Cancer nursing
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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.
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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.
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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.
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The impact of hospice care on cancer-pain management at the institutional level of an acute-care hospital setting has not been addressed in prior research. ⋯ Translation of evidence-based strategies to manage cancer pain could be facilitated by expanding collaboration between hospice-care professionals and other healthcare professionals both within and among institutions.
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The concept of autonomy is regarded as an essential element for gaining professional status. Yet, it remains poorly defined and understood. To date, there is little research that has focused on exploring how nurses in different specialty areas perceive autonomy. ⋯ Descriptions of the meaning of autonomy and its explication in a nursing specialty practice can add to nursing knowledge by clarifying nurse autonomy and its relevance to nurses' work life. Descriptive studies can identify nurse behaviors and attitudes related to autonomy that may be measurable and relevant to real life.