European journal of oncology nursing : the official journal of European Oncology Nursing Society
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Measurement of head and neck external lymphedema and fibrosis (LEF) is challenging. To address this gap, we developed the Head and Neck External Lymphedema and Fibrosis (HN-LEF) Assessment Criteria. This article aimed to report preliminary data on reliability and validity of the HN-LEF Assessment Criteria. ⋯ The study provided initial reliability and validity data for a clinician-reported tool evaluating external LEF in the HNC population. These preliminary findings demonstrate that the tool had good reliability. Associations with the ultrasound examination results demonstrate that the tool validly captures soft tissue changes at select sites. Further validation of the tool is warranted.
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Although educational programs for nurses are required to ensure high-quality home care, there is currently no scale to appropriately evaluate such programs for home care nurses providing palliative care. We developed and validated four scales to evaluate home care nurses' attitude, self-reported practices, difficulties, and knowledge regarding home palliative cancer care, and identified factors associated with home care nurses' attitude, self-reported practices, and difficulties. ⋯ We developed valid and reliable scales to evaluate home care nurses' attitude, self-reported practices, difficulties, and knowledge regarding home palliative cancer care. These scales potentially useful for evaluating a home palliative cancer care education program for nurses.