Nursing Commons^™

Exercise To Improve Cancer-Related Fatigue, Jennifer Watson

MSN Capstone Projects

For the average patient, medical professionals typically recommend exercise to enhance the health of their patients in multiple ways. Oncology patients, however, often have different issues that the treating physicians are more concerned about, so physical activity gets placed on the back burner. The need for exercise in oncology patients is certainly a decision that should be part of an individualized treatment plan, but it is reasonable to believe that most of these patients will benefit from participating in an exercise program. With the high demanding need to decrease chemotherapy side effects and improve lives of those undergoing it, this …

Oncology Nurse Compassion Fatigue Benchmark Project, Jessica R. Hayward

MSN Capstone Projects

Oncology nurses provide care to patients during some of the toughest times in their lives. This care places nurses at risk of developing compassion fatigue which can have negative long-term health impacts. There is currently no formal compassion fatigue education offered to oncology nurses. This lack of training leaves nurses vulnerable to the impacts of unmanaged stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue. This benchmark project was completed to bring awareness to the need for a mindfulness-based compassion fatigue course. This course will provide oncology nurses with the knowledge and skills necessary to manage these difficult emotions.

Early Initiation Of Palliative Care, Ann R. Phillips

MSN Capstone Projects

The overall aim of this project, based upon the best available evidence, clinical experience of oncology nurses, and patient preferences for information about palliative care, is to propose the creation and initiation of a protocol which empowers oncology/palliative care nurses to be able to initiate early discussions about palliative care for patients with advanced stage cancer (III-IV) diagnoses.

By having frank conversations surrounding palliative care early on in the treatment process, patients are better able to make informed decisions about treatment, depending on the trajectory their disease takes. Such conversations provide patients with a clearer picture of what is likely …