European journal of oncology nursing : the official journal of European Oncology Nursing Society
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The effect of symptom clusters on functional status and quality of life in women with breast cancer.
The purposes of this study of women with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy with/without radiation therapy were to determine whether: (1) subgroups of oncology outpatients can be identified based on a specific symptom cluster (i.e., pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, depression); (2) these subgroups differ on outcomes (i.e., functional status, quality of life); (3) subgroup membership changes over time. ⋯ Subgroups of patients with different symptom experiences were identified. For some patients severity of all four symptoms persisted months after cancer treatment. Initial and ongoing assessment to identify those patients in the ALL HIGH patient subgroup is important so that appropriate interventions to improve functional status and quality of life can be offered.
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Comparative Study
Effect of acupressure on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in gynecologic cancer patients in Turkey.
The aim of the current study was to assess the effect of acupressure applied to the pericardium 6 (P6 or Neiguan) acupuncture point with a wristband (Sea-Band) on nausea-vomiting in addition to the standard antiemetic medications used to prevent nausea-vomiting due to chemotherapy in gynecologic cancer patients. ⋯ The findings from this study suggest that the acupressure applied to P6 acupuncture point with wristbands may be effective in reducing chemotherapy-related nausea and may decrease the antiemetic use after chemotherapy. Further research with more subjects is needed.
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Comparative Study
Anxiety, depression and quality of life among Chinese breast cancer patients during adjuvant therapy.
The aim of the study was to examine anxiety and depression and their effects on the quality of life (QOL) of patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy. ⋯ This study should increase nurses' awareness of the importance of integrating psychological symptom assessment into nursing assessment procedures, and enhance their clinical sensitivity in identifying high-risk groups of patients undergoing specific cancer treatments.
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More than 50 million people die each year around the world. Nurses are crucial in providing care to these individuals and their families as they spend the most time at the bedside with patients and families. Yet many nurses have received little or no education about palliative care. ⋯ There is an urgent need for improved palliative care throughout the world. The ELNEC-International curriculum is designed to address the need for increased palliative care education in nursing. In order to improve the quality of life for those facing life-threatening illnesses around the world, ongoing support is needed for world-wide palliative care educational efforts.
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Review
Research priorities in haemato-oncology nursing: results of a literature review and a Delphi study.
The study aimed to review the nursing haemato-oncology literature followed by a Delphi study to determine research priorities of UK nurses working in haemato-oncology. ⋯ Results show both similarities and differences to priorities identified in previous haemopoietic stem cell transplant and cancer nursing studies. Further exploration of priority areas is required but priorities identified in this study provide a good starting point for further exploration and development of research programmes.