Specialist breast cancer nurses' views on implementing a fear of cancer recurrence intervention in practice: a mixed methods study.

INTRODUCTION: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) in people with breast cancer affects treatment recovery, quality of life, service utilisation and relationships. Our aim was to investigate how specialist breast cancer nurses (SBCN) respond to their patients' fears of cancer recurrence and analyse SBCN's views about embedding a new psychological intervention, the Mini-AFTERc, into their consultations. METHOD: A mixed methods sequential design was used, informed by normalisation process theory. Phase 1: UK SBCNs were emailed a web-based survey to investigate how breast cancer survivors' FCR is currently identified and managed, and their willingness to utilise the Mini-AFTERc. Phase 2: a purposive sample of respondents (n = 20) were interviewed to augment phase 1 responses, and explore views on the importance of addressing FCR, interest in the Mini-AFTERc intervention, its content, skills required and challenges to delivering the intervention. RESULTS: Ninety nurses responded to the survey. When SBCN's were asked to identify the proportion of patients experiencing FCR in their caseload, there was no consensus on the size of the problem or unmet need. They estimated that 20-100% people experience moderate FCR and 10-70% severe FCR. The interviews identified that clinical conversations are focused primarily on giving information about signs and symptoms of recurrence rather than addressing the psychological aspects of fear. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate wide variability in how FCR was identified, assessed and supported by a sample of UK SBCNs. The introduction of a structured intervention into practice was viewed favourably and has implications for nursing and health professional ways of working in all cancer services.

Nursing process for a patient with needle phobia: a case study / Proceso de enfermería para paciente con fobia a las agujas: estudio de caso / Processo de enfermagem para paciente com fobia de agulha: estudo de caso

ABSTRACT Objectives: to report a clinical case of needle phobia which culminated in cardiac arrest and describe the outcome of a care plan based on fear and anxiety diagnoses, using the Roy adaptation model as the framework. Methods: case study conducted in a chemotherapy outpatient unit in Rio de Janeiro. Care was guided by the nursing process and the use of instruments to assess the venous network, anxiety and fear. Results: the Roy adaptation model enabled proposing nursing interventions that allowed the study subject to adapt to the external and internal stimuli triggered by vasovagal syndrome. The instruments indicated the choice of an adequate semi-implanted venous access device and led to improved levels of anxiety and fear. Final Considerations: after carrying out the nursing activities, anxiety was reduced, and the patient achieved greater control over fear.

RESUMEN Objetivos: informar sobre un caso clínico de fobia a las agujas derivado en paro cardiorrespiratorio, describir los resultados de un plan de atención orientado a diagnósticos de miedo y ansiedad, sobre referencial del Modelo de Adaptación de Roy. Métodos: estudio de caso observado en ambulatorio de quimioterapia de Rio de Janeiro. El trabajo profesional estuvo orientado por el proceso de enfermería, respaldado por utilización de instrumentos evaluadores de la red venosa, ansiedad y miedo. Resultados: el Modelo de Adaptación de Roy ofreció la propuesta de intervenciones de enfermería que le faciliten al sujeto estudiado adaptación a los estímulos externos e internos disparadores del síncope vasovagal. Los instrumentos indicaron que el catéter semiimplantado es el dispositivo de acceso venoso más adecuado, resultando en mejoras de los niveles de ansiedad y miedo. Consideraciones Finales: una vez realizadas las actividades de enfermería, la ansiedad disminuyó y el paciente obtuvo mayor autocontrol del miedo.

RESUMO Objetivos: reportar um caso clínico de fobia de agulha que culminou em parada cardiorrespiratória e descrever os resultados de um plano assistencial voltado aos diagnósticos de medo e ansiedade, tendo como referencial o Modelo de Adaptação de Roy. Métodos: estudo de caso, desenvolvido em ambulatório de quimioterapia do Rio de Janeiro. A atuação profissional foi orientada pelo processo de enfermagem e subsidiada pelo uso de instrumentos de avaliação da rede venosa, ansiedade e medo. Resultados: o Modelo de Adaptação de Roy facultou a proposição de intervenções de enfermagem que permitiram ao sujeito do estudo uma adaptação aos estímulos externos e internos desencadeadores de síndrome vasovagal. Os instrumentos indicaram a escolha de um cateter semi-implantado como dispositivo de acesso venoso adequado que resultou na melhora dos níveis de ansiedade e medo. Considerações Finais: após o desenvolvimento das atividades de enfermagem, a ansiedade diminuiu e o paciente obteve maior autocontrole do medo.

Pricks of Conscience: A Needle-Phobic Patient's Experience of Compassionate Nursing Care 
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An oncology nurse's warmth, humor, and compassionate care have helped even the odds in my wife's decade-long battle with incurable cancer. Needle phobia and a complex chemotherapy regimen have made for a challenging course of treatment. However, working closely with us, my wife's care team has given us back the control that can so easily ebb with remission and relapse. 
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Development of a novel remote-controlled and self-contained audiovisual-aided interactive system for immobilizing claustrophobic patients.

In radiotherapy, only a few immobilization systems, such as open-face mask and head mold with a bite plate, are available for claustrophobic patients with a certain degree of discomfort. The purpose of this study was to develop a remote-controlled and self-contained audiovisual (AV)-aided interactive system with the iPad mini with Retina display for intrafractional motion management in brain/H&N (head and neck) radiotherapy for claustrophobic patients. The self-contained, AV-aided interactive system utilized two tablet computers: one for AV-aided interactive guidance for the subject and the other for remote control by an operator. The tablet for audiovisual guidance traced the motion of a colored marker using the built-in front-facing camera, and the remote control tablet at the control room used infrastructure Wi-Fi networks for real-time communication with the other tablet. In the evaluation, a programmed QUASAR motion phantom was used to test the temporal and positional accuracy and resolution. Position data were also obtained from ten healthy volunteers with and without guidance to evaluate the reduction of intrafractional head motion in simulations of a claustrophobic brain or H&N case. In the phantom study, the temporal and positional resolution was 24 Hz and 0.2 mm. In the volunteer study, the average superior-inferior and right-left displacement was reduced from 1.9 mm to 0.3 mm and from 2.2 mm to 0.2 mm with AV-aided interactive guidance, respectively. The superior-inferior and right-left positional drift was reduced from 0.5 mm/min to 0.1 mm/min and from 0.4 mm/min to 0.04 mm/min with audiovisual-aided interactive guidance. This study demonstrated a reduction in intrafractional head motion using a remote-controlled and self-contained AV-aided interactive system of iPad minis with Retina display, easily obtainable and cost-effective tablet computers. This approach can potentially streamline clinical flow for claustrophobic patients without a head mask and also allows patients to practice self-motion management before radiation treatment delivery.

Disgust and behavioral avoidance in colorectal cancer screening and treatment: a systematic review and research agenda.

BACKGROUND: The emotion of disgust appears to promote psychological and behavioral avoidance, a dynamic that has significant implications in physical and psychological outcomes in colorectal cancer (CRC). Patients, caregivers, and health professionals alike are all potentially susceptible to responding with disgust and the associated avoidance. OBJECTIVE: This article aimed to review the early-stage literature related to disgust and CRC, consider the clinical implications, and suggest an appropriate research agenda. METHODS: Given limited research in this area, a systematic review of the literature was broadened to include disgust and all cancers. MEDLINE, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses databases were searched, with additional works sourced by reviewing citation lists and/or by contacting the lead authors. RESULTS: Nine studies were identified relating to disgust and cancer screening, and 6 related to disgust and cancer treatment. Two broad findings emerged: (1) disgust appears to be promoting aversion to (and avoidance of) CRC screening, and (2) several known elicitors of disgust are widely apparent in CRC contexts. CONCLUSIONS: Disgust likely represents a key emotional substrate for avoidance among CRC patients, caregivers, and health professionals. Further research is required to identify disgust's elicitors and effects in CRC contexts, informing interventions that target early identification of persons at risk of maladaptive outcomes. Exposure therapies and mindfulness training may be well suited to treating disgust-generated avoidance. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Disgust has significant implications in CRC contexts. Oncology nurses are uniquely positioned to guide clinical interventions and ultimately improve outcomes in this area.

'Needle with ease': rapid stress management techniques.

For some patients, even looking at a needle is enough to make them feel anxious. Repeated cannulation for bloods and all other intravenous therapies, such as scans and chemotherapy treatment can become so frightening that they escalate to feeling overwhelmed and panicky. If this response persists without any intervention, it may eventually become a phobia (Choy et al, 2007). Four-hundred-thousand patients are treated at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust each year, with many receiving intravenous chemotherapy treatments. The 'CALM' service was initiated over 5 years ago to enable and support patients to achieve a calm state during procedural-related anxieties and panic. Thanks to recent funding from 'Walk the Walk' Breast Cancer Charity, the service has grown, enabling more patients to access the service. Increasing skill has led to development of training courses for health professionals. The training provides easy-to-learn skills, some of which are described here, that can be used to prevent and/or interrupt panic states triggered by medical procedures.

How well is your patient prepared for an MRI? An insider's perspective.

Often patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for diagnostic purposes are not adequately prepared to deal with the claustrophobia commonly experienced while in the MRI machine. They may have been instructed on the procedure and some of the physical sensations they might encounter, but teaching about coping strategies to utilize when confronted with the occurrence of unanticipated claustrophobia when a sedating medication is not immediately available may often be lacking. Drawing on excerpts from a patient's journal that vividly describes her struggle to cope with claustrophobia during an MRI, this article discusses this commonly encountered experience within the context of theoretical perspectives of stress to underscore the importance of assessing for indications of rising anxiety. Suggestions for coping strategies to include in patient teaching are presented.