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Research presented at the 2023 Society of Gynecologic Oncology Annual Meeting On Women’s Health suggests that the Carolina frailty index score may be useful for women with ovarian cancer. 

Carolina Frailty Index Score May Be Applicable in Assessment of Patients with Ovarian Cancer

The gynecological cancer lymphedema questionnaire and the lower extremity lymphedema screening questionnaire showed a demonstrable correlation in total scores, according to an analysis of women with advanced endometrial cancer. 

GCLQ and LELSQ Show Concordance in Assessment of Lymphedema in Patients With Endometrial Cancer

Terri Pollack, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC, discusses key data that may affect clinical practice for nurses from the 2023 GI Cancers Symposium.

Pollack Discusses Ongoing Research for Patients With Refractory mCRC and Other Hard-to-Treat GI Malignancies 

In this episode of "The Vitals," Terri Pollack, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC, underscores potentially practice-changing data which were presented during the 2023 GI Cancers Symposium.

Pollack Offers Perspective on 2023 ASCO GI Cancers Symposium 

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Lindsay Fischer is an editor at ONN. She joined MJH life sciences in 2021 after graduating from Rutgers University with majors in both English and Spanish and a minor in creative writing. When she is not writing, or researching the latest oncology nursing news, Lindsay is an amateur backpacker and rollerblader. Email Lindsay at lfischer@mjhlifesciences.com

Articles

The primary overall survival analysis of the phase 3 ZUMA-7 trial favors axicabtagene ciloleucel over standard of care therapy. 

Second-line Axi-Cel Improves Overall Survival in Patients With Relapsed/Refractory LBCL

A cohort study identified factors associated with late deaths in childhood cancer survivors. 

New Research Pinpoints Potential Risk Factors for Late Deaths in Childhood Cancer Survivors 

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The FDA has approved updated labeling for capecitabine under Project Renewal, an Oncology Center of Excellence initiative aimed at updating labeling information for certain older oncology drugs.

Label Update for Capecitabine Expands and Updates Indications

Sometimes nurses inappropriately handle high-risk medications. It is important that other nurses, especially those who work in pain management, hold colleagues accountable to promote patient safety. 

Opinion: The Good Nurse Brings Safe Narcotic Handling to the Forefront of Nursing Minds

Seon Jo Park, PharmD, BCOP and Heather Kennihan, MSN, RN, OCN, discuss the best practices that their institution uses to ensure the safe handling of immunotherapy. 

Experts Provide an Institutional Perspective on the Safe Handling of Immunotherapy Treatments

Powerful chemicals used in chemotherapy may pose safety hazards for oncology nurses, pharmacists, and other health care providers if not handled properly.

USP <800>: Still a Work in Progress?

Independent verification of documentation is paramount to patient safety.

Independent 2-Nurse Verification Process in Distribution of Oral Investigational Chemo/Immunotherapy Proves Helpful

Jamie Fritz, RPh, Oral Pharmacy Manager, Compass Oncology, describes the vital role that oral oncology nurses play in cancer care, assisting with positive quality interventions (PQIs), a Quality Standard created by the National Community Oncology Dispensing Association (NCODA), managing adverse events, and collaborating with the rest of the care team.

Registered pharmacist Jamie Fritz, RPh, Oral Pharmacy Manager, Compass Oncology, describes the vital role that oral oncology nurses play in cancer care.

Role of the Oral Oncology Nurse

From financial toxicity to lifestyle, there are many factors that could prevent patients from consistently taking their medication. Kathy Oubre, MS, Chief Operating Officer, Pontchartrain Cancer Center in Covington, Louisiana, shares some barriers to adherence to oral oncolytics that patients may face.

There’s no way a checklist can be as comprehensive as it needs to be to cover all possible influential factors, Oubre said. Having a conversation with patients is the best way to get a clear understanding of what their barriers might be and how to overcome them.

Kathy Oubre, MS, Chief Operating Officer, Pontchartrain Cancer Center in Covington, Louisiana, shares some barriers to adherence to oral oncolytics that patients may face.

Assessing Barriers to Oral Oncolytic Adherence

Kim Christen, RN, BSN, OCN, of Kootenai Clinic Cancer Services discusses the issue of safe handling and how the onsite pharmacy at Kootenai reinforces safety.

Adherence to safe handling guidelines for hazardous material can be a difficult issue—this is especially true as a lot of seasoned and experienced oncology nurses are heading for retirement. It is important for vigilant education, monitoring and audits to be sure that all nurses are compliant with personal protective equipment (PPE) and other standards. At Kootenai, having the pharmacy onsite has helped to keep nurses educated.

Kim Christen, RN, BSN, OCN, discusses the issue of safe handling and how the onsite pharmacy at Kootenai reinforces safety.

Kim Christen on Safe Handling for Hazardous Drugs

Amy Callahan, RN, DNP, CRNP, AOCNS, nurse manager, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University, discusses barriers to safe handling of chemotoxic materials.

Callahan says that a significant barrier to safe handling is having personal protective equipment (PPE) out of reach. Especially at high-volume clinics where nurses are covering multiple chemotherapeutic agents and treatments, they may have trouble donning PPE if it’s not conveniently accessible. Callahan adds that nurses are more likely to protect the patient before protecting themselves.

Another important factor for safe handling, Callahan says, is adequate staffing and having an appropriate patient-to-nurse ratio.

Amy Callahan, RN, DNP, CRNP, AOCNS, nurse manager, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University, discusses barriers to safe handling of chemotoxic materials.


Amy Callahan on Barriers to Safe Handling

Christopher R. Friese, PhD, RN, AOCN, FAAN, assistant professor, Division of System Leadership and Effectiveness Science, University of Michigan School of Nursing, discusses the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) $2.3 million research grant that will be used to identify exposure risks.

The study, which will last 4 years, will be conducted in 11 cancer centers across the country and will enroll over 300 nurses, Friese says. The study will characterize the issues of personal protective equipment (PPE) and potential exposure to chemotherapy that oncology nurses face on a day-to-day basis and test an intervention to help reduce the risk of exposure.

Friese says the first intervention that will be tested is a web-based educational module that will list the facts and figures of the NIOSH alert. The second intervention will tailor the message to nurses who are facing barriers in their practice. The information from the second intervention will be available to nurses.

Friese says when nurses get feedback, they’re more likely to make changes.

Christopher Friese Discusses a 4-Year Study to Examine Nurse Exposure to Hazardous Drugs

Seth Eisenberg, RN, ADN, OCN, professional practice coordinator, infusion services, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, discusses using a multilayered approach to chemotherapy safety.

Eisenberg says that while closed system transfer devices add another layer of safety, it is only one part of preventing contamination. Wipe tests have shown that there can be chemotherapy contamination on the outside of chemotherapy vials before it even reaches the hospitals.

Researchers need to look at the big picture and reevaluate how chemotherapy is delivered to hospitals, Eisenberg says. However, it is going to cost a tremendous amount of money and time to reinvest a vial that made delivery more safe.

Seth Eisenberg Discusses a Multilayered Approach to Chemotherapy Safety

Michael Smart, RN, BSN, OCN, nurse educator, Huntsville Hospital, Huntsville, Alabama, discusses way to improve chemotherapy safe handling.

Smart says at his institution, nurses would only use the gloves even though both gloves and gowns were provided. By putting the gloves and the gowns in the same bag, nurses were more likely to utilize both parts of the protective equipment.

Smart says when it is explained to nurses that everyone else’s safety was at risk, nurses were more likely to comply with safety measures. It only takes the poor practice of one person for the environment to become contaminated.

Smart also points out that it only takes a small amount of chemotherapy spillage to contaminate the area.

Michael Smart Discusses Ways to Improve Chemotherapy Safe Handling

Marianne Davies, RN, MSN, ACNP, AOCN, Smilow Cancer Hospital, Yale School of Nursing, discusses the importance of chemotherapy safety.

Davies says chemotherapy handling, administration, and education is important to both nurses and patients. At the Smilow Cancer Hospitals, nurses follow the ONS certification for safe handling of chemotherapy. Davies says her institution also added simulations to monitor how nurses are handling, double-checking, and administering chemotherapy.

Many patients are unaware of the steps that nurses take before administering chemotherapy, Davies says. Educating patients on the process is needed.

Marianne Davies Discusses Chemotherapy Safety for Nurses and Patients

MiKaela Olsen, MS, RN, AOCN, clinical nurse specialist, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, discusses chemotherapy safety among oncology nurses.

Olsen says she feels that oncology nurses have made a lot of progress in this field. However, there is still a long way to go. The large, academic teaching hospitals seem to be further along than smaller, rural hospitals, Olsen says.

Olsen says the United States is also making steps to better chemotherapy safety and seems to be further along than the rest of the world. Some states have taken steps to require workers to wear PPEs when handling chemotherapy.

MiKaela Olsen Discusses Chemotherapy Safety Among Oncology Nurses

Seth Eisenberg, RN, ADN, OCN, professional practice coordinator, infusion services, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, discusses the importance of practicing total chemotherapy safety when nurses handle chemotherapy.

Eisenberg explains that since there are a number of areas in which a contamination can occur, nurses have to look at chemotherapy handling safety in layers. Nurses should not rely solely on any one particular system because nothing is going to function with complete accuracy, Eisenberg says.

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