The Impact of a Nurse-Led Exercise Activity for Cancer-Related Fatigue in Patients With Leukemia.

Many patients with leukemia experience cancer-related fatigue (CRF). However, when patients are admitted for treatment with chemotherapy, clinicians often overlook CRF and interventions that can help to manage it. The purpose of this four-week intervention was to determine whether a nurse-led exercise activity would reduce CRF and increase physical activity compared to current practice. The results suggest that nurse-led exercise programs can immediately decrease CRF and increase activity in admitted patients with leukemia receiving chemotherapy. Including patients in nurse-led exercise activities can support active participation in their own care during and after hospitalization.

Managing Falls: Implementation of a Three-Intervention Initiative to Improve Quality of Care for Patients With Cancer.

BACKGROUND: All healthcare institutions prioritize falls as a major safety issue. Falls are of particular concern on inpatient oncology units where patients are substantially at risk for injury related to falls. OBJECTIVES: This article describes a multifaceted fall-prevention initiative that can be implemented on oncology units using evidence-based interventions in the key areas of communication, toileting, and hourly rounding. The Visual Rounding Tool for communication around hourly rounding and proactive toileting is also introduced. METHODS: Based on a root cause analysis and literature review, the inpatient oncology unit-based committee launched a three-intervention initiative, carried out during three consecutive months, to address patient falls. FINDINGS: Fall rates decreased using the three- intervention initiative. Systematic improvement in processes enabled an increased occurrence of communication between nurses and assistive personnel, increased use of the Visual Rounding Tool for proactive toileting and hourly rounding, and a significant but short-lived decrease in call light use.

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