41st ONS Congress Showcases Resources and Insights for Today's Oncology Nurse
April 28th 2016A team of editors from Oncology Nursing News and CURE magazine will be in San Antonio at the 41st Annual ONS Congress covering sessions and interviewing nurses about their research of interest to oncology professionals and to the patients and survivors they tweet.
Telephone Intervention Reduces Unplanned Hospitalizations for Patients With Blood Cancers
April 30th 2015A navigator-designed, proactive, weekly, telephone support call to help patients with blood cancers manage their symptoms between appointments was able to significantly reduce unplanned hospitalizations at a Colorado cancer center.
Navigation Program Increases Uptake of Lung Cancer Screening and Facilitates Follow-Up
April 29th 2015A nurse navigator–led program aimed at improving awareness, access, and uptake of low-dose CT screening for individuals at high risk of lung cancer resulted in improved screening rates with the potential to improve patient outcomes by catching the disease at its earliest stages.
"Welcome to the Walk-through Colon" and Other GI Navigation Success Stories
April 27th 2015Oncology nurse navigators are known for identifying gaps in cancer care, being proactive in setting goals to address them, and designing specific interventions that lead not only to better-and measurable-outcomes but also to increased patient satisfaction.
For Cancer Patients, Chamomile and Honey are More Than Teatime Fare
April 25th 2015The concerns a family might have when a loved one develops squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity might seem obvious: fear that the patient will have a shorter life due to advanced disease, empathy for her pain, and a feeling of isolation in facing a rare presentation of cancer.
Join the Conversation: Using Social Media to Enhance Your Practice
April 25th 2015Do social media platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook represent an opportunity for oncology nurses to network and keep up with the latest in evidence-based practice, or are they a time-sucking nuisance, and even worse, a possible professional landmine?
More Patient Interest in Clinical Trials an Opportunity to Boost Enrollment
April 24th 2015While clinical trials remain a treatment option and play a significant role in furthering cancer research in treatment, symptom management and survivorship, less than 5% of patients participate in them, and 40% of patients report that they do not understand the idea of a clinical trial.
Early Warning Scorecard Helps Identify Signs of Patient Deterioration in Oncology
April 24th 2015Using a color-coded, pocket-sized early warning scorecard has the potential to help nurses and other clinicians assess when cancer patients are deteriorating, and it's an intervention that could help avoid acute hospitalizations and even save lives, according to two clinical nurse specialists from Johns Hopkins who shared their experience with piloting an early warning tool.
Erica Fischer-Cartlidge Discusses Oral Mucositis Treatment for Patients Taking an mTOR Inhibitor
April 23rd 2015Erica Fischer-Cartlidge MSN, CNS, CBCN, AOCNS, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Outpatient Breast Medicine Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the difference between oral mucositis in patients receiving chemotherapy and patients taking an mTOR inhibitor.
Alice Kerber on the Oncology Nurse's Role in Cancer Genetics
April 23rd 2015Alice S. Kerber, MN, APRN, ACNS-BC, AOCN, APNG, Oncology Nurse Specialist, Georgia Center for Oncology Research and Education, explains how oncology nurses and genetic counselors will work together as the field of cancer genetics continues to grow.
Getting Some Sleep-an Unmet Need in Patients, Survivors, and Caregivers
April 23rd 2015Insomnia, restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea, and other sleep issues often affect quality of life in cancer patients, their caregivers, and survivors. Unfortunately, sleep complaints can often be overlooked by the medical staff or not mentioned by the patient.
Archana Ajmera on Stomatitis Prevention During Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatment
May 3rd 2014Archana Ajmera, RN, MSN, WHNP-BC, ANP-BC, nurse practitioner, University of California, San Francisco, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses stomatitis prevention during everolimus/exemestane treatment for metastatic breast cancer.
Advancements in Melanoma Present New Challenges for Nurses
May 3rd 2014Advances in precision medicine for the treatment of melanoma include novel small-molecule inhibitors targeting signal transduction pathways in BRAF and NRAS mutations and cutting-edge drugs in the area of immune-modulation, whereby the patient's own immune system is mobilized to attack the tumor.
Nurses Can Adapt Programs From Other Conditions to Improve Oral Therapy Adherence
May 2nd 2014With an increasing number of cancer therapies being delivered orally, the importance of adherence continues to grow, and efforts to adapt adherence programs from other conditions like HIV could lead to better outcomes.
Denise Fleming on Pre-Treatment Phone Calls to Outpatient Chemotherapy Patients
May 2nd 2014Denise Fleming, RN, BSN, OCN, University of California Davis Health System, Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses the idea of a pre-treatment education phone call to patients scheduled to receive their first chemotherapy regimen in an outpatient facility.