Cancer nursing
-
Cancer patients can present with a risk of suicide, making it important for oncology nurses to be knowledge about the high-risk factors for suicide in this population and to be competent in suicide detection and management. ⋯ Oncology nurses are likely to interact with patients at suicide risk and would benefit from knowledge about behavioral and demographic risk factors that contribute to an oncology patient becoming high risk for suicide. Such knowledge could contribute to overall patient safety.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
A randomized controlled trial of home-based exercise for cancer-related fatigue in women during and after chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy.
Few studies have evaluated an individualized home-based exercise prescription during and after cancer treatment. ⋯ Clinicians need to be aware that some physical activity is better than none, and there is no harm in exercise as tolerated during cancer treatment. Further analysis is needed to examine the adherence to exercise. More frequent assessments of fatigue, sleep disturbance, depression, and pain may capture the effect of exercise.
-
Parents experience high levels of distress during their child's stem cell transplant that can decrease the ability to support their child and effectively communicate with healthcare providers. Because parents are a primary source of support, their perspectives are very important when evaluating supportive care interventions for their adolescents/young adults. ⋯ These preliminary data offer clinicians insight into parent perceptions about the cancer experience, specifically SCT for their AYA child, and can be used to inform and shape clinical care. Findings reinforce the importance of offering AYAs opportunities to experience independence and mastery and engage in meaningful communication during transplant.
-
Although hope is an important resource for cancer patients, few studies include it as an independent or dependent variable in quality-of-life research. ⋯ Hope may be an important coping mechanism that clinicians need to consider when they try to help patients reduce the psychological distress associated with cancer and its treatment.
-
More information is needed by cancer clinicians regarding cancer patients' use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). ⋯ Oncology specialists who know where adult cancer patients could obtain helpful information about CAM would help to decrease the burdens that patients who use CAM experience.