Seminars in oncology nursing
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To provide foundational knowledge about approaches to ethical decision-making that arise as part of palliative care of cancer patients and their families. ⋯ The increasingly complex healthcare environment makes it essential that nurses have an understanding of medical ethics and relevant federal and state laws so that this knowledge can be applied to the many issues arising in palliative and end-of-life care.
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To describe the evidence that palliative care, provided concurrently with disease-modifying treatment early in the course of a cancer diagnosis, can improve quality of life, length of survival, symptom burden, mood, and utilization of health services. ⋯ Oncology nurses can improve access by becoming knowledgeable about generalist palliative care and by advocating for local and national practice change.
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To describe the process of symptom management in the care of oncology patients with advanced cancer. ⋯ Effective symptom management requires that oncology nurses holistically assess the patient's symptom experience and goals of care, formulate specific symptom diagnoses, and develop, implement, and evaluate the outcomes of an evidence-based plan of care that is individualized and acceptable to the patient.
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Identify and discuss the nursing implications of personalized and precision oncology care. ⋯ Nurses face increasing challenges and opportunities in communication, support, and advocacy for patients given the availability of advanced testing, care and treatment in personalized and precision medicine. Nursing education and continuing education, clinical decision support, and health systems changes will be necessary to provide personalized multidisciplinary care to patients, in which nurses play a key role.
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To review the current guidelines/recommendations and the state of evidence regarding prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening. ⋯ Multiple guidelines and recommendations exist regarding PSA screening, and not all are in agreement. Nurses must be cognizant of the available scientific evidence upon which guidelines are based and the strength of this evidence as they apply findings in their teaching. Evaluation and application of scientific evidence facilitates informed patient/family decision-making.