Cheryl L Lacasse - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Cheryl L Lacasse
Clinical journal of oncology nursing, 1998
The purpose of this paper is to review current nursing literature and practice in cancer-related ... more The purpose of this paper is to review current nursing literature and practice in cancer-related fatigue and to provide a suggested plan of treatment. Cancer-related fatigue is one of the most common and challenging symptom-management problems. The successful treatment of fatigue depends on the clinician's understanding of the symptom's continuum within the cancer experience, its etiologies, assessment strategies, and research-based interventions. Clinical outcomes are measured by the patient's ability to balance energy expenditure and restoration. By applying this knowledge to clinical practice, oncology nurses can have a profound impact on the patient's quality of life.
Integrative Nursing, 2018
Disturbances of the intestinal system are common across all populations and range from short term... more Disturbances of the intestinal system are common across all populations and range from short term, self-limiting alterations in normal function to long-term alterations that have a major impact on overall health and wellbeing. This chapter reviews two of the most common intestinal disturbances—constipation and diarrhea. A comprehensive overview of each symptom provides a physiologic basis for understanding constipation and diarrhea. The discussion of each symptom includes key assessment data that provides a person-centered view of the symptom. In addition, in-depth, evidence-informed information on interventions is discussed. Both key assessment data and interventions are based on an integrative nursing approach to care. The chapter concludes with a complex case study that applies principles of integrative nursing and evidence-informed principles to assessment and treatment of an individual with intestinal disturbances.
FFECTIVE symptom management in cancer care can significantly improve health-related quality of li... more FFECTIVE symptom management in cancer care can significantly improve health-related quality of life. Clinical management of symptoms is based on the clinician’s thorough assessment of symptoms and their understanding of the multiple dimensions of cancer-related, treatment-related, and non-cancer‐related symptoms. These symptoms often occur in dyads or clusters of three or more, which present challenges for assessment and subsequent treatment. The occurrence of multiple symptoms has long been identified and treated by cancer care clinicians, yet this clinical phenomenon of a symptom cluster is just beginning to be systematically described and analyzed in the health care literature. This article explores the various challenges to symptom cluster assessment and considers approaches using a variety of measurement tools and methodologies.
More than two thirds of all cancers are diagnosed in older adults and the diagnosis often co-occu... more More than two thirds of all cancers are diagnosed in older adults and the diagnosis often co-occurs with normal and pathological changes of aging, which include chronic diseases and related symptoms. The purpose of this measurement study was to conduct initial psychometric testing of a newly developed self-report tool to assess comorbidity burden and symptoms, the Comorbidity and Symptom Measurement in Oncology Scale (COSMOS), and to examine the feasibility of utilizing it with older cancer survivors. Phase 1 of the two-phase design focused on determining content validity using a panel of six expert clinicians and researchers. Each subscale item was evaluated for interrater agreement of relevancy using the content validity index (CVI). The scale-CVI was .80 for the comorbidity burden subscale (CoB) and .98 for the symptom perception subscale (SxP). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for each subscale was .97 (CoB) and .84 (SxP), respectively. Subscale items with a CVI of ≥...
Innovation in Aging, 2019
Caregiving families often experience “tipping points,” changes that forever alter their lives, su... more Caregiving families often experience “tipping points,” changes that forever alter their lives, such as a fall with a fractured femur. Tipping points for older adults can be conceptualized as an interaction between individuals and their environments. According to Lawton’s theory of person-environment fit (Lawton, 1983, 1985), physical and social environments and the person’s behavior are shaped by one another in a dynamic, ever-changing process. For older adults, the relationship between “environmental press,” or the mismatch between the person and his/her environment, and adaptation to that environment is mediated through one’s ability to cope. When stressors in health, cognition, or caregiver availability occur, environmental press may heighten, leading to a tipping point. In this paper the authors clarify how environmental press theory provides a foundation for studying early detection of impending tipping points and facilitating decisional support of families for choosing the rig...
Innovation in Aging, 2019
Patient portals are popular health care tools. Few portals target caregiving families and few use... more Patient portals are popular health care tools. Few portals target caregiving families and few use predictive modeling to assist caregiving families make decisions about elder care options. Our goal is to incorporate the algorithms being developed for predicting tipping points in elder care to assist caregiving families visualize changes in older adults’ activity patterns, understand possible implications for continued in-home safety, and access educational information and consultation. While many patients use portals, use is restricted among persons in racial and ethnic minorities, with lower educational levels and poorer health literacy, and with fewer economic resources. The following strategies help us address these issues. Our portal archives data from affordable, wearable technology. Portal access uses similarly technology. Our educational materials use techniques known to be appealing and effective with older individuals in unique groups, e.g., results displays; fotonovelas. I...
Innovation in Aging, 2019
Defining a Tipping Point as seemingly abrupt, severe, and absolute vividly illustrates the end re... more Defining a Tipping Point as seemingly abrupt, severe, and absolute vividly illustrates the end result of the consequence of not responding to impending events. Failure to detect an impending tipping point can result in unplanned consequences including falls, fractures, emergency care, a change in family caregiving situation, and a cascade of events leading to devastating permanent changes in chosen living arrangements or even death to the aging adult and the family caregiver. Proactive monitoring with a wearable device that can detect subtle changes in daily routines is a valuable tool, which caregiving families can use for decision support in accessing long term support services or planning for change in environment or level of care. Using this definition of tipping points and describing early changes can also be a valuable tool for clinicians when communicating potentially dangerous situations to the older adult and caregivers in the home or senior residential setting.
Journal of nursing care quality, Jan 8, 2017
Family caregivers' experiences during within-hospital handoffs between acute care units are n... more Family caregivers' experiences during within-hospital handoffs between acute care units are not well understood. Qualitative description methodology was employed to describe family caregivers' experiences during their loved ones' handoffs. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 caregivers of hospitalized older adults. Three themes emerged: Lack of care coordination, Muddling through handoffs alone, and Wariness toward the care delivery system. Findings can help clinicians shape their interactions with caregivers to maximize their involvement in post-hospital care.
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the cause of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), i... more The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the cause of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), is a chronic and progressive disease that is easily transmitted but also easily prevented. The best practice for HIV prevention among women of childbearing age in Tanzania proposed in this paper is based on the current evidence-based strategies being implemented by the World Health Organization, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), and the government of the United Republic of Tanzania. The best practice proposed is focused on increasing knowledge, increasing access, and decreasing discrimination through community involvement. An implementation pilot based on the best practice program proposed for a rural community is presented. By increase both access and knowledge, there can be a decrease in HIV transmission for women of childbearing age
Oncology nursing forum
Although fatigue is a frequent complaint of patients undergoing cancer treatment, specific self-c... more Although fatigue is a frequent complaint of patients undergoing cancer treatment, specific self-care activities are seldom addressed in patient education materials. To fill this void, a patient education tool was developed, with a special emphasis on the management of fatigue. Testing is under way with a large population of patients with cancer.
International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 2010
Advances in computer technology, such as the portable and affordable iPodTM, allow students to vi... more Advances in computer technology, such as the portable and affordable iPodTM, allow students to view lectures anywhere at any time. iPodsTM are of special interest for nurse educators who strive to meet demands posed by a critical nursing shortage. A mixed-methods pilot study was conducted to assess whether iPodTM could be an effective teaching tool for medical-surgical nursing lectures. In a randomized study with 35 participants, together with eight students having their own iPodsTM, grades of students given pre-recorded class lectures on iPodsTM were compared with grades of those who attended lectures without iPodsTM. Learning styles, amount and use of students devoted to iPodTM lectures were considered as well as grades. Most results were not significant, but there was some evidence that the control groups who attended classroom lectures received better grades than iPodTM users, and individuals who used iPodTM more frequently before the final exam received lower grades. These some...
Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 2007
Oncology Nursing Forum, 2013
Nursing Science Quarterly, 2008
... Cheryl Lacasse, RN; MS Clinical Associate Professor, University of Arizona College of Nursing... more ... Cheryl Lacasse, RN; MS Clinical Associate Professor, University of Arizona College of Nursing, Tucson, Arizona ... symptoms as changes associated with normal aging, which may mask timely identification of critical symptoms of chronic illness (Heidrich, Egan, Hengudomsub, & ...
Nurse Leader, 2004
Nurses working together to help the future of nursing is the statement that best describes the de... more Nurses working together to help the future of nursing is the statement that best describes the development of the Girl Scout Nurse Badge Program. Although September 11, 2001, will be embedded in our memories forever as a day of great sadness for our country, it also serves as a reminder of the wonderful strength and commitment that our country represents. On that day, an interested group of leaders in nursing and the Girl Scouts came together to create what is now called the Nurse Badge Program. During the past 2 years, this program has stirred an enthusiasm not only within our community but also across the country as a means to revive the image of nursing and inspire our children to consider a career in nursing. We encourage nurse leaders to consider starting a nurse badge program in their area.
Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 2011
Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 2006
To review recently published studies that describe the presence of selected cancer-related sympto... more To review recently published studies that describe the presence of selected cancer-related symptoms and relationships between them in the gero-oncology population.
Clinical journal of oncology nursing, 1998
The purpose of this paper is to review current nursing literature and practice in cancer-related ... more The purpose of this paper is to review current nursing literature and practice in cancer-related fatigue and to provide a suggested plan of treatment. Cancer-related fatigue is one of the most common and challenging symptom-management problems. The successful treatment of fatigue depends on the clinician's understanding of the symptom's continuum within the cancer experience, its etiologies, assessment strategies, and research-based interventions. Clinical outcomes are measured by the patient's ability to balance energy expenditure and restoration. By applying this knowledge to clinical practice, oncology nurses can have a profound impact on the patient's quality of life.
Integrative Nursing, 2018
Disturbances of the intestinal system are common across all populations and range from short term... more Disturbances of the intestinal system are common across all populations and range from short term, self-limiting alterations in normal function to long-term alterations that have a major impact on overall health and wellbeing. This chapter reviews two of the most common intestinal disturbances—constipation and diarrhea. A comprehensive overview of each symptom provides a physiologic basis for understanding constipation and diarrhea. The discussion of each symptom includes key assessment data that provides a person-centered view of the symptom. In addition, in-depth, evidence-informed information on interventions is discussed. Both key assessment data and interventions are based on an integrative nursing approach to care. The chapter concludes with a complex case study that applies principles of integrative nursing and evidence-informed principles to assessment and treatment of an individual with intestinal disturbances.
FFECTIVE symptom management in cancer care can significantly improve health-related quality of li... more FFECTIVE symptom management in cancer care can significantly improve health-related quality of life. Clinical management of symptoms is based on the clinician’s thorough assessment of symptoms and their understanding of the multiple dimensions of cancer-related, treatment-related, and non-cancer‐related symptoms. These symptoms often occur in dyads or clusters of three or more, which present challenges for assessment and subsequent treatment. The occurrence of multiple symptoms has long been identified and treated by cancer care clinicians, yet this clinical phenomenon of a symptom cluster is just beginning to be systematically described and analyzed in the health care literature. This article explores the various challenges to symptom cluster assessment and considers approaches using a variety of measurement tools and methodologies.
More than two thirds of all cancers are diagnosed in older adults and the diagnosis often co-occu... more More than two thirds of all cancers are diagnosed in older adults and the diagnosis often co-occurs with normal and pathological changes of aging, which include chronic diseases and related symptoms. The purpose of this measurement study was to conduct initial psychometric testing of a newly developed self-report tool to assess comorbidity burden and symptoms, the Comorbidity and Symptom Measurement in Oncology Scale (COSMOS), and to examine the feasibility of utilizing it with older cancer survivors. Phase 1 of the two-phase design focused on determining content validity using a panel of six expert clinicians and researchers. Each subscale item was evaluated for interrater agreement of relevancy using the content validity index (CVI). The scale-CVI was .80 for the comorbidity burden subscale (CoB) and .98 for the symptom perception subscale (SxP). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for each subscale was .97 (CoB) and .84 (SxP), respectively. Subscale items with a CVI of ≥...
Innovation in Aging, 2019
Caregiving families often experience “tipping points,” changes that forever alter their lives, su... more Caregiving families often experience “tipping points,” changes that forever alter their lives, such as a fall with a fractured femur. Tipping points for older adults can be conceptualized as an interaction between individuals and their environments. According to Lawton’s theory of person-environment fit (Lawton, 1983, 1985), physical and social environments and the person’s behavior are shaped by one another in a dynamic, ever-changing process. For older adults, the relationship between “environmental press,” or the mismatch between the person and his/her environment, and adaptation to that environment is mediated through one’s ability to cope. When stressors in health, cognition, or caregiver availability occur, environmental press may heighten, leading to a tipping point. In this paper the authors clarify how environmental press theory provides a foundation for studying early detection of impending tipping points and facilitating decisional support of families for choosing the rig...
Innovation in Aging, 2019
Patient portals are popular health care tools. Few portals target caregiving families and few use... more Patient portals are popular health care tools. Few portals target caregiving families and few use predictive modeling to assist caregiving families make decisions about elder care options. Our goal is to incorporate the algorithms being developed for predicting tipping points in elder care to assist caregiving families visualize changes in older adults’ activity patterns, understand possible implications for continued in-home safety, and access educational information and consultation. While many patients use portals, use is restricted among persons in racial and ethnic minorities, with lower educational levels and poorer health literacy, and with fewer economic resources. The following strategies help us address these issues. Our portal archives data from affordable, wearable technology. Portal access uses similarly technology. Our educational materials use techniques known to be appealing and effective with older individuals in unique groups, e.g., results displays; fotonovelas. I...
Innovation in Aging, 2019
Defining a Tipping Point as seemingly abrupt, severe, and absolute vividly illustrates the end re... more Defining a Tipping Point as seemingly abrupt, severe, and absolute vividly illustrates the end result of the consequence of not responding to impending events. Failure to detect an impending tipping point can result in unplanned consequences including falls, fractures, emergency care, a change in family caregiving situation, and a cascade of events leading to devastating permanent changes in chosen living arrangements or even death to the aging adult and the family caregiver. Proactive monitoring with a wearable device that can detect subtle changes in daily routines is a valuable tool, which caregiving families can use for decision support in accessing long term support services or planning for change in environment or level of care. Using this definition of tipping points and describing early changes can also be a valuable tool for clinicians when communicating potentially dangerous situations to the older adult and caregivers in the home or senior residential setting.
Journal of nursing care quality, Jan 8, 2017
Family caregivers' experiences during within-hospital handoffs between acute care units are n... more Family caregivers' experiences during within-hospital handoffs between acute care units are not well understood. Qualitative description methodology was employed to describe family caregivers' experiences during their loved ones' handoffs. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 caregivers of hospitalized older adults. Three themes emerged: Lack of care coordination, Muddling through handoffs alone, and Wariness toward the care delivery system. Findings can help clinicians shape their interactions with caregivers to maximize their involvement in post-hospital care.
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the cause of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), i... more The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the cause of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), is a chronic and progressive disease that is easily transmitted but also easily prevented. The best practice for HIV prevention among women of childbearing age in Tanzania proposed in this paper is based on the current evidence-based strategies being implemented by the World Health Organization, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), and the government of the United Republic of Tanzania. The best practice proposed is focused on increasing knowledge, increasing access, and decreasing discrimination through community involvement. An implementation pilot based on the best practice program proposed for a rural community is presented. By increase both access and knowledge, there can be a decrease in HIV transmission for women of childbearing age
Oncology nursing forum
Although fatigue is a frequent complaint of patients undergoing cancer treatment, specific self-c... more Although fatigue is a frequent complaint of patients undergoing cancer treatment, specific self-care activities are seldom addressed in patient education materials. To fill this void, a patient education tool was developed, with a special emphasis on the management of fatigue. Testing is under way with a large population of patients with cancer.
International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 2010
Advances in computer technology, such as the portable and affordable iPodTM, allow students to vi... more Advances in computer technology, such as the portable and affordable iPodTM, allow students to view lectures anywhere at any time. iPodsTM are of special interest for nurse educators who strive to meet demands posed by a critical nursing shortage. A mixed-methods pilot study was conducted to assess whether iPodTM could be an effective teaching tool for medical-surgical nursing lectures. In a randomized study with 35 participants, together with eight students having their own iPodsTM, grades of students given pre-recorded class lectures on iPodsTM were compared with grades of those who attended lectures without iPodsTM. Learning styles, amount and use of students devoted to iPodTM lectures were considered as well as grades. Most results were not significant, but there was some evidence that the control groups who attended classroom lectures received better grades than iPodTM users, and individuals who used iPodTM more frequently before the final exam received lower grades. These some...
Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 2007
Oncology Nursing Forum, 2013
Nursing Science Quarterly, 2008
... Cheryl Lacasse, RN; MS Clinical Associate Professor, University of Arizona College of Nursing... more ... Cheryl Lacasse, RN; MS Clinical Associate Professor, University of Arizona College of Nursing, Tucson, Arizona ... symptoms as changes associated with normal aging, which may mask timely identification of critical symptoms of chronic illness (Heidrich, Egan, Hengudomsub, & ...
Nurse Leader, 2004
Nurses working together to help the future of nursing is the statement that best describes the de... more Nurses working together to help the future of nursing is the statement that best describes the development of the Girl Scout Nurse Badge Program. Although September 11, 2001, will be embedded in our memories forever as a day of great sadness for our country, it also serves as a reminder of the wonderful strength and commitment that our country represents. On that day, an interested group of leaders in nursing and the Girl Scouts came together to create what is now called the Nurse Badge Program. During the past 2 years, this program has stirred an enthusiasm not only within our community but also across the country as a means to revive the image of nursing and inspire our children to consider a career in nursing. We encourage nurse leaders to consider starting a nurse badge program in their area.
Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 2011
Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 2006
To review recently published studies that describe the presence of selected cancer-related sympto... more To review recently published studies that describe the presence of selected cancer-related symptoms and relationships between them in the gero-oncology population.