Cancer nursing
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Multicenter Study
Pain in outpatients treated for breast cancer: prevalence, pharmacological treatment, and impact on quality of life.
Cancer pain is an unmitigated clinical phenomenon. Despite available guidelines, variability exists in treating cancer pain. ⋯ The risks and benefits of coadministration of traditional and adjuvant analgesics need to be determined. Other treatment modalities in conjunction with pharmacological treatment are needed, considering negative effects of adjuvant analgesics on pain and quality of life.
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Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is associated with negative health outcomes and decreased health-related quality of life; however, few longitudinal studies have investigated molecular-genetic mechanisms of CRF. ⋯ These findings identify possible pathways and early biomarkers for targeting novel interventions for CRF.
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Existential/spiritual needs of advanced cancer patients are not always met in healthcare. Potential barriers for health professionals exploring existential concerns include lack of time, training, tools, and confidence. Yet patients with life-threatening illnesses require holistic care, and interest in their existential/spiritual needs is growing. Preparation and life completion interventions have shown positive results in the existential/spiritual care of hospice-eligible patients in the United States. Nurses are in the ideal position to deliver such interventions, but have not been previously evaluated in this context. ⋯ Outlook is a novel, portable, and feasible tool for use by nurses when addressing existential and spiritual domains of care with patients with advanced cancer.
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Multicenter Study
Nursing practice environment and outcomes for oncology nursing.
It is commonly assumed that oncology nurses experience high job-related burnout and high turnover because their work involves inherent stressors such as caring for patients with serious and often life-threatening illness. ⋯ Improving hospital practice environments holds significant potential to improve nurse well-being, retention, and quality of care. Specifically, hospitals should consider preceptor programs and continuing education and increase nurses' participation in hospital decision making.
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Although advanced cancer treatments prolong survivors' lives, a significant proportion experienced poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL) than general populations. Identifying their needs is essential to develop a health service delivery model to improve patient outcomes. ⋯ The results provided useful information on the special needs of survivors that may affect their HRQoL, enabling clinicians to plan better how to allocate existing limited resources to those who most require them.