Cancer nursing
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There is sound evidence to support the notion that the provision of effective psychosocial care improves the outcomes of patients with cancer. Central to the implementation of this care is that health professionals have the necessary communication and assessment skills. This study aimed to identify key issues related to providing effective psychosocial care for adult patients admitted with hematological cancer, as perceived by registered nurses with 3 or more years of clinical experience. ⋯ The provision of psychosocial care for patients with cancer is a dynamic process that has a professional and personal impact on the nurse. The 5 analytic themes to emerge from the data were as follows: When is it a good time to talk? Building relationships; Being drawn into the emotional world; Providing support throughout the patient's journey; and Breakdown in communication processes. The findings from this study indicate an urgent need to develop a framework to provide nurses with both skill development and ongoing support in order to improve nurses' ability to integrate psychosocial aspects of care and optimize patient outcomes.
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Pressure on lung cancer clinics is increasing with the "2-week wait" initiative. This initiative is one of the key targets set out in the National Health Service (NHS) Cancer Plan for the United Kingdom, whereby all patients presenting with symptoms which may be indicative of a cancer diagnosis will be seen by a consultant within 2 weeks of initial presentation at their primary care provider. This has resulted in busy clinics, with the potential for extended clinic waiting times and unmet needs for information and psychosocial support on the part of patients and families. ⋯ Both standard and nurse-led follow-up scenarios were highly rated by patients and other respondents and both were highly significantly favored over GP follow-up, which was the least favored in all areas of the questionnaire. Telephone follow-up tended to elicit more polarized reactions, both positive and negative. In interviews, in relation to nurse-led follow-up, the importance of clear protocols, training, and easy access to medical review were highlighted.
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The purpose of this study was to examine the demographic, medical, and social cognitive determinants of exercise intentions in a population-based sample of multiple myeloma cancer survivors. Using a cross-sectional survey, 70 multiple myeloma cancer survivors completed a questionnaire that assessed their medical and demographic characteristics, past exercise behavior, and social cognitive exercise beliefs using the theory of planned behavior. Seventy participants provided valuable data. ⋯ No demographic or medical variable moderated the association between the theory of planned behavior constructs and exercise intentions. The results of the present investigation support the growing body of evidence confirming the utility of the theory of planned behavior to understand the salient determinants of exercise in cancer survivors. Knowledge gained from this study provides important information to oncology practitioners who are responsible for delivering supportive care interventions, including exercise, to patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma.
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Symptom monitoring by parents/caregivers of children with cancer and what the caregiver and child did to help alleviate symptoms during chemotherapy were studied. The Therapy-Related Symptom Checklist (TRSC) child version was administered to parents/caregivers of 11 children and adolescents (mean age, 10.4 years; SD, 6.1 years; range, 2-18 years; 45% were boys). The Karnofsky scale was completed by clinicians to rate the child's functional status. ⋯ Using complementary medicine categories, the care strategies were diet/nutrition/lifestyle change (eg, more high-fat, high-calorie foods; new foods; any food the child likes; and much sleep and rest); mind/body control (eg, play, video games, television, reading, activity puzzle, breathing exercises, relaxation methods, and prayer); manual healing method (massage and skin-to-skin contact); and biologic treatments (vitamins). The first 2 categories were the most used. Systematic assessment with a self-report checklist enables the provider to identify and prioritize (according to reported severity) those symptoms needing intervention.
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Breast cancer survivors increasingly experience long-term side effects that influence their quality of life. They also experience uncertainty of their future due to recurrence of disease. Descriptive design was conducted. ⋯ All 3 variables explained 21.8% variance of quality of life. Uncertainty and harm appraisal influence quality of life in breast cancer survivors. Suggestions and further implications were included.