionals, about symptoms, as well as factors that may influence the symptom reports. METHODS: A systematic search was performed for all types of studies that included the perspectives of at least two groups of participants' symptom reports. Children included anyone younger than 19 years of age who was diagnosed with any type of cancer. Electronic searches were conducted in five English databases and four Chinese databases. The appraisal of methodological quality was conducted using the GRADE criteria. Data were extracted into matrix tables. RESULTS: Thirty-three studies were included. The pediatric oncology symptoms reported by children, family caregivers, and healthcare professionals were synthesized. Findings suggested that family caregivers' symptom reports were more closely aligned with children's reports than with the healthcare professionals' reports. Influencing factors on the different symptom reports included the children's diagnosis, symptom characteristics, social-demographic factors, and family caregivers' psychosocial status. CONCLUSIONS: Children with cancer should be the primary reporters for their symptoms. When there are reporters other than the children, the potential discrepancy between the different perspectives needs to be carefully considered.

The effects of a video-based education in women with newly diagnosed breast cancer in Singapore.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of an educational video among women who were newly diagnosed with breast cancer on knowledge, anxiety, and satisfaction with their surgical decision. METHODS: A pre-post-test design was used to evaluate knowledge, anxiety, and satisfaction levels with decision-making regarding surgery among women with breast cancer. A purposive sampling strategy was implemented to compare outcomes of newly diagnosed breast cancer women who received standard of care that included breast care nurse counseling sessions and written materials to women who received standard of care plus a supplement educational video. Knowledge and anxiety scores were collected at baseline and 2 weeks post-operatively. Satisfaction with decision (SWD) on the nature of surgery was gathered 2 weeks after surgery. RESULTS: Sixty-two subjects were recruited in a Singapore tertiary cancer center with a cohort of 32 women in the non-video group and 30 women in the video group. There was a statistically significant interaction effect of group and time (p = .008), wherein knowledge increased for both groups, although the increase was steeper for the video group. Both groups had significantly lower anxiety at post-implementation compared to pre-implementation (p < .001). There were no differences in SWD scores in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Use of an additional video-based education significantly increased breast cancer knowledge levels among women in the educational video group. Nurses and healthcare professionals should focus on identifying individual informational needs based on surgical options to provide personalize care and transfer the necessary knowledge in empowering woman's decision-making process on her nature of breast surgery.

Assessment Tools for Peripheral Neuropathy in Pediatric Oncology: A Systematic Review From the Children's Oncology Group.

Peripheral neuropathy is a known side effect of several chemotherapy agents, including vinca alkaloids and platinum-based chemotherapy. Early recognition and monitoring of this side effect is an important role of the pediatric oncology nurse. There are a variety of peripheral neuropathy assessment tools currently in use, but the usefulness of these tools in identifying and grading neuropathy in children varies, and there is currently no standardized tool in place to evaluate peripheral neuropathy in pediatric oncology. A systematic review was performed to identify the peripheral neuropathy assessment tools that best evaluate the early onset and progression of peripheral neuropathy in pediatric patients receiving vincristine. Because of the limited information available in pediatric oncology, this review was extended to any pediatric patient with neuropathy. A total of 8 studies were included in the evidence synthesis. Based on available evidence, the pediatric-modified Total Neuropathy Scale (ped-m TNS) and the Total Neuropathy Score-pediatric version (TNS-PV) are recommended for the assessment of vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy in children 6 years of age and older. In addition, several studies demonstrated that subjective symptoms alone are not adequate to assess for vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy. Nursing assessment of peripheral neuropathy should be an integral and regular part of patient care throughout the course of chemotherapy treatment.

A Standardized Education Checklist for Parents of Children Newly Diagnosed With Cancer: A Report From the Children's Oncology Group.

Parents of children newly diagnosed with cancer must acquire new knowledge and skills in order to safely care for their child at home. Institutional variation exists in the methods and content used by nurses in providing the initial education. The goal of this project was to develop a checklist, standardized across institutions, to guide nursing education provided to parents of children newly diagnosed with cancer. A team of 21 members (19 nurses and 2 parent advocates) used current hospital educational checklists, expert consensus recommendations, and a series of iterative activities and discussions to develop one standardized checklist. The final checklist specifies primary topics that are essential to teach prior to the initial hospital discharge, secondary topics that should be discussed within the first month after the cancer diagnosis, and tertiary topics that should be discussed prior to completion of therapy. This checklist is designed to guide education and will set the stage for future studies to identify effective teaching strategies that optimize the educational process for parents of children newly diagnosed with cancer.

Palliative Care: Improving Nursing Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors
.

BACKGROUND: Oncology nurses affect patient care at every point along the cancer journey. This creates the perfect opportunity to educate patients and caregivers about palliative care early and often throughout treatment. However, healthcare providers frequently do not have the knowledge and confidence to engage in meaningful conversations about palliative care.
. OBJECTIVES: The specific aims were to improve oncology nurses' palliative care knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors by providing a palliative care nursing education program. An additional aim was to increase the number of conversations with patients and families about palliative care.
. METHODS: This project had a pre-/post-test design to assess knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors at baseline and one month after implementation of an established education curriculum. The teaching strategy included one four-hour class for oncology RNs with topics about the definition of palliative care, pain and symptom management, and how to have palliative care conversations.
. FINDINGS: Results showed a statistically significant difference after the educational intervention for knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. The number of conversations with patients and caregivers about palliative and end-of-life care increased significantly.

Symptom Trajectories in Children Receiving Treatment for Leukemia: A Latent Class Growth Analysis With Multitrajectory Modeling.

CONTEXT: Cancer treatment symptoms play a major role in determining the health of children with cancer. Symptom toxicity often results in complications, treatment delays, and therapy dose reductions that can compromise leukemia therapy and jeopardize chances for long-term survival. Critical to understanding symptom experiences during treatment is the need for exploration of "why" inter-individual symptom differences occur; this will determine who may be most susceptible to treatment toxicities. OBJECTIVES: This study examined specific symptom trajectories during the first 18 months of childhood leukemia treatment. Symptom measures included fatigue, sleep disturbances, pain, nausea, and depression. METHODS: Symptom trajectories of 236 children with leukemia three to 18 years old were explored prospectively over four periods: initiation of post-induction therapy, four and eight post-induction therapy, and the last time point was at the beginning of maintenance/continuation therapy. Latent class growth analysis was used to classify patients into distinctive groups with similar symptom trajectories based on patients' response patterns on the symptom measures over time. RESULTS: Three latent classes of symptom trajectories were identified and classified into mild, moderate, and severe symptom trajectories. The only demographic characteristic with a significant relationship to membership in the latent class symptom trajectories was race/ethnicity. All other demographic characteristics including leukemia risk levels showed no significant relationships. CONCLUSION: This study is unique in that groups of patients with similar symptoms were identified rather than groups of symptoms. Further research using latent class growth analysis is needed.

Reducing Surgery Cancellations at a Pediatric Ambulatory Surgery Center.

Surgery cancellations are costly and can be frustrating for patients, their families, and the surgical team. Because of the inherent nature of an ambulatory surgery center, which only performs scheduled elective procedures, surgical cancellations typically result in wasted time and resources. Pediatric surgery cancellations can be mitigated with proper preoperative screening and communication between nurses and patients' guardians. To reduce the rate of cancellation at our pediatric ambulatory surgery center, we implemented a Nurse-Patient Preoperative Call Log. Preoperative nurses called patients or their guardians on two separate occasions during the two weeks before surgery to review health history and instructions and answer questions about the upcoming surgery. Three months after implementing the call log, surgery cancellation rates significantly decreased from 16.8% to 8.8% (P < .05). Nurses used the call log for all patients, with 85.6% of patients receiving two calls in the two weeks before their surgery.

Pilot Study of Parent Psychophysiologic Outcomes in Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Parents of children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are at risk for psychological distress. This distress may result in aberrant immune, inflammatory, or endocrine effects. These physiologic outcomes have not been reported previously. MAIN OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to examine the feasibility of longitudinal testing of psychophysiological parameters of stress in parents of children undergoing HSCT. METHODS: This pilot study was conducted at a large children's hospital in the Midwest and included parents of children who received autologous or allogeneic HSCT. Time points included before the start of HSCT conditioning and day +30, +60, and +100. Outcome variables included parent-perceived stress, lymphocyte subsets, C-reactive protein (CRP), proinflammatory cytokines, salivary cortisol, and salivary amylase. Effect sizes were calculated for each outcome. RESULTS: Twelve parent-child dyads were enrolled (10 mothers, 2 fathers). Missing data were minimal. Parent-perceived stress significantly increased from pre-HSCT through day +100, and parent CD3+ T-lymphocyte counts decreased from pre-HSCT through day +100. No significant effects were observed for salivary studies, CRP, or proinflammatory cytokines. Effect sizes ranged from 1.23 (perceived stress) to 0.07 (CRP). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that it is feasible longitudinally measure parent psychophysiologic outcomes in the pediatric HSCT setting. In addition, parent-perceived stress increased linearly from start of conditioning through day +100, whereas parent T-lymphocyte counts decreased concurrently. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Routine psychological and physical health screening of parents of children undergoing HSCT is needed. Multidisciplinary psychosocial support services should be offered to parents at regular intervals during their child's HSCT.

Symptom Clusters in Children and Adolescents with Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To report evidence regarding assessment methods and management strategies for symptom clusters among children and adolescents with cancer. DATA SOURCES: Published research and clinical guidelines. CONCLUSION: Although a number of studies have identified multiple co-occurring symptoms in children and adolescents with cancer, only a few have included analyses aimed at identifying symptom clusters. Evidence is limited for symptom cluster management strategies. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Researchers and clinicians need to employ mechanisms that support children and adolescents to: 1) fully express multiple, co-occurring symptoms; 2) identify symptom clusters within specific developmental and diagnostic groups; and 3) develop and evaluate interventions targeting symptom clusters.

Understanding Effective Delivery of Patient and Family Education in Pediatric OncologyA Systematic Review From the Children's Oncology Group [Formula: see text].

A diagnosis of childhood cancer is a life-changing event for the entire family. Parents must not only deal with the cancer diagnosis but also acquire new knowledge and skills to care safely for their child at home. Best practices for delivery of patient/family education after a new diagnosis of childhood cancer are currently unknown. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the existing body of evidence to determine the current state of knowledge regarding the delivery of education to newly diagnosed pediatric oncology patients and families. Eighty-three articles regarding educational methods, content, influencing factors, and interventions for newly diagnosed pediatric patients with cancer or other chronic illnesses were systematically identified, summarized, and appraised according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria. Based on the evidence, 10 recommendations for practice were identified. These recommendations address delivery methods, content, influencing factors, and educational interventions for parents and siblings. Transferring these recommendations into practice may enhance the quality of education delivered by health care providers and received by patients and families following a new diagnosis of childhood cancer.

Patient/Family Education for Newly Diagnosed Pediatric Oncology Patients.

There is a paucity of data to support evidence-based practices in the provision of patient/family education in the context of a new childhood cancer diagnosis. Since the majority of children with cancer are treated on pediatric oncology clinical trials, lack of effective patient/family education has the potential to negatively affect both patient and clinical trial outcomes. The Children's Oncology Group Nursing Discipline convened an interprofessional expert panel from within and beyond pediatric oncology to review available and emerging evidence and develop expert consensus recommendations regarding harmonization of patient/family education practices for newly diagnosed pediatric oncology patients across institutions. Five broad principles, with associated recommendations, were identified by the panel, including recognition that (1) in pediatric oncology, patient/family education is family-centered; (2) a diagnosis of childhood cancer is overwhelming and the family needs time to process the diagnosis and develop a plan for managing ongoing life demands before they can successfully learn to care for the child; (3) patient/family education should be an interprofessional endeavor with 3 key areas of focus: (a) diagnosis/treatment, (b) psychosocial coping, and (c) care of the child; (4) patient/family education should occur across the continuum of care; and (5) a supportive environment is necessary to optimize learning. Dissemination and implementation of these recommendations will set the stage for future studies that aim to develop evidence to inform best practices, and ultimately to establish the standard of care for effective patient/family education in pediatric oncology.

Fatigue and Oxidative Stress in Children Undergoing Leukemia Treatment.

Fatigue is a frequent and distressing symptom in children undergoing leukemia treatment; however, little is known about factors influencing this symptom. Antioxidants such as glutathione can decrease symptom severity in adult oncology patients, but no study has evaluated antioxidants' effects on symptoms in pediatric oncology patients. This study describes fatigue patterns and associations of fatigue with antioxidants represented by reduced glutathione (GSH) and the reduced/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) ratio among children receiving leukemia treatment. A repeated measures design assessed fatigue and antioxidants among 38 children from two large U.S. cancer centers. Fatigue was assessed among school-age children and by parent proxy among young children. Antioxidants (GSH and GSH/GSSG ratio) were assessed from cerebrospinal fluid at four phases during leukemia treatment. Young children had a steady decline of fatigue from the end of induction treatment through the continuation phase of treatment, but no significant changes were noted among the school-age children. Mean antioxidant scores varied slightly over time; however, the GSH/GSSG ratios in these children were significantly lower than the normal ratio. Mean GSH/GSSG ratios significantly correlated to fatigue scores of the school-age children during early phases of treatment. Children with low mean GSH/GSSG ratios demonstrated oxidative stress. The low ratios noted early in therapy were significantly correlated with higher fatigue scores during induction and postinduction treatment phases. This finding suggests that increased oxidative stress during the more intensive phases of therapy may explain the experience of fatigue children report.