Moving Beyond Old Prejudices for the Sake of Patient Care: Incorporating Cannabis in Cancer Symptom Management

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Patient Care ◽  
Symptom Management ◽  
Cancer Symptom Management

Developing an eHealth intervention for cancer symptom management for rural residents.

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (26_suppl) ◽  
pp. 207-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Gilbertson-White ◽  
Chi Yeung ◽  
Keri Nace Mercer ◽  
Dorota Bartoczszyk ◽  
Todd Papke
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Symptom Management ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Rural Residents ◽  
Cancer Symptoms ◽  
Cancer Symptom Management ◽  
Web App ◽  
The Web

207 Background: A disproportionate number of late-stage cancer diagnoses occur in rural residents. Paradoxically this population, with an increased need for palliative care, has minimal access to these services. As smartphone and high-speed internet connectivity reaches near universal penetrance across the country, eHealth technologies have the potential to address this palliative care access gap. Oncology Associated Symptoms and Individualized Strategies (OASIS) web-app was developed to provide tailored cancer symptom self-management support and address this gap. Methods: A two-phased, mixed-methods design was used to: (1) assess stakeholder needs and opinions on the role of eHealth technologies to manage cancer symptoms; and (2) beta test a symptom self-management web-app. Adult patients with advanced cancer and clinic staff from two rural cancer clinics were recruited. A descriptive qualitative approach was used to analyze the patient interviews and staff focus groups. Themes related to symptom management needs and the role of technology were identified. OASIS was developed to address the themes found in phase 1. OASIS consists of 57 self-management strategies for 15 cancer symptoms and a visual symptom/strategy tracker for patients to monitor their symptoms and improve their self-management skills. Results: n = 15 patients were interviewed and n = 11 staff participated in focus groups. Themes identified were “fatalistic acceptance”, “teaching self how to manage symptoms”, and “balancing information needs”. To address these themes OASIS was developed and beta-tested with n = 10 rural residents with advanced cancer. 100% of participants were able to access OASIS via their home internet connection, 80% understood how to use the web-app after one 15 min teaching session, and 50% requested access to the web-app for family to help them with their symptoms. Conclusions: Patients and staff in rural communities have significant cancer symptom management needs and are interested in using eHealth technologies to address these needs. OASIS was found to be accessible, user friendly, easily navigated, and visually appealing. Future research is needed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability as well as the efficacy of OASIS.

Novel malignant bowel obstruction (MBO) management program for women with advanced gynecological cancer.

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (31_suppl) ◽  
pp. 158-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeh Chen Lee ◽  
Nazlin Jivraj ◽  
Catherine O'Brien ◽  
Jenny Lau ◽  
Tanya Chawla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Patient Care ◽  
Bowel Obstruction ◽  
Symptom Management ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Oncology Nurses ◽  
Malignant Bowel Obstruction ◽  
Gynecological Cancers ◽  
Management Algorithm

158 Background: Malignant bowel obstruction (MBO) is a common and challenging clinical predicament in women with advanced gynecological cancers. However, there is a lack of evidence-based guidelines or innovative approaches to improve patient care and quality of life. We implemented an inter-professional MBO management program incorporating a nurse-led ambulatory symptom management algorithm and multidisciplinary care conferences (MCC) as hallmarks of this program. Methods: Princess Margaret Cancer Centre has piloted an inter-professional MBO management program that supports women with advanced gynecological cancers who are at risk of/have developed MBO. The MBO team includes oncologists (medical, surgical, gynecologic and radiation), palliative care physicians, diagnostic and interventional radiologists, home parenteral nutrition physicians, specialized oncology nurses, dietitians, pharmacists and social workers. Complex MBO cases are discussed at regular MCC to derive treatment consensus. A symptom-driven MBO management algorithm has been devised and all patients are educated with a personalized bowel symptom management and dietary plan. For outpatient care, patients with MBO are proactively monitored by our specialized oncology nurses via phone or an eHealth bowel application to facilitate communication of symptoms and early intervention. Access to community services and home palliative care services are utilized to support care at home. All patients are enrolled into a prospective database to assess care impact and quality. Results: A total of 145 patients have been followed through the MBO management program over 12 months. At time of data cutoff, 14 had MBO (3 inpatients and 11 outpatients) and 22 were deemed at risk of MBO. Majority patients are managed as an outpatient and avoided unnecessary emergency department episodes. Detailed methodology and data analyses will be presented. Conclusions: A successful novel MBO program incorporating inter-professional care model and nurse-led ambulatory symptom management algorithm optimizes patient care in this vulnerable population and foster collaboration in implementing best practice clinical processes.

scholarly journals Implementation of Symptom Protocols for Nurses Providing Telephone-Based Cancer Symptom Management: A Comparative Case Study

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 420-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dawn Stacey ◽  
Esther Green ◽  
Barbara Ballantyne ◽  
Joy Tarasuk ◽  
Myriam Skrutkowski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Symptom Management ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Cancer Symptom Management

Quality of telephone-based cancer symptom management by nurses: a quality improvement project

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 841-849
Author(s):  
Dawn Stacey ◽  
Claire Ludwig ◽  
Lynne Jolicoeur ◽  
Meg Carley ◽  
Katelyn Balchin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Symptom Management ◽  
Quality Improvement Project ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
Cancer Symptom Management
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