Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Implementation Of A Functional Pain Scale In An Adult Cancer Center, Kristine Pantchenko

DNP Projects

Background: Best practices include assessing functional status in addition to pain intensity in patients with cancer experiencing pain. The Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale (DVPRS) is an effective tool for assessing pain intensity and functional status in patients with cancer.

Objective: To improve pain assessment among outpatient oncology patients in an adult cancer center by implementing the DVPRS and evaluating patient and nurse satisfaction with this tool.

Methods: The Model for Healthcare Improvement was followed for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of this project. Nurses completed an online education module and self-assessment quiz before an in-person simulation checkoff demonstrated …

Examining The Impact Of A Protein Intervention To Improve Outcomes In Frail Perioperative Candidates: A Feasibility Study, Anna M. Rose

DNP Projects

Background: Frailty is a syndrome or grouping of clinical characteristics that collectively increases one’s vulnerability to acute and external health stressors. Higher rates of frailty are present in oncology surgical patients and is a predictor of postoperative complications, as well as increased morbidity and mortality. Long- and short-term survival of surgical oncology patients is worse in frail patients than robust patients. Prehabilitation interventions during the planning phase of surgical intervention may serve to mitigate already known health concerns prior to inflicting the stressor that is surgical intervention.

Purpose: To measure the feasibility of an educational prehabilitative nutritional intervention aimed at …

Promotion Of Early Recognition Of Depression To Improve Health Related Quality Of Life In Pediatric Oncology Patients, Jennifer Blankenship

DNP Projects

Background: Depression and anxiety are serious complications of cancer and deemed a challenging diagnosis due to the symptoms of depression mimicking common side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Signs/symptoms frequently are underrecognized thus appropriate treatment is delayed, compromising the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for pediatric oncology patients.

Purpose: Analyze existing physician and Advanced Practice Provider (APP) clinical practice regarding depression, via a pre- and post-survey and educational PowerPoint on the use of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC) to promote early recognition of depression.

Methods: A prospective, single-arm, study was completed in the Kentucky Children’s …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Norton Cancer Institute’S Prompt Care Clinics, Stephanie L. Fred

DNP Projects

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to evaluate outcomes of implementation of the Norton Cancer Institute (NCI) Prompt Care Clinics (PCCs), to include number of emergency room (ER) visits and number of inpatient admissions. A second purpose of the study was to identify presenting symptoms for patients seen in the NCI PCCs and compare the average charge per case for patients seen in the ER or NCI PCCs with the same diagnosis.

Methods: This study employed a pre-post implementation retrospective review of NCI patient electronic medical records (EPIC) to examine the effectiveness of the NCI PCCs on …

Assessment Of Nurses’ Views And Current Practice Of Trauma-Informed Pediatric Nursing Care: Oncology, Alesandra S. Conley

DNP Projects

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to: (i) assess and evaluate the awareness, knowledge and current practice trends of pediatric oncology nurses as they relate to pediatric trauma-informed care. Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional sample of convenience was used to assess pediatric nursing staff at the Kentucky Children’s Hospital. The survey used in this study was replicated from a previous study, “Nurses’ Views and Current Practice of Trauma-Informed Pediatric Nursing Care,” authored by Kassam-Adams et al., nurses and doctors affiliated with Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital, Nemours Child Health System, Children's Hospital of …