Quality of telephone-based cancer symptom management by nurses: a quality improvement project.

PURPOSE: To determine the quality of cancer symptom management when evidence from clinical practice guidelines are used in telephone-based oncology nursing services. METHODS: Guided by the Knowledge to Action Framework, we conducted a quality improvement (QI) project focused on "monitoring knowledge use" (e.g., use of practice guides) and "measuring outcomes." In 2016, 15 Pan-Canadian Oncology Symptom Triage and Remote Support (COSTaRS) practice guides that synthesize evidence from guidelines were implemented with training for all oncology nurses at a regional ambulatory oncology program. Eighteen months post-implementation, Symptom Management Analysis Tool (SMAT) was used to analyze audio-recorded calls and related documentation of cancer symptom management. RESULTS: Of 113 audio-recorded calls, 66 were COSTaRS symptoms (58%), 43 other symptoms (38%), and 4 medically complex situations (4%). Of 66 recorded calls, 63 (95%) were documented. Average SMAT quality score was 71% (range 21-100%) for audio-recordings and 63% (range 19-100%) for documentation of calls. COSTaRS practice guide use was documented in 33% calls. For these calls, average SMAT quality scores were 74% with COSTaRS versus 69% without COSTaRS for audio-recording and 73% (range 33-100%) with COSTaRS versus 58% without COSTaRS for documentation. Patient outcomes indicated symptom was resolved (38%), worse (25%), unchanged (3%), or unknown (33%). Eight patients (13%) had an ED visit within 14 days post that was related to the symptom discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Only a third of nurses indicated use of COSTaRS practice guides. There were higher quality symptom management scores when COSTaRS use was reported. Nurses documented less than what they discussed.

Quality of telephone nursing services for adults with cancer and related non-emergent visits to the emergency department.

A quality improvement project was conducted to determine the quality of telephone nursing for patients with cancer symptoms. Eligible patients were ones who telephoned the nurse about cancer symptom(s) within four weeks prior to an emergency department (ED) visit not requiring hospital admission. Experienced oncology nurses extracting data indicated appropriateness of ED visits and opportunities for improvement. The Symptom Management Analysis Tool was used to analyze nurse documentation. For 77 patients, 87% ED visits occurred within four days of calls about symptoms (e.g., pain, breathlessness, constipation, diarrhea, nausea/vomiting) and 91% could have been managed by more complete telephone assessment and/or an urgent clinic visit. Quality of nurse documentation revealed few patients were assessed adequately (38%), received any symptom-specific medication review (49%), or were guided in self-care strategies (17%). There was low-quality telephone symptom management by nurses and a need for alternative options for patients requiring urgent face-to-face assessments. Our findings highlight a gap in use of guidelines for informing telephone symptom management.

Self-reported barriers and facilitators to preventive human papillomavirus vaccination among adolescent girls and young women: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Widespread uptake of preventive human papillomavirus vaccination among target groups is an important public health goal. To evaluate barriers and facilitators to human papillomavirus vaccination, we conducted a systematic review of self-reported views of adolescent girls and young women. METHODS: Twenty-two studies including 8079 females aged 9-26 years in North America, published between 2008 and 2011 (representing studies conducted post-vaccine availability), were included. Two reviewers performed all levels of screening and data abstraction in duplicate. We collated findings pertaining to vaccination barriers and facilitators, study characteristics, and study quality. RESULTS: Participants were mainly unvaccinated (70%) and sexually active. Twenty-one barriers to vaccination were identified. Cost was the most frequently reported barrier, followed by feelings that vaccination was unnecessary, and concerns regarding vaccine safety and side effects. Facilitators included perceived benefit of vaccination, health care provider recommendations, and social norms. Few studies specifically sought to isolate the views of adolescents, though not being sexually active was the most commonly reported barrier among this group. CONCLUSION: Understanding factors which arbitrate in vaccination decisions among key target groups can improve the success of health promotion interventions. Additional studies of superior methodological quality are needed to produce reliable data to inform health promotion strategies.

Surgical venous thromboprophylaxis: a cross-sectional survey of canadian gynaecologic oncologists.

OBJECTIVE: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality following gynaecologic cancer surgery. The objective of this study was to assess the current practice for VTE prophylaxis among Canadian gynaecologic oncologists for both open and minimally invasive surgical techniques and to assess interest in participation in a clinical trial to examine this issue. METHODS: Assessment of national thromboprophylaxis practices was achieved through an online survey technique, "Zoomerang." An invitation to complete the survey was sent out via email to members of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology of Canada. RESULTS: The majority of respondents (78%) believed surgical thromboprophylaxis to be indicated for all gynaecologic oncology patients, irrespective of an open versus minimally invasive approach. Current thromboprophylaxis practice patterns are variable, reflecting centre-specific challenges. CONCLUSION: Venous thromboembolism is an important and preventable complication of major gynaecologic surgery. A demonstrated lack of evidence and consensus regarding VTE prophylaxis following minimally invasive procedures for gynaecologic oncology patients necessitates further prospective study to evaluate the incidence, risk, treatment, and cost-effectiveness of prophylaxis.

Prophylactic vaccination against human papillomavirus infection and disease in women: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is now known to be a necessary cause of cervical cancer, and prophylactic HPV vaccines aimed at preventing genital warts, precancerous cervical lesions and cervical cancer are now available. To gauge the potential impact on disease burden, we performed a systematic review of the evidence from randomized controlled trials. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search of the literature to identify all randomized controlled trials of prophylactic HPV vaccination. Reports in 5 electronic databases covering 1950 to June 2007 (MEDLINE, MEDLINE in process, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials and the Cochrane Library), bibliographies of all included studies and of narrative reviews (2006-2007), clinical trial registries, Google Scholar, public health announcements, selected conference proceedings (2004-2007) and manufacturers' information on unpublished data or ongoing trials were screened against predefined eligibility criteria by 2 independent reviewers. Vaccines had to contain coverage against at least 1 oncogenic HPV strain. The primary outcome of interest was the frequency of high-grade cervical lesions (high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, or grade 2 or 3 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia). The secondary outcomes were persistent HPV infection, low-grade cervical lesions (low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion or grade 1 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia), external genital lesions, adverse events and death. Meta-analysis of the data was done in all cases where adequate clinical and methodological homogeneity existed. RESULTS: Of 456 screened reports, 9 were included in the review (6 were reports of randomized controlled trials and 3 were follow-up reports of initial trials). Findings from the meta-analysis showed that prophylactic HPV vaccination was associated with a reduction in the frequency of high-grade cervical lesions caused by vaccine-type HPV strains compared with control groups: Peto odds ratio 0.14 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.09-0.21) from combined per-protocol analyses, and 0.52 (95% CI 0.43-0.63) from modified intention-to-treat analyses. Vaccination was also highly efficacious in preventing other HPV-related infection and disease outcomes, including persistent HPV infection, low-grade lesions and genital warts. The majority of adverse events were minor. The incidence of serious adverse events and death were balanced between the vaccine and control groups. INTERPRETATION: Among women aged 15-25 years not previously infected with vaccine-type HPV strains, prophylactic HPV vaccination appears to be highly efficacious in preventing HPV infection and precancerous cervical disease. Long-term follow-up is needed to substantiate reductions in cervical cancer incidence and mortality.