Oncology Commons^™

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 …

Nurse-Led Education On Oral Chemotherapy Medications, Carmen Lucia Glick Alonso

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death among women in the United States. Annually, around 264,000 breast cancer cases are diagnosed in women and 2,400 in men (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). According to the American Cancer Society, the risk of a woman in the United States being diagnosed with breast cancer in their life is around 13% (2022).

Context: Along with a cancer diagnosis comes the need to introduce patient education about new oral chemotherapy treatments. As a treatment team member, the oncology nurse plays a vital role in this …

Cancer Survivorship: Promoting A Lifetime Of Health, Janelle Coleman-Smith

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Introduction Cancer survivors can face post-cancer treatment effects that need addressing throughout their care trajectory. Education provided to stakeholders and patients will be beneficial in preventing fragmented care, increasing patient satisfaction, and expanding ongoing supportive clinical survivorship care. Methods An adapted Dr. Joanne Lester survivorship needs survey was given to n=7 post-cancer treatment patients within a northern California cancer patient advisory committee. The survey results were analyzed to identify common underserved chronic long-term survivorship needs. Based on the data, an evidence-based educational component was included within a booklet to enhance future survivorship care. Additional surveys were sent to stakeholders …

The Role Of The Clinical Nurse Leader In Reintroducing And Sustaining A Successful Cancer Risk Assessment Program In A Community Hospital Setting, Tiffany Gishizky

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

The goal of implementing a comprehensive cancer risk assessment (CRA) program prompted the evaluation of a community-based breast center microsystem and previous CRA program for feasibility and sustainability. The development of a value proposition by the Clinical Nurse Leader student highlights the role in the advancement of the nursing profession as an interdisciplinary leader. Review of current literature facilitated development of program structure and identification of downstream revenue sources. Data analysis includes historical patient volume, screening and procedural reimbursement rates, population statistics and organization market share, and program financial impacts. Data synthesis reveals a CRA program demonstrates potential revenue …

Breast Cancer Patient Preparedness For Transition To Survivorship: Individualized Survivorship Care Plans, Kimberly Beringer

Master's Projects and Capstones

Purpose. For breast cancer survivors, after-effects of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy can be substantial, and recurrence is a concern requiring constant surveillance. National healthcare organizations have promulgated guidelines that include providing individualized survivorship care plans (SCP’s). At a northern California oncology department, SCP’s will be prepared for breast cancer patients and delivered in-person by the oncology nurse navigator (ONN).

Method. The author worked with the ONN to develop the format and content requirements for the SCP’s. The ONN prepared individualized plans for patients and scheduled in-person appointments to deliver the SCP’s. A feedback survey to assess preliminary impact was then …

Human Cytomegalovirus Interleukin-10 Enhances Matrigel Invasion Of Mda-Mb-231 Breast Cancer Cells, Cendy Valle Oseguera, Juliet Spencer

Biology Faculty Publications

Background: While some risk factors for breast cancer are well-known, the influence of other factors, particularly virus infection, remains unclear. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is widespread in the general population, and both molecular and epidemiological evidence has indicated links between HCMV and breast cancer. The HCMV protein cmvIL-10 is a potent suppressor of immune function that has also been shown to promote proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells. In this study, the impact of cmvIL-10 on tumor cell invasion through a simulated basement membrane was investigated.

Results: MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells exhibited invasion through a matrigel layer that was significantly …

Quality Improvement: An Update For Outpatient Oncology Education, Nicole R. Gee

Master's Projects and Capstones

This project is focused on quality improvement in patient satisfaction with regard to side effect management after oncology patient education. The global aim of this project is to improve oncology-specific patient education through the development of an evidenced-based educational binder to be given to patients in a hospital outpatient infusion center and used as an educational guide for nursing staff. Effective standardized patient education has been seen to improve: satisfaction, quality of life, adherence, self-management, outcomes, and reduce unnecessary emergency room visits (Dalby, 2013; Mann, 2011; Smith et al., 2013). A rise in patient confidence for nausea and vomiting self-care, …

Patient-Reported Outcomes Screening For Improved Patient Wellness: A Cancer Center Initiative, Alison Morris

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background: People experiencing serious illness have significant unmet physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs. The Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) requires patients to be screened for emotional wellbeing and pain by their second oncology visit. This project details one cancer center’s quality improvement initiative to (a) implement electronic screening of every cancer patient by their second oncology visit, (b) design processes for ongoing assessment and intervention of need(s), and (c) develop measurable and sustainable evaluation metrics to ensure that palliative care needs are met. Methods: In June 2015, we launched electronic collection of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) using the Patient Reported …

Barriers Encountered By Nurses And Nursing Assistants That Prevent Purposeful Rounding, Mar Joseph B. Odias

Master's Projects and Capstones

Purpose: The aim of the study was to identify barriers encountered by registered nurses (RNs) and nursing assistants (NAs) that prevent purposeful (hourly) rounding.

Background: The literature has shown that purposeful rounding improves patient outcomes and safety. However, few studies show the barriers encountered by nursing staff that hinder the purposeful rounding process.

Methods: A pre-post test design was implemented on a 25-bed oncology, urology medical surgical unit with a staff of 38 RNs, 9 NAs, and 4 Unit Secretaries (US). A pre-implementation needs assessment survey was completed by 55% (21/38) of RNs, 33% (3/9) of NAs, and 100% (4/4) …

Improving Hand Hygiene Compliance To Reduce Clabsi Rate In Oncology Icu, Lorenzo D. San Pedro

Master's Projects and Capstones

The aim of this project is to reduce the rate of central line associated blood stream infection (CLABSI) occurrence in oncology ICU by 50% by the last quarter of 2015. This study was conducted in ICU to assess adherence to the facility’s hand hygiene (HH) protocol among the staff nurses and allied healthcare workers. The facility is best known as a non-profit cancer treatment center and designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center. Evidence showed that hand hygiene is the most effective way of preventing CLABSI, one of the most common types of infection in ICU microsystem. The project utilized The …

Human Cytomegalovirus Interleukin-10 Promotes Proliferation And Migration Of Mcf-7 Breast Cancer Cells, Robin K. Bishop, Cendy A. Valle Oseguera, Juliet Spencer

Biology Faculty Publications

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy affecting women worldwide. While a small fraction of breast cancers have a hereditary component, environmental and behavioral factors also impact the development of cancer. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a member of the Herpesviridae family that is widespread in the general population and has been linked to several forms of cancer. While HCMV DNA has been found in some breast cancer tissue specimens, we wanted to investigate whether a secreted viral cytokine might have an effect on cancerous or even pre-cancerous cells. HCMV encodes an ortholog of the human cellular cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10). The …

Cmvil-10 Stimulates The Invasive Potential Of Mda-Mb-231 Breast Cancer Cells, Cendy Valle Oseguera, Juliet Spencer

Biology Faculty Publications

Cancer is the result of unregulated cell growth that leads to tumor formation, and in many cases, metastases. Although there are several risk factors associated with cancer, one area that remains poorly understood is the impact of infectious disease. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a member of the herpesvirus family that is highly prevalent in the population. HCMV usually causes clinical disease only in immune compromised individuals, but recent evidence suggests that HCMV may be strongly associated with some forms of cancer, particularly glioblastoma and breast cancer. We investigated the possibility that cmvIL-10, a viral cytokine with homology to human IL-10 …