scholarly journals Ambulatory Oncology Nurses' and Nurse Practitioners' Self Perception of Competence in Cancer Survivorship Care

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracy Carraggi
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Cancer Survivorship ◽  
Nurse Practitioners ◽  
Symptom Management ◽  
Oncology Nurses ◽  
Survivorship Care ◽  
Self Perception

The advances in cancer research with medical treatments and early detection practices have improved the survival of cancer patients as they are living longer and the rate of cancer survivors are increasing steadily. Cancer survivors may experience residual side effects from cancer or its treatment. These side effects may be disabling acutely or long-term causing physical and psychological effects that can negatively affect quality of life. There is a need for extended follow-up care for cancer survivors beyond solely just receiving treatment for cancer. Nurses and nurse practitioners can make a huge impact on the quality of life for cancer survivors by providing education, symptom management, promoting healthy lifestyles, preventative care, emotional support, and cancer surveillance. Research has shown that knowledge and competence in cancer survivorship care exist. The purpose of this project was to examine oncology nurses and nurse practitioner’s self-perception of competence in cancer survivorship care. A survey questionnaire “Caring for patients living with and beyond cancer competency tool” was administered to nurses and nurse practitioners at the outpatient oncology institute. The survey measured self-perception of competence in the areas of clinical practice, symptom management, care coordination, and proactive management. Twenty-nine participants (n=29), twenty-five nurses and four nurse practitioners completed the survey. Results indicated self-perception of knowledge deficits in certain areas of cancer survivorship care. The findings support the need for continuing education and training to give nurses and nurse practitioners the knowledge and skills to care for a growing population of cancer survivors.

Problem-solving skills training in adult cancer survivors: Bright IDEAS-AC.

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e24109-e24109
Author(s):  
Katia Noyes ◽  
Olle Jane Sahler ◽  
Alaina Zapf ◽  
Rachel Depner ◽  
Alissa Huston ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Cancer Survivorship ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Survivorship Care ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Adult Cancer Survivors

e24109 Background: Cancer patients experience significant distress throughout treatment and especially during transition back to normal life with greater burden on socially disadvantaged patients and those with medical comorbidities. Patient stressors can interfere with their ability to make reasoned and timely decisions about survivorship care and lead to poor quality of life and low physical and social functioning. This pilot effectiveness-implementation study examined the impact and feasibility of offering the Bright IDEAS system of Problem-Solving Skills Training (PSST) to adult cancer survivors to help them and their caregivers cope more successfully with decision making and distress. Methods: Patients with breast (21), prostate (9) or colorectal (20) cancer who completed their definitive cancer treatment within the last 6 months and had their cancer survivorship visit were recruited from two regional cancer centers and affiliated community oncology clinics. Patients with an NCCN distress level > 2 were randomly assigned to either care as usual (CAU) or 8 weekly PSST sessions provided by a trained therapist in person or remotely. Patients were invited but not required to include a supportive other (n = 17). Patient and caregiver assessments at baseline (T1), end of intervention/3 months (T2), and 3 months post intervention/6 months (T3) focused on problem-solving skills (SPSI-25), distress (HADS) and quality of life (FACT). We also collected healthcare utilization data. We compared outcome changes T1-T2 and T1-T3, by study arm, using t-tests. Multivariate regression analysis identified subgroups of patients with positive and negative responses to skills training. Results: Average age of the participants was 63 years (45 to 87) with racial and ethnic distributions representative of the local population (88% white). Two thirds were women (n = 32), one third of the patients were recruited and received therapy fully remotely due to COVID-19-related protocol changes. Patients who received PSST reported a reduction in dysfunctional problem-solving style and improvement in constructive style while problem-solving skills of CAU patients trended in the opposite direction. Patients in the PSST arm also reported significant reduction in anxiety and depression and improvement in cancer-specific quality of life (p < 0.05) that was sustained at 6 months. Patients in the PSST arm reported lower use of hospital and ED services compared to CAU patients (p = 0.07). Better improvement in outcomes was driven by lower problem-solving skills at baseline. Conclusions: Despite the logistical complexity of running a clinical trial during quarantine, patients and caregivers in the PSST arm demonstrated meaningful improvement in distress and quality of life. The evidence from this pilot study will help guide development of a future multi-site randomized clinical trial of the effect of PSST on cancer survivorship care and outcomes. Clinical trial information: NCT03567850.

Quality of life among cancer survivors by model of cancer survivorship care

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Hannah Arem, PhD ◽  
Megan Landry, PhD ◽  
Carla Berg, PhD ◽  
L. Pratt-Chapman, PhD Mandi ◽  
Katherine Mead Holly, PhD
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Cancer Survivorship ◽  
Survivorship Care

scholarly journals The Effects of Pharmacological and Non-Pharmacological Interventions on Symptom Management and Quality of Life among Breast Cancer Survivors Undergoing Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy: A Systematic Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 2950 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen W.H. Chan ◽  
Daria Tai ◽  
Stephanie Kwong ◽  
Ka Ming Chow ◽  
Dorothy N.S. Chan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Endocrine Therapy ◽  
Symptom Management ◽  
Breast Cancer Survivors ◽  
Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy ◽  
Survivorship Care ◽  
Pharmacological Interventions

Breast cancer survivors need to undergo adjuvant endocrine therapy after completion of curative treatments to prevent disease recurrence. These individuals often experience symptoms which are detrimental to their quality of life (QOL). Implementation of interventions for effective symptom management among these survivors is warranted. This review provides an overview of studies on the effectiveness of the previously developed interventions for breast cancer survivors undergoing adjuvant endocrine therapy on symptom alleviation and enhancement of QOL or health-related QOL (HRQOL). Five electronic databases were employed in the literature search. Study selection, data extraction and critical appraisal of the included studies were conducted by three authors independently. Twenty-four studies were included. Both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions are effective in addressing the symptoms associated with adjuvant endocrine therapy among the breast cancer survivors, and in improving their QOL, although discrepancies were noted between the studies in terms of the significance of these effects. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions can be effective for symptom management among breast cancer survivors. Their implementation is recommended for effective survivorship care for these individuals. Further research on intervention development for breast cancer survivors is recommended to provide further evidence for the utility of the explored interventions in survivorship care for these patients.

scholarly journals Concerns and Quality of Life of Cancer Survivors Across the Survivorship Trajectory: A Singapore Perspective

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gek Phin Chua ◽  
Quan Sing Ng ◽  
Hiang Khoon Tan ◽  
Whee Sze Ong
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Cancer Survivorship ◽  
Recurrence Risk ◽  
Term Treatment ◽  
Fear Of Recurrence ◽  
Long Term Treatment

Abstract Background The aim of this study is to determine the main concerns of survivors at various stages of the cancer survivorship of the cancer survivorship trajectory and to assess whether these concerns have any effect on their quality of life (QOL). The overall goal was to use the insights from the study to guide practice on patient care. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 1107 cancer survivors diagnosed with colorectal, breast, lung, gynaecological, prostate or liver cancers from a cancer centre in Singapore. Eligible patients self-completed a questionnaire adapted from the Mayo Clinic Cancer Centre’s Cancer Survivors Survey of Needs. Results The top 5 concerns among all survivors were cancer treatment and recurrence risk (51%), followed by long-term treatment effects (49%), fear of recurrence (47%), financial concerns (37%) and fatigue (37%). Cancer treatment and recurrence risk, long-term treatment effects and fear of recurrence were amongst the top concerns across the survivorship trajectory. Mean QOL was 7.3 on a scale of 0 – 10. Completed treatment patients had higher QOL score than the newly diagnosed and on treatment patients and the patients dealing with recurrence or second cancer patients. Predictors for QOL included the economic status and housing type of patients and whether patients were concerned with pain and fatigue Conclusion This study confirms that cancer survivors in Singapore face multiple challenges and had various concerns at various stages of cancer survivorship, some of which negatively affect their QOL It is critical to design patient care delivery that appropriately address the various concerns of cancer survivors in order for them to cope and improve their QOL.

scholarly journals A Cross-Sectional Comparison of Quality of Life Between Physically Active and Underactive Older Men With Prostate Cancer

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 642-648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samara Boisen ◽  
Chris Krägeloh ◽  
Daniel Shepherd ◽  
Clare Ryan ◽  
Jonathan Masters ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Specific Antigen ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Older Men ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Prostate Cancer Survivors

Men with prostate cancer experience many side effects and symptoms that may be improved by a physically active lifestyle. It was hypothesized that older men with prostate cancer who were physically active would report significantly higher levels of quality of life (QOL) as assessed by the WHOQOL-BREF and the WHOQOL-OLD. Of the 348 prostate cancer survivors who were invited to participate in the present postal survey, 137 men returned the questionnaires. Those who were physically active had significantly lower prostate specific antigen (PSA) scores and higher social participation than those insufficiently active. These findings offer some support for the benefits of physical activity (PA) within the prostate cancer population in managing the adverse side effects of their treatments on aspects of their QOL. Future research should more closely examine what types of PA best promote improvements in varying aspects of QOL and psychological well-being for prostate cancer survivors.

Quality of life and current needs of cancer survivors enrolled in Humanitas Research Hospital's survivorship care model.

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (7_suppl) ◽  
pp. 170-170
Author(s):  
Elena Lorenzi ◽  
Lucia Morello ◽  
Laura Giordano ◽  
Elisa Agostinetto ◽  
Camille Grosso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Complete Remission ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Hormonal Therapy ◽  
Psychological Symptom ◽  
Care Plan ◽  
Survivorship Care Plan ◽  
Survivorship Care ◽  
Weight Changes

170 Background: While there are different studies investigating the quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients (pts) during active treatment, few studies report QoL of cancer survivors (CS) after at least 5 years (yrs) from achieving complete remission. We have investigated QoL and concerns about physical\psychological symptom of CS enrolled in our survivorship program from April 2015 to December 2016. Methods: We included pts > 18 yrs affected by hematologic or solid tumors after at least 5 yrs from achieving complete remission. A cross-sectional survey was carried out using validated scales: Cancer Survivors Survey of Needs subscale and a single-item measure of global QoL perception. Results: We analyzed data from 178 CS. The median age was 62 yrs (52 yrs at diagnosis), 70% were females. The most frequent histological types were breast (50%), colorectal (11%) and hematologic tumors (16%). Most pts received both chemotherapy and radiation therapy. With a median observation time of 139 months, the 10-yrs cumulative incidence of second neoplasm and cardiac adverse event was 8% and 7% respectively. 133 pts (65%) reported a good QoL (score > 3). The most frequent symptoms reported were weight changes (77%), memory\concentration deficit (65%), dental\mouth problems (61%). The most common physical\psychological symptoms were fear of relapse (83%), genetic counseling (68%), living with uncertainty (66%). A positive statistically significant association (p < 0.05) was observed between previous hormonal therapy and the following concerns (score ≥2): sleep disturbance (42% vs 35%); weight gain (31% vs 24%), osteoporosis (35% vs 18%), living with uncertainty (44% vs 38%). Female reported more fear of relapse (p 0.023) and sense of uncertainty (p 0.006) than males. 92% of pts have fully or partially adhered to the survivorship care plan. Conclusions: Most CS have a good QoL perception but we observed a high percentage of pts with a low score indicating different needs to be addressed. Pts treated with hormonal therapy are at higher risk of having both physical and psychological concerns. So far, the compliance of pts with the program was high.

Determining the impact of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: A survey of cancer survivors.

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e24080-e24080
Author(s):  
Eva Battaglini ◽  
David Goldstein ◽  
Susanna Park
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Peripheral Neuropathy ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Side Effect ◽  
Functional Disability ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
The Impact

e24080 Background: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a major yet poorly understood side effect of cancer treatment, leading to symptoms including numbness, tingling and pain. It can lead to cessation of effective treatment, long-term functional disability and reduced quality of life. Despite this, there is currently little understanding of its impact. Methods: The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of neurotoxic chemotherapy side effects on the lives of cancer survivors. Data was collected via an online survey covering demographics, cancer diagnosis and treatment, CIPN and other side effects of chemotherapy, using standardised measures to assess comorbidities, quality of life, physical activity, pain and CIPN symptoms. Results: Data was analysed from 986 respondents who were treated with neurotoxic therapies (83% female, 16% male), with mean age 59 years ( SD 10.7 years). A majority of respondents were treated for breast cancer (59%), 14% for colorectal cancer and 11% for multiple myeloma. Chemotherapy types received included paclitaxel (32%), docetaxel (32%) and oxaliplatin (13%), and respondents completed treatment a mean of 3.6 years ago. The majority of respondents (80%) reported experiencing neuropathic symptoms after finishing chemotherapy, with 77% reporting current CIPN. Those with CIPN reported functional impacts, with 23% reporting moderate to severe problems with hand function and 28% reporting moderate to severe walking difficulties. CIPN was second most commonly rated as the treatment side effect having the greatest impact, following fatigue. Respondents with high levels of current CIPN symptoms had poorer quality of life, more comorbid health conditions, higher BMI and more often received multiple neurotoxic chemotherapies than those with low levels of CIPN symptoms. In addition, respondents who reported meeting government physical activity guidelines had lower CIPN and higher quality of life scores than those who did not meet the guidelines. Regression analyses investigating the association between quality of life and clinical and sociodemographic characteristics resulted in a model with comorbid health conditions, CIPN symptoms, years since treatment, age and physical activity as significant predictors of quality of life. Conclusions: These findings suggest that CIPN has a lasting impact on cancer survivors, leading to decreases in quality of life, often occurring alongside poorer general health. This impact supports the need for further research to improve assessment, prevention and treatment.

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