Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Management Of Distress In Adult Oncology Patients, Lauren Jongsma

Doctoral Projects

Cancer related distress has the potential to negatively impact the health of the patient and their treatment outcome (Grassi, Spiegel, & Riba, 2017). As identification and treatment of distress has a positive impact on patient outcomes; the Commission on Cancer (2016) required distress screening for accreditation. Key stakeholders within a Midwest hospital system expressed a desire for the improvement in the current state of the distress screening. Thus, the scholarly paper describes the key attributes of the organizational assessment, a literature review on evidence-based distress screening tool and a quality improvement project. The Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health …

Care Of Adult Cancer Survivors, Kelsey Kloosterman

Doctoral Projects

As innovative cancer treatments emerge, more people are surviving cancer. Cancer survivors have multiple and unique healthcare needs due to their cancer and cancer treatments. Communication among those treating the cancer, primary care providers, and cancer survivors is necessary to coordinate care once treatment is finished. The development of a survivorship care plan that is reviewed with the cancer survivor is intended to facilitate communication among all stakeholders. This quality improvement project examined current practice in a survivorship clinic in a Midwestern health system cancer center that cares for a variety of types of cancer patients. By reviewing evidence in …

Prevention Of Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection (Clabsi) In Adult Oncology Patients, Christina Winkelman

Doctoral Projects

Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI) is a preventable issue in healthcare. CLABSI contributes to negative patient outcomes and increased healthcare cost. Research demonstrates that many interventions are effective in reducing the rate of CLABSI. The implementation of CLABSI bundles can significantly reduce the occurrence of CLABSI. This quality improvement project implemented a CLABSI bundle that specifically targeted identified areas of weakness in CLABSI prevention at an organization with a focus on adult oncology care. The three part CLABSI prevention bundle focused on: (a) registered nurses (RN) changing and documenting endcaps in the electronic health record after blood administration, (b) RNs …

Evidence Based Toolkit To Improve Oncology Referrals To Palliative Care, Katelyn M. Gettel

Doctoral Projects

As cancer related mortality decreases, the number of patients living with cancer symptoms and the side effects of cancer treatment will continue to grow. In 2016, over 1.5 million Americans were newly diagnosed with cancer (American Cancer Society, 2016). Several major medical organizations including the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), and the World Health Organization (WHO) endorse the integration of palliative care into cancer care (Ramchandran, 2015). Although many cancer centers report offering palliative care, this remains largely limited to inpatient services.

The stakeholders of the hospice and palliative care division of a …