Evaluation of a Nurse-Led Patient Navigation Intervention: Follow-Up of Patients After Autologous and Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Abstract

Complex survivorship cancer care requires nurse-led interventions. Therefore, a nurse-led patient navigation intervention was developed in which trained cancer nurses gave advice and referred to other professionals during the process of recovery and rehabilitation of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients. The aim of this study was to understand the nature and effect of this nurse-led information and referral intervention. Of the 199 included patients in the intervention group, 75 completed the quality of life, quality of care, self-efficacy, and self-management behavior questionnaires at baseline and at 6 and 12 months after HSCT. A historical control group of 62 patients completed the same questionnaires 12 months after HSCT. In addition, patients' experiences with the intervention were evaluated in 2 focus groups. Patients emphasized the holistic approach of the cancer nurses and the opportunity to discuss psychosocial domains of life. Within the intervention group, a statistically significant effect on quality of life was demonstrated over time. The differences in quality of life, self-efficacy, and self-management were not significant between the intervention group and control group. The holistic focus of this nurse-led intervention proved to be acceptable to the HSCT patients and promising in supporting the (complex) challenges that these patients face during their process of recovery and rehabilitation. Nurse-led patient navigation interventions with a holistic approach when included in the daily practice of complex survivorship cancer care can support HSCT patients' information and referral needs during their rehabilitation.