Oncology Nurses' Recognition of Supportive Care Needs and Symptoms of their Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy (original) (raw)
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Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2011
The purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy of oncologists' recognition of their patients' supportive care needs and symptoms in breast cancer outpatient consultation in Japan. Methods: The participants included a sample of randomly selected outpatients with breast cancer and two oncologists. The patients responded to validated self-administered questionnaires to assess their supportive care needs and symptoms. The oncologists responded to a questionnaire in which they indicated their perception of level of the same set of needs or symptoms following consultation. The two data sets were compared statistically. Results: Complete data sets were available for 408 patients. Low negative predictive values for the psychological (30%) and information domain (30%) indicated that the patients often have psychological and information needs that the oncologists do not appropriately recognize. The sensitivity and specificity of the physicians' assessment for all physical symptoms except pain were ,40 and .85%, respectively, indicating that the physicians could not detect, but could rule out the possibility of a patient experiencing physical symptoms. Borderline/clinical depression and anxiety were the only two symptoms that the oncologists reported more frequently than the patients did. As a result, the specificity of the physicians' assessment for the detection of borderline/clinical depression and anxiety was relatively low (74 and 27%). Conclusions: Oncologists' recognition may not accurately reflect their patients' supportive care needs and symptoms in usual care. Incorporation of a standard assessment system for supportive care needs and symptoms in clinical practice must heighten the oncologists' awareness of their patients' these problems.
Symptom Assessment among Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy In A Cancer Hospital
Tribhuvan University Journal
People with cancer usually experience various distressing symptoms while receiving chemotherapy. Early identification of distressing symptoms of patients receiving treatment is a crucial step toward providing quality nursing care for patients. This study aimed to assess the frequency, severity and distressing symptoms and its predictors among cancer patients who are receiving chemotherapy. An Analytical cross-sectional study was done among 233 people receiving cancer chemotherapy in a Cancer Hospital. Convenience sampling method was adopted to select sample and data was collected by in-person interview. Out of 233 respondents, less than half(42.6%) belonged to the 40-59 years age group and male (53.6%). The common physical symptoms were pain (70%), lack of energy (67.8%), nausea (58.8%) and psychological symptoms were feeling sad (43.8%), worrying (43.8%) and difficulty sleeping (18.5%). The most severe symptoms experienced by respondents were pain, dry mouth, lack of energy and sho...
European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 2008
While the use of chemotherapy has significantly improved survival rates, the symptoms associated with chemotherapy remain a major burden for patients. Preventing or appropriately managing side effects significantly improves patients' functional status and quality of life, ultimately leading to greater patient acceptance of chemotherapy. However, symptom assessment and management are fraught with difficulties such as poor patient recall, retrospective assessment conducted by clinicians and lack of appropriate, clinically relevant and patient friendly symptom assessment and management tools. Furthermore the differences between clinician and patient perceptions of stresses and distress during chemotherapy are well recognised. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a nursing intervention incorporating structured symptom assessment and management, facilitated by information technology, on chemotherapy-related symptoms, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and mucositis. This pan-European study, involved 8 clinical sites from Belgium, Denmark, England, Ireland and Scotland. Adults (n ¼ 249) receiving first line chemotherapy for breast, lung, ovarian or colorectal cancer, osteosarcoma, acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) or lymphoma were recruited to the study. Patients completed daily symptom assessment questionnaires for 14 days following consecutive cycles of chemotherapy. Symptom outcomes were compared before and after the introduction of the intervention with positive impact on patients' experiences of nausea, vomiting and oral problems. Fatigue was not significantly improved.
The psychological needs of patients receiving chemotherapy: an exploration of nurse perceptions
European Journal of Cancer Care, 2004
This study explored the perceptions of a group of registered oncology nurses about the psychological needs of patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy and how the nurses meet these. Eight nurses who provided chemotherapy and were working in a local oncology centre participated. A semi-structured interview was used to explore nurses' perceptions, and how they meet these patients' needs. The analysis of interview transcripts revealed that these nurses agreed that patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy had psychological needs. Moreover, they were conscious that some of the physical side-effects could have a psychological impact on the patients. Although nurses did not use any assessment tool for psychological assessment, they identified two main stages during the treatment when patients needed more psychological support: at the beginning and at the end of the chemotherapy. They explained how they tried to meet patients' psychological needs but they also mentioned several factors that influenced the psychological support that patients received.
Indian Journal of Cancer, 2018
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Cancer is a daunting illness affecting a vast number of people globally. During the illness trajectory, cancer patients suffer from physical and/or psychosocial issues. These physical and psychosocial issues demand conscious actions by patients to maintain their well-being. Hence, the objective of the pilot study was to evaluate the level of self-care behaviors and satisfaction in women suffering from cancer after exposure to supportive care (education and mind diversion activities) delivered via a patient help group program. METHODS: The study was conducted at the chemotherapy day care unit of one of the tertiary care hospitals located in Karachi, Pakistan. In this study, supportive care interventions were offered via the patient help group program over a 5-week period, and in the 6 th week, data were collected. The total sample size of this pilot study was n = 17. Female cancer patients receiving weekly chemotherapy regimen and diagnosed with breast or gynecological cancers were a part of the study. Outcome variables, self-care behavior and satisfaction, were assessed via a self-developed questionnaire. Content validity index of the questionnaire was calculated on the basis of expert review and was found to be 96% for relevancy and 94% for clarity. Frequencies were calculated to evaluate outcome variables. Outcome variable satisfaction was also assessed via few open-ended questions. RESULTS: Participants reported moderate-to-high self-care behaviors and satisfaction after exposure to supportive care interventions delivered via the patient help group program. CONCLUSION: Counseling and mind diversion activities are effective in producing a positive change in chemotherapy patients' self-care behaviors and satisfaction. Therefore, oncology nurses must utilize them in chemotherapy patient care. Future studies should evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions with larger sample size and comparative analysis.
Nursing Outcomes of Patient’s Comfort During Neoplastic Chemotherapy: An Integrative Review
The Bangkok Medical Journal, 2018
Nursing Outcomes of Patient's Comfort during Neoplastic Chemotherapy: An Integrative Review C urrently, cancer patients require more aggressive and systemic treatments. However, chemotherapy often causes discomfort which affects patient's well-being during and after cancer treatment. 1 The nursing mission then focuses on patient's comfort and the interventions offered to relieve discomfort. The care is delivered after an assessment of patients' needs, implementations of care, and outcomes from such interventions. These nursing interventions include physical and psycho-spiritual contexts intended to alleviate the patient's discomfort observed from signs and symptoms. There is a great opportunity to address the patient's needs and to understand him/her, which increases the likelihood that patient will be safe during treatment. This is considered a relief effort. 2 Comfort is theoretically defined at this point as the state of being meeting the basic human need for ease, relief, and transcendence. 3 Nurse-led care and management have a significant impact on patient experience and outcomes. However, currently there are no definitive criteria in establishing what constitutes sufficient evidence of this beyond using the outcome. Previous reviews have used an overview of evidence-based intervention studies. 4 Evidence-base-nursing outcomes in the physical dimensions of cancer patients during chemotherapy were reviewed and used to develop a set of indicators that are suitable for performance measurement and to identify the need for quality improvement.
Cancer, Side Effects of Chemotherapy and Nursi̇ng Care
International Journal of Health Services Research and Policy, 2020
Cancer is a complex disease that emerges from uncontrolled cell growth as a result of genetic and environmental factors. Although there are various types of cancer and standard procedures are applied to specific types of cancers, it is also a personal disease. Cancer treatment varies depending on the cancer type, placement, stage, general health of the individual and other factors. Furthermore, cancer treatment is complex, costly and requires a long time. As the prevalence of cancer increased in societies, the application of systemic chemotherapy and the occurrence of associated side effects also increased. Early monitoring and assessment has become important for early diagnosis of side effect symptoms and reduction and prevention of complications through symptom control. Social environments and families should be taken into consideration during patient assessment. Monitoring and assessment of cancer patients by all healthcare professionals and nurses during chemotherapy is at least...
Knowledge and Attitude of Oncology Nurses toward Cancer Pain Management: A Review
Archives of Medicine, 2017
Pain is one of the main symptoms involved in cancer patients receiving treatment or because of the disease itself. Approximately, 30% to 50% of cancer patients receiving treatment experience pain and 70% to 90% with advanced stages of cancer experienced moderate to severe pain. Reducing the pain and suffering of cancer patients is essential to delivering quality care. Pain experienced by cancer patients affects quality of life, physical functioning, social relationship, and mental health, pain often co-occurs with additional symptoms, such as fatigue, sleep disturbance, loss of appetite, and anxiety.
Unmet supportive needs of cancer patients in an acute care hospital in Japan—a census study
Supportive Care in Cancer, 2010
Purpose Little research has been done on supportive needs of cancer patients in acute hospitals in Japan. This study aims to comprehensively assess the unmet supportive needs of hospitalized cancer patients, as well as literacy and utilization of appropriate professional care. Methods All cancer patients (aged 20 to 80 years) who were hospitalized in a university hospital in Tokyo during the designated 3-day period between September 1 and October 31, 2007 were recruited for participation in the study. The M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory, Brief Cancer-Related Worry Inventory, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were administered. Patients' knowledge and use of relevant services were evaluated. The results were compared with those of non-cancer patients in the same treatment settings. Results A total of 125 cancer patients and 59 non-cancer patients were enrolled. Cancer patients and non-cancer patients equally suffered from physical symptoms (15-26% had severe appetite loss, 18-19% had severe dry mouth, and 16-22% had severe pain); however, psychological distress of cancer patients exceeded that of non-cancer patients (28.0% vs 8.5%; p≤ 0.05). Severe psychological distress was associated with severe worry about future prospects or interpersonal and social issues and presence of two or more severe symptoms. Two thirds of the patients with severe psychological distress knew about the psychiatric division, but only one third actually sought treatment. Conclusions Needs related to psychological issues were more prevalent among cancer patients than among non-cancer patients, despite a similar level of physical distress. Special attention should be paid to cancer patients who worry over future prospects or interpersonal and social issues, and those who have two or more severe symptoms.