An educational class developed and implemented to help prepare patients and families for their radiation therapy treatment experience has been well received overall by the 128 participants who have completed the sessions thus far, according to a presentation reported during the Oncology Nursing Society 36th Annual Congress.
Skin reactions, common side effects of cancer radiation treatment, can be managed using a skin care protocol and algorithm, according to a presentation at the Oncology Nursing Society 36th Annual Congress.
The radiation oncology department at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, has instituted an animal-assisted therapy (AAT) program to help outpatients reduce stress, improve mood, and decrease anxiety during their radiation therapy visit, according to a presentation during the Oncology Nursing Society 36th Annual Congress.
Oncology nurses play a vital role in patient care, including assessment, early recognition of infections, and patient and family education. Providing evidence-based care and education to severely immunocompromised patients requires knowledge about the association between viruses and diseases, the rationale of specific diagnostic tests, and current treatments.
Monitoring infection rates and introducing interventions to eliminate central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), a serious safety concern for hospitalized oncology patients, is one way nursing care can be advanced in complex health care environments that support a culture of safety, according to a presentation at the Oncology Nursing Society 36th Annual Congress.
Patients with pancreatic cancer frequently experience high levels of anxiety and distress, in part because the disease carries a poor prognosis, necessitating frequent clinic visits. To help identify and characterize patient distress, the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, has utilized a distress thermometer (DT) screening tool at each clinic visit since 2005, according to a presentation at the Oncology Nursing Society 36th Annual Congress.
The effects of cancer treatment place patients at high risk for central line-associated blood stream infections (CLABSIs), which directly reflect the care provided at the time of insertion and through the lifetime of the central line. These infections are a significant cause of morbidity, mortality, and increased health care costs. These are the findings of a study presented at the Oncology Nursing Society 36th Annual Congress.
Results of an 18-month evaluation in patients with newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase (CML-CP) presented during the Oncology Nursing Society 36th Annual Congress continue to confirm the superior efficacy of nilotinib to imatinib. Although imatinib has long been considered the standard of care for the frontline treatment of CML-CP, clinical evidence shows some patients have inadequate response, develop resistance, or develop intolerable side effects.
Nurses should be aware of a stigma surrounding human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and factor that into communications with patients, Cheryl S. Lee, MS, RN, ACNP-BC, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, said in presenting a systematic review of how messages about the HPV vaccine are framed during the Oncology Nursing Society 36th Annual Congress.
Safe administration of chemotherapy and compliance with hospital policy and regulatory guidelines require a specific verification process that must be documented as part of the patient record when administering chemotherapy, according to research presented at the Oncology Nursing Society 36th Annual Congress.
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