Cancer nursing
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The aim of this study was to describe nurses' perception of hope among cancer patients in palliative care. Interviews, conducted with nine skilled oncology nurses, were subsequently analyzed using a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach inspired by Ricoeur. ⋯ Consideration of the themes disclosed in this study will enable nurses to broaden the content of the phenomenon of hope. This, in turn, might also help nurses to select strategies in palliative care that will foster or restore hope in patients with cancer.
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Cancer chemotherapy often causes severe side effects, such as neutropenia, nausea and vomiting, and oral complications, which adversely affect patients' quality of life and may interfere with treatment success. A number of supportive therapies, such as colony stimulating-growth factors and antiemetics, have been developed to ameliorate these side effects, however, but often are underutilized. Oncology nurses, who serve as liaisons between oncologists and patients, can have a positive effect on patients' quality of life by educating them about potential side effects and the availability of supportive therapies, and by bringing patients' quality of life concerns and priorities to the attention of physicians. This article reviews the side effects of chemotherapy and the supportive therapies currently available to treat them and explores the role of oncology nurses as advocates for improved quality of life for chemotherapy patients.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Relaxation to reduce nausea, vomiting, and anxiety induced by chemotherapy in Japanese patients.
The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) in reducing the nausea, vomiting, and anxiety induced by chemotherapy in Japanese patients. Subjects comprised 60 cancer chemotherapy patients who were hospitalized in a cancer center. ⋯ Results from this study verified the effectiveness of PMR in reducing total scores used to measure nausea, vomiting, and retching; subscale scores of nausea; and subjective feelings of anxiety. The efficacy of PMR to reduce subscale scores of vomiting was not verified, partly due to an extremely low incidence of vomiting.
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Breast cancer mortality is significantly greater in African American women than in their Caucasian counterparts. The purpose of this study was to identify variables associated with the breast cancer screening behaviors of mammography utilization and breast self-examination (BSE) in a convenience sample of low income African American women. A total of 328 African American women, living in a large midwestern metropolitan area, who were at < or = 150% of poverty level, and between the ages of 45 and 64 years were included in this study. ⋯ Variables that significantly predicted mammography utilization included perceived barriers, mammography suggested by health-care professionals, recent thoughts about mammography, and a regular medical doctor. Variables that significantly predicted either frequency or proficiency of BSE included susceptibility, benefits, confidence, knowledge, barriers, and a regular physician. Implications for clinical practice include (a) recognizing predictors of screening among low-income African American women; (b) addressing culturally specific barriers, e.g., cancer fatalism, in order to increase compliance with screening; (c) establishing consistency in primary care providers; and (d) increasing confidence and knowledge through education.
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Nurses are recognized as the cornerstone of palliative care. Yet, surveys of nurses' knowledge of cancer pain management reveal serious knowledge deficits that could adversely affect the care of patients with cancer pain. ⋯ The purpose of this article is to share results from a study which evaluated nurses knowledge regarding three methods of analgesic delivery that have become common in clinical practice: intravenous morphine, extended release morphine, and transdermal fentanyl. Several resources are provided to assist clinicians in the appropriate use of these analgesic methods.