Oncology nursing forum
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Oncology nursing forum · Mar 2005
Oncology nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and experiences regarding advance directives.
To determine oncology nurses' knowledge of, attitudes toward, and experiences with advance directives (ADs). ⋯ More education related to ADs is needed and could be administered through in-service classes or continuing education. Nurses' responses indicated that they need more time to assist patients with completing ADs. This is difficult in the current practice environment but must be recognized as critically important.
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Oncology nursing forum · Jan 2005
Representations of fatigue in women receiving chemotherapy for gynecologic cancers.
To describe women's representations of fatigue and fatigue-related coping efforts by women receiving chemotherapy. ⋯ Nurses must make extra efforts to ask patients about fatigue and to provide self-care suggestions for coping with fatigue. Research efforts must continue to evaluate the efficacy of nursing interventions aimed at decreasing cancer-related fatigue.
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Oncology nursing forum · Nov 2004
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical TrialThe PRO-SELF pain control program improves patients' knowledge of cancer pain management.
To evaluate the effectiveness of a psychoeducational program (i.e., PRO-SELF Pain Control Program) compared to standard care in increasing patients' knowledge regarding cancer pain management. ⋯ The use of a structured paper-and-pencil questionnaire, such as the PES, as part of a psychoeducational intervention provides an effective foundation for patient education in cancer pain management. Oncology nurses can use patients' responses to this type of questionnaire to individualize the teaching and to spend more time on the identified knowledge deficits. This individualized approach to education about pain management may save staff time and improve patient outcomes.
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Oncology nursing forum · Nov 2004
Burden and depression among caregivers of patients with cancer at the end of life.
To examine the patient and family caregiver variables that predicted caregiver burden and depression for family caregivers of patients with cancer at the end of life. ⋯ Very little research exists that prospectively analyzes family caregiver experiences of burden and depression when providing end-of-life cancer care for a family member. Interventions aimed at decreasing caregiver depressive symptoms should be targeted to caregivers who are middle-aged, adult children, and employed. Interventions aimed at decreasing the burden associated with feeling abandoned and having schedules disrupted while providing care should be targeted to caregivers who are female, nonspouse, and adult children, and caregivers of patients with early-stage cancer and multiple symptoms.