Trauma-Informed Care Addressing the Mental and Emotional Needs of Patients With Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The oncology care environment includes a wide range of traumatic physical and emotional experiences that can be challenging for patients and healthcare providers. OBJECTIVES: This article aims to establish a knowledge base about the trauma-informed care (TIC) approach in oncology care. METHODS: This article provides a literature-based overview of TIC as a model of care for patients with cancer, informed by definitions of trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, and adverse childhood experiences. This review is based on clinical studies, expertise, and evidence-based guidelines. FINDINGS: Based on a foundation of care for patients with cancer, nurses can apply TIC to clinical oncology practice. To illustrate TIC in practice, this article includes a case study, nursing approaches, implications, the TIC model of care, and resources. When applied to care, TIC benefits patients, staff, and organizations.

Guiding the Management of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia: A Quality Improvement Project.

BACKGROUND: Despite successful treatment regimens and remission rates of greater than 90%, early death is a concern for patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). The challenges surrounding proper care for APL are centered on the low volume of patients, which limits healthcare professionals' knowledge of disease management. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this project was to develop resources and present an educational module specific to managing patients newly diagnosed with APL. An intervention to evaluate bedside nurses' knowledge of APL was implemented. METHODS: Thirty-four RNs were recruited for participation. A clinical practice guideline, an algorithm, and a fact sheet were developed to provide resources for providers. An educational module was presented to the RNs to increase their knowledge of APL. Pre- and postintervention surveys were created to assess knowledge and confidence before and after the intervention. FINDINGS: Thirty-four RNs completed the module, and 27 participated in the pre- and postintervention surveys. Mean knowledge test scores increased significantly from 7.19 preintervention to 14.04 postintervention (p < 0.001).

Nurse Navigator Responsibilities in Managing Care Transitions for the Patient With Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Oncology nurse navigators (ONNs) help address barriers that would affect the patient's ability to receive timely and quality cancer care and bridge gaps from the ambulatory to acute settings by reinforcing the treatment pla.

Personal Protective Equipment Use and Surface Contamination With Antineoplastic Drugs: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Surface contamination with antineoplastic drugs (ADs) is persistent. The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is recommended to reduce exposure to ADs. OBJECTIVES: This study explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nurses' PPE use and surface contamination with ADs. METHODS: Demographic characteristics, PPE use, and associated factors were assessed on two inpatient oncology units where etoposide and cyclophosphamide were administered before (N = 26) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 31). FINDINGS: PPE use when handling contaminated excreta was significantly higher during the pandemic. Perceived risk of chemotherapy exposure was significantly associated with greater PPE use when handling AD-contaminated excreta, and conflict of interest was related to less PPE use during AD administration and handling of AD-contaminated excreta. During the pandemic, surface contamination with etoposide increased in shared areas and decreased in patient rooms.

The Chronicles of Comorbidity and Cancer Care.

Care for patients with cancer is more challenging when they have concurrent, complex comorbidities. Risk assessment tools may help to enhance care assessment and predict poor clinical outcomes for these patients. This article.

The Impact of a Nurse-Led High-Risk Referral Protocol Implemented in a Comprehensive Breast Center.

This quality improvement project implemented a nurse-led high-risk screening referral protocol for earlier identification of women at increased risk for breast cancer. The Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool was used at the ma.

Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: Assessment and Treatment Strategies for Advanced Practice Providers.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common and debilitating side effect of numerous anticancer agents. CIPN can persist as chronic pain or sensory symptoms for months to years after discontinuation of the a.

Bettering Sleep Hygiene to Decrease Delirium and Improve Patient Satisfaction on an Inpatient Oncology Unit.

Poor sleep during hospitalization can negatively affect patient health, well-being, and satisfaction. This nurse-led quality improvement project aimed to promote quality sleep on an inpatient telemetry medical-surgical onco.

Ruthlessly Subtract to Build Oncology Programs and Add Value.

Building modern healthcare programs and systems caring for populations requires expert skills in strategy, finance, people operations, workflow, evaluation, and more. Build often connotes adding services and people, but it al.

Does Technology Have a Place in the Art and Science of Oncology Nursing?

Oncology nurses establish relationships with patients from diagnosis through the trajectory of their treatment, survivorship, and sometimes death. We convey empathy, support, and advocacy throughout the course of the disease.

Precision Health Symptom Science in Oncology Nursing.

Precision health is an emerging approach to predicting, preventing, treating, and managing disease. A goal of precision health symptom science research is the reliable prediction of patients' symptom burden to optimize robu.

Fertility Preservation in Individuals With Cancer.

The position statement on fertility preservation was produced through collaborative efforts among the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses, Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology/Association canadienne des.

Antineoplastic Therapy Administration Safety Standards for Adult and Pediatric Oncology: ASCO-ONS Standards.

PURPOSE: To update the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)-Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) standards for antineoplastic therapy administration safety in adult and pediatric oncology and highlight current standards for antineoplastic therapy for adult and pediatric populations with various routes of administration and location. METHODS: ASCO and ONS convened a multidisciplinary Expert Panel with representation of multiple organizations to conduct literature reviews and add to the standards as needed. The evidence base was combined with the opinion of the ASCO-ONS Expert Panel to develop antineoplastic safety standards and guidance. Public comments were solicited and considered in preparation of the final manuscript. RESULTS: The standards presented here include clarification and expansion of existing standards to include home administration and other changes in processes of ordering, preparing, and administering antineoplastic therapy; the advent of immune effector cellular therapy; the importance of social determinants of health; fertility preservation; and pregnancy avoidance. In addition, the standards have added a fourth verification. STANDARDS: Standards are provided for which health care organizations and those involved in all aspects of patient care can safely deliver antineoplastic therapy, increase the quality of care, and reduce medical errors.

Oncology nurses' lived experience of caring for patients with advanced cancer in healthcare systems without palliative care services.

BACKGROUND: Caring for patients with advanced cancer is complex and challenging, requiring varied expertise, including symptom management, communication skills, care coordination and emotional resilience. Within existing literature, the lived experiences of oncology nurses are poorly articulated in countries with a lower income where formal palliative care (PC) is absent. AIM: To explore the lived experiences of Gazan oncology nurses who provide care to patients with advanced cancer in healthcare systems, without formal palliative care infrastructure. METHODS: A phenomenological approach was adopted. Semi-structured interviews were conducted between January and April 2022, in the Turkish Palestinian Friendship Hospital. Thematic analysis used the themes (corporeality, relationality, spatiality and temporality) to facilitate reflection on the meaning of participants' lived experiences. RESULTS: Interviews were undertaken with 16 oncology nurses. The experience of the 'erosion of nurses' work when coping with anxious attachments to patients and families' was the overarching theme in nurses' views, characterised by five sub-themes: (1) inadequacy of PC training and resources, (2) serving humanity, (3) pride in their profession, (4) existential distress and the coping strategies used by nurses, and (5) reported stress and anxiety when caring for seriously ill patients and their families. CONCLUSIONS: The study sheds light on the challenges and powerful emotions experienced by oncology nurses who care for patients with advanced cancer, yet lack the necessary PC training and institutional resources. The findings indicate an urgent need for PC training for nurses within the Gazan healthcare system and other lower-income settings. Assessing nurses' emotions and relationships with patients and family caregivers is imperative to enable optimum care for patients with cancer and to foster resilience among their nurses.

An Evidence-Based Review of the Safety and Efficacy of Remote Chemotherapy Verification.

In response to the nursing shortage and the emergence of telehealth opportunities, the Oncology Nursing Society used an evidence-based approach to examine current literature and trends for the two-person independent double ch.

Examining how early experiences in oncology settings influence nurses' career decisions.

The transition from nursing student to newly registered nurse is a complex process, and subsequent recruitment to cancer nursing posts can be challenging. This article details a service evaluation that aimed to describe the experiences of nursing students on placement and newly registered nurses or nursing associates working in a specialist cancer centre, and how these experiences might influence their future career aspirations. To gather data, the authors undertook a focus group with nursing students ( n= 8) and interviewed newly registered nurses or nursing associates ( n= 19). The data revealed four themes: navigating the nursing student experience; motivation to work in oncology; transition to staff nurse; and looking ahead. The service evaluation identified that education providers often lack awareness of cancer-specific content and career pathways. It also found that some aspects of cancer care, such as gaining specialist skills in systemic anticancer therapy, require particular attention since they were often anxiety-provoking for newly registered nurses.

Weighted Blanket: An Anxiety Reduction Tool in the Outpatient Oncology Infusion Setting.

BACKGROUND: Adults with cancer experience a significantly higher level of anxiety compared with the general population. Anxiety is reported at diagnosis and throughout the cancer trajectory, and it is particularly heightened at the initiation of infusion treatments. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated anxiety levels in patients receiving cancer treatments. OBJECTIVES: This evidence-based practice project evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of using medical-grade weighted blankets to reduce anxiety in patients with cancer receiving the first two infusion treatments in the ambulatory setting. METHODS: Patients completed a modified version of the Visual Analog Scale for Anxiety to self-report anxiety pre- and postimplementation. Patients and nurses completed feasibility surveys. FINDINGS: Patients reported reduced anxiety after using a weighted blanket and described weighted blankets as comforting and soothing. More than 90% of surveyed patients agreed or strongly agreed that the blanket was comfortable, not too heavy, and easy to put on, and did not interfere with nursing care or their own activities. Nurses valued the ease of use and adherence to infection control standards.

Improving Quality and Cost of the Oncology Advanced Practice Provider Chemotherapy Privileging Process.

BACKGROUND: Managing antineoplastic orders, side effects, and symptoms is a primary role of oncology advanced practice providers (APPs). Antineoplastic management (ANM) is complex because of risk of medication errors, narrow therapeutic range of agents, frequent dose adjustments, and multiple drug regimens. OBJECTIVES: This article describes an academic institution's review of current practice for ANM privileging and employing Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles to develop a revised process relevant to APP practice, addressing efficiency, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness. METHODS: Using consecutive PDSA cycles, the team revised the didactic portion of the ANM privileging process and collaborated with nurses, pharmacists, and physicians for mentoring expertise. FINDINGS: The revised process resulted in increased relevance of ANM didactic content while requiring 75% less time to complete. To date, all ANM-privileged APPs at the institution (N = 49) have completed the revised ANM privileging process, with a 100% pass rate on the competency assessment.

Shifting Gears: Transitioning Healthy Lifestyle Education Into Early Post-Treatment Survivorship.

During cancer treatment, oncology nurses emphasize patient and family education about coping strategies to manage adverse events such as gastrointestinal effects and fatigue. However, information about how to return to health.

Bridging the Gap: Standardizing Orientation to Improve Vacancy and Turnover Rates of Ambulatory Oncology Nurses.

This article describes standardizing ambulatory oncology nursing orientation within an academic comprehensive cancer center to reduce turnover rates. The nursing professional development specialist created a standardized orie.