European journal of cancer care
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Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) · Mar 2007
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyHospital stay frequency and duration of patients with advanced cancer diseases - differences between the most frequent tumour diagnoses: a secondary data analysis.
The differences in the number and duration of hospital stays of cancer patients in an advanced stage of disease were to be examined with regard to the most frequent cancer diagnoses. Therefore, routinely compiled data of the largest health insurance company in the State of Lower Saxony, Germany, were analysed. Patients with lung, colon, breast and prostate cancer were included, who died in the year of 2004. ⋯ The patient groups differed significantly both in the average number of cases and in the duration of hospital stays (Kruskal-Wallis test: P<0001), whereby patients with lung cancer underwent inpatient hospital treatment most frequently (3.3 times), and for the longest periods (35 days). This study shows that patients in an advanced stage of lung cancer are a particular important target group for reducing hospitalization at the end of life. They should receive special attention when structures of palliative care are extended.
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Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) · Mar 2007
Multicenter StudySpecial considerations for haematology patients in relation to end-of-life care: Australian findings.
Recent hematology clinical guidelines recommend that palliative care specialists should have central roles in hemato-oncology teams. However, the available research evidence indicates there are presently significant obstacles to the integration of palliative care in hematology. ⋯ This article presents the list of special considerations from a nursing perspective, including issues associated with the high-tech nature of treatments, the speed of change to a terminal event, the need for blood products and possibility of catastrophic bleeds, the therapeutic optimism based on a myriad of treatment options and the clinical indices of the terminal trajectory. The nursing insights provide an important foundation for building a practical, patient-centred model for terminal care in hematology.
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Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) · Dec 2006
Comparative StudyImproving cancer patients' pain: the impact of the hospital specialist palliative care team.
Pain is reported to occur in the majority of patients with advanced cancer and is one of the main reasons for referral to a hospital specialist palliative care team. Yet despite this, there is a paucity of research into the impact the hospital specialist palliative care team has on pain control in patients. A non-equivalent control group design using a quota sample investigated 100 cancer patients who had been admitted to hospital for symptom control. ⋯ There was no difference between the groups on the initial assessment and the results indicated that all cancer patients admitted to hospital had a significant improvement in their pain control. However, the patients who had the additional input of the palliative care team demonstrated a statistically significant greater improvement than the control group (P<0.001). Potential explanations are made for the results including the enhanced knowledge and skills of the hospital specialist palliative care team.
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Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) · Jul 2006
ReviewA qualitative study of anterior resection syndrome: the experiences of cancer survivors who have undergone resection surgery.
This study aimed to explore how individuals recovered and adapted following surgical resection of their rectal cancer and the syndrome that occurs as a consequence of this operation. This syndrome, 'anterior resection syndrome', consists of frequency, urgency, fragmentation and incontinence of faeces, and is thought to occur in 90% of patients who have received this type of surgery. Little qualitative research has been undertaken in this area, and this study adds to current quality of life data and explores supportive care strategies that nurses could use to assist patients. ⋯ Information on a range of strategies to manage physical symptoms is helpful in providing supportive care. Understanding that patients often rely on inappropriate strategies for management and are reluctant to discuss symptoms is important. The specialist nurse has a role in providing supportive care in managing chronic symptoms following cancer treatment.
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This paper discusses the aspects of a small research study, which used mixed research methods. The study concerned group-format supervision as a means of helping five hospice nurses, four women and one man, discuss their work experiences. An aim of the study was to understand something of the professional work of hospice nurses and how they might best be supported. ⋯ The discussion concludes with an appraisal of the potential gains for nurses from clinical supervision in group-format. This paper proposes that supervision groups could help hospice nurses to identify and explore issues related to professional practice. Adequate preparation of nurses, organizational support and the competency of group facilitators should be considered critical to safe and effective management of professional groups.