Oncology Commons^™

Women's Experience Of Cancer Treatment During Covid-19 On The Texas-Mexico Border, Kayla E. Castañeda

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed existing racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, geographic, and gender disparities in cancer care and highlighted the need for more research in understudied populations. No studies have elucidated the experience of women living on the Texas-Mexico border receiving cancer treatment during the pandemic. This study explored the lived experience of receiving cancer treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 for women living on the Texas-Mexico border and identified participants' self-identified unmet needs while receiving cancer treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic on the Texas-Mexico border. Following IRB approval and informed consent, ten women living on the Texas-Mexico border who received …

Effects Of Nurse-Led Triage Tool To Initiate Palliative Care Consult For Cancer Patients Being Treated In The Emergency Department, Kelsie Peterson, Samantha Bauer

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

BACKGROUND: Cancer is currently the second leading cause of death in the United States and has a significant impact on our society in the United States, as well as across the world. Evidence shows that cancer patients seeking care in the ED are experiencing a delay in palliative care consults, resulting in a delay of care and increased length of stay.

LOCAL PROBLEM: The project was completed in the emergency department at a level-one trauma center in the southeast region of the United States. The problem in practice is that adult cancer patients coming to the emergency department …

Implementation Of Lymphedema Education Toolkit For Nurse Coordinators, Heather Gee

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: Lymphedema is a chronic condition that develops secondary to cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgical removal of affected lymph nodes. This swelling in patient’s limbs can cause discomfort and limit mobility, however lymphedema is often not detected until later stages, delaying treatment and patient education.

Context: This quality improvement project was conducted at Hospital S Women’s Cancer Center, an outpatient center specializing in advanced treatments for breast and gynecological cancers. This center has a multidisciplinary team focusing on both the medical and surgical aspects of oncology treatment.

Interventions: An evidence-based lymphedema education toolkit was created for nurse …

Impact Of Fall Education To Oncology Staff On Oncology Patient Fall Rates, Danni Sloane

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Significance & Background

Falls and fall-related injuries impact patients' health outcomes and are the most commonly reported adverse event in hospitals. Patient falls also affect reimbursement rates and can increase length of stay by about 6.3 days and increase undue patient harm. An increase of patients falls on the medical and surgical oncology acute care units have caused undue physical harm, increased moral distress, mental fatigue, and burnout in nurses; as well as placing financial burdens on the healthcare system. Implementing fall education and interventions aligns with national patient safety goals, is a top-priority project, is in alignment with the …

Evidence-Based Practice - Oral Mucositis Prevention In Chemotherapy Patients: A Benchmark Project, Carrie Davenport

MSN Capstone Projects

The purpose of this implementation project is to help decrease the rates of mucosal barrier injuries (MBI’s) and oral mucositis (OM) in patients receiving chemotherapy on the oncology unit. In 2022, it was reported that seven MBI’s occurred on an oncology unit in a large county hospital in an urban area. This secondary infection has the potential to increase morbidity, increase treatment costs, lengthen hospital stays, and can have a devastating impact on quality of life (Correa et al., 2019). There is currently no protocol in place at the proposed location for this intervention that will help reduce this potential …

Evidenced-Based Strategies To Increase Cervical Cancer Screening Rates, Tuong Cat Vo Bsn-Rn, Nada Salloukh Bsn-Rn, Tatiana Elena Swanson Bsn-Rn, Xiao Mie Cindy Zhu Bsn-Rn, Laura Taylor Reed Dnp, Aprn, Fnp-Bc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background

Cervical cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer affecting women worldwide (Staley et al., 2021). With cervical cancer being a preventable disease, an effective method of reducing healthcare costs and mortality is primary prevention, such as screenings. Financial burdens and barriers to accessing medical care may result due to the lack of proper cervical cancer screenings. Detecting cervical cancer includes screening women 21 to 65 years old with a Papanicolaou (PAP) test every three years. Women aged 30 to 65 years old can extend the screening of cervical cancer by having a Human Papillomavirus (HPV) test along with …

Playing It Sun Safe: A Quality Improvement Project, Sarah P. Tarr, Kathryn K. Dambrino, R. David Phillippi, Ashley Karpinos

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Athletes who play outdoor sports have multiple risk factors for the development of skin cancer. Literature highlights the need for the use of evidence-based strategies to improve the knowledge and utilization of sun protection practices in this high-risk population. Methods: Playing it Sun Safe was a multifaceted skin cancer prevention initiative implemented in a population of collegiate soccer athletes in collaboration with a university athletic department and campus health clinic. Evidence-based interventions were designed through application of the Health Belief Model (HBM) and were implemented using the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) quality improvement framework. Purpose: The two-fold aim …

Prevención Del Cáncer De Cuello Uterino, Mary Luz Monroy Rubiano, Claudia Viviana Jiménez Ángel, Sandra Patricia Urueña Carmona

Ciencias de la Salud

Este libro es una estrategia de promoción de la salud y prevención del cáncer de cuello uterino, desarrollada por los grupos de investigación SATTWA y TATAMASALUD. Basado en un proyecto realizado en Girardot, ofrece a las mujeres herramientas para identificar los aspectos clave del cáncer de cuello uterino, subraya la importancia del autocuidado y proporciona información básica para su prevención. Con estadísticas alarmantes sobre su prevalencia y mortalidad en Colombia, esta guía presenta información científica de manera accesible e ilustrada, permitiendo a las lectores compartir y difundir este conocimiento en sus comunidades. Unidas en una meta común, es posible reducir …

The Prevalence Of Stress And Stressors Among Pediatric Oncology Nurses Working In Pediatric Oncology Units In Pakistan - An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study, Shenila Anwarali

Theses & Dissertations

Introduction: Pediatric oncology nurses in Pakistan are at the forefront of caring for young cancer patients. In Pakistan, thousands of children are diagnosed with cancer every year, however the country's healthcare system lacks a comprehensive National cancer registry. Pediatric oncology nurses face high stress levels due to the demanding nature of their work, lack of specialized training, and communication challenges with patients and families. This study aims to explore the prevalence of stress and its predictors among these nurses in Pakistan, addressing a significant research gap.
Purpose: The purpose for the study was to measure stress and identify its predictors …

Unleashing Wellness: Exploring The Impact Of Pet Therapy On Anxiety Reduction, Quality Of Life, And Treatment Adherence In Pediatric Oncology Patients, Karina Brouwer

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Pet therapy is a complementary type of therapeutics in which a person and animal have a guided interaction with the purpose of helping someone cope with physical and/or mental illness. Animal-assisted therapy is used in numerous settings and has been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure and heart rate, and decrease anxiety and depression (Husson University, 2022). In particular, pediatric oncology patients have enormous amounts of stress in their lives, which leads to increased anxiety and decreased quality of life (Children's Cancer Cause, 2023). While evidence shows that integrating pet therapy in pediatric oncology patients produces significant benefits on …

The Impact Of Lung Cancer Screening Education On Knowledge And Screening Rates In A Kentucky Cancer Survivorship Clinic, Alexandra Isler

DNP Projects

Background: Lung cancer is a significant problem in Kentucky, which ranks fourth in the nation in adults who currently smoke. Early detection, through lung cancer screening, can prevent untimely deaths. Several barriers to screening exist including lack of knowledge and awareness among patients regarding lung cancer screening. By increasing knowledge, at risk patients can take the necessary steps to decrease incidence of late stage diagnoses.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to evaluate patients’ knowledge of lung cancer screening and referral and screening rates before and after one-on-one patient education.

Methods: This was a quality improvement project that used …

The Effect Of An Educational Intervention On Early Mobility Compliance In Oncology Nurses, Jonathan A. Hacker

DNP Projects

Background: Geriatric adult patients admitted into acute care hospital settings are at risk of functional decline in their capacity for activities of daily living and independent ambulation. Many of these patients fail to achieve pre-hospitalization levels of function and continue to decline, requiring additional support and care after discharge. Current literature supports early mobilization and ambulation during hospitalization. However, ambulation and patient mobilization has been shown to be the most missed item of nursing care. There is a gap in literature and patient outcome data regarding the impact of early mobilization on medical-surgical patient populations.

Purpose: The purpose of this …

Is Long-Term Survival Higher In Patients Who Receive Propofol-Based Total Intravenous Anesthesia During Colorectal Cancer Surgery Compared To Volatile Anesthesia, Shad Anthony Mitchell

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The study reviewed several retrospective cohort studies that examined the impact of propofol-based total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) versus volatile anesthesia (VA) on the long-term survival of colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery patients. Eight studies found no significant difference in mortality between the two anesthesia types, while three studies indicated a significant decrease in all-cause mortality favoring propofol TIVA. The studies had varying follow-up periods, with some extending to five years. Notably, two studies controlled the type of volatile anesthetic used, specifically sevoflurane and desflurane. The findings suggest a potential survival advantage for propofol TIVA, warranting further investigation.

Using The Electronic Medical Record To Improve Nurse Workload, Sharon C. Le Roux

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Background

Equitable nurse-patient assignments have been associated with improved nurse well-being, patient satisfaction and outcomes. Despite this, in an academic medical center in the southwestern United States, there is no standardized process to create equitable nurse-patient assignments.

Objectives

The aim of this project was to improve inpatient oncology nurse well-being and satisfaction through the implementation of an EMR based nurse-patient assignment tool.

Methods

The IOWA Model-Revised for evidence-based practice was used as the basis for this project. Data collected included demographics, the Well-Being Index Survey, perception of satisfaction with manual workload tool, along with knowledge and use of the …

Cervical Cancer Education & Prevention For Women In The Philippines, Kate Isabel Juanillo

Nursing | Senior Theses

Although cervical cancer is preventable, it continues to pose a significant health concern in the Philippines as evidenced by high cervical cancer diagnosis rates. The purpose of this quantitative study is to investigate low cervical cancer screening rates and the effectiveness of educational interventions in increasing awareness and screening rates. A literature review will examine topics such as low cervical cancer screening rates, cervical cancer screening methods, and barriers. This research proposal involves a quasi-experimental study that investigates education as an intervention for increasing cervical cancer awareness and cervical cancer screening rates. Fifty Filipino women will be randomly assigned to …

Unleashing Wellness: Exploring The Impact Of Pet Therapy On Anxiety Reduction, Quality Of Life, And Treatment Adherence In Pediatric Oncology Patients, Karina Brouwer

Nursing | Senior Theses

Pet therapy is a complementary intervention that involves the interaction between a person and animal, with the focus of improving psychological well-being within diverse populations. In particular, children with oncological disorders have increases in anxiety and stress levels, therefore it is imperative to study the impact of animal interventions within this population. This literature critique explores the impact of pet therapy interventions on anxiety, stress, and quality of life perceptions in pediatric oncology patients. This research proposal will investigate how animal therapy interactions within pediatric oncology patients influence their anxiety levels and perceptions of quality of life and how these …