Oncology Nurses Research Articles

Improving dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase genotyping (DPYD) prior to initiation of fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy at a community-based hospital: A quality improvement initiative.

347 Background: Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase gene (DPYD) testing is crucial in preventing toxicities from fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy. Despite benefits and established guidelines, its adoption within healthcare organizations remains inconsistent and suboptimal. We implemented a quality improvement project to improve DPYD testing prior to fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy at a community-based hospital. We aimed to increase DPYD testing for patients receiving fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy from 65% to 95% between July 2023 to July 2024. Balancing measures included DPYD testing turnaround time. Methods: For baseline diagnostics, manual chart review was performed on 126 patients to identify frequency of DPYD testing, and turnaround time (TAT) between May 1, 2023 to August 4, 2023. Patients were excluded if they received fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy prior to May 1, 2023. A multidisciplinary team including medical oncology residents and staff, pharmacists, nurses, and clinical informatics specialists worked jointly to identify and address barriers to implementation. Barriers identified included lack of established workflows and awareness of the importance of testing. Diagnostic tools utilized included Ishikawa diagrams and process mapping. The team used Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles to address barriers. A p-chart was used to analyze the results. Results: The baseline DPYD testing rate was 65%. Barriers identified via multidisciplinary sessions included lack of established workflow, awareness and importance of testing. PDSA cycles included education sessions to breast medical oncologists and medical oncology nurses, and development of a best-practice advisory in the electronic medical record. The percentage of eligible patients receiving DPYD testing increased from 65% to 95.8% in the total population. For breast cancer patients, the rate increased from 16.7% to 100%. For gastrointestinal cancer patients, the rate increased from 56.1% to 94.2%. Sustainability was demonstrated two months post-intervention with TAT stable between 7-8 days. Conclusions: Through PDSA cycles, we improved the frequency of DPYD testing for patients receiving fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy from 65% to 95.8%. Future work will assess changes in chemotherapy prescribing behavior in the setting of variant DPYD results, and outcomes of patients with variant DPYD testing.

Improving verbal communication for oncology patients who self-identify as having low/marginal health literacy.

177 Background: Within our academic oncology institute, patient’s health-related social needs (HRSN) are identified through the new patient intake questionnaire (NPIQ). 28% (n=2787) of patients who completed the NPIQ (n=9836) reported low/marginal health literacy (HL). While reviewing the HRSN data, it was discovered that there was no formal process to support patients who reported having low/marginal HL. While printed and online health materials use standard reading levels, verbal communications are not individualized to patients’ literacy needs. As an integral member of the interdisciplinary team, Oncology Nurse Navigators (ONNs) communicate vital and complex health information with patients throughout the cancer continuum. This quality improvement project explored the impact ONNs could have with patients who self-identify as having low/marginal HL. Methods: To assess ONN HL knowledge and communication strategies for patients with low/marginal HL, a survey was conducted in March 2024. Findings revealed a HL knowledge gap across all disease programs. For project manageability, our team piloted HL interventions to the sarcoma disease group where 33% of patients (n=223) responded to the NPIQ as having low/marginal HL. Two-part intervention included: 1) creation of a HL training and tools for ONNs (e.g., teach-back method; scripting; reference materials) and 2) development of Epic Smartphrase acknowledging training and tools were utilized. Results: To understand ONNs knowledge of where to find patient HL score in Epic, we conducted a survey (n=69; response rate=43%). 94% of ONNs reported not knowing where to access HL information. The first intervention was training-based. ONN trainings (n=2) were held from 3/12/2024 to 5/14/2024. At baseline, 0% of ONNs (n=4) used HL tools, as they were not in existence. At first reassessment, 75% of ONNs reported using the HL tools to communicate with patients. Part two of the intervention (in-progress) is the creation of a Smartphrase to document when ONNs altered patient communication. Data on Smartphrase usage are forthcoming. Conclusions: Providing HL training and tools to ONNs equips them to 1) identify patients who have low/marginal HL, and 2) conduct conversations with patients at an appropriate literacy level.

Original Research: Alarm Fatigue: Exploring the Adaptive and Maladaptive Coping Strategies of Nurses.

To improve patient safety, hospitals use alarm notification systems to increase nurses' real-time situational awareness of a patient's condition. Such alarms are critical to nurses' clinical decision-making and prioritization, thus helping to improve patient care and care efficiency. But the frequent and often simultaneous ringing of alarms, including many that are false, nonemergent, or nonactionable, has led to overwhelm, alarm distrust, and desensitization, resulting in alarm fatigue. This study aimed to explore oncology nurses' lived experiences with alarms and the adaptive and maladaptive strategies they use to cope with alarm fatigue. This qualitative, phenomenological study was guided by the theoretical framework of the Roy Adaptation Model. A purposive sample of nine nurses was recruited from two oncology units at a large midwestern Magnet hospital in the United States. Qualitative data were collected using a six-question, semistructured interview guide. Interviews were conducted either face-to-face in a private conference room on the unit or via the online videoconferencing platform Zoom. Data analysis yielded five themes, the most prominent being the high volume and frequency of alarms . Nurse participants reported adopting more maladaptive than adaptive coping strategies. Overall, they felt that the high frequency of false, nonemergent, and nonactionable alarms disrupted their workflow and contributed to a general desensitization to alarms. This study's findings offer valuable insight into the problem of alarm fatigue among nurses. Practical measures are urgently needed to reduce nurses' cognitive overload; shift nonnursing responsibilities to other staff; and implement efficiency-focused process changes, such as reengineering workflows to minimize interruptions. Every effort should be made to redesign protocols to reduce alarm fatigue, including by decreasing the number of false, nonemergent, and nonactionable calls and alarms.

Investigating Students' Clinical Experiences of Learning the Nursing Process Using an Integrated Teaching-Learning Method at Shahid Qazi Tabatabaei Hospital: A Qualitative Content Analysis

Introduction: Integrated teaching-learning methods have demonstrated potential in enhancing students' cognitive skills and, subsequently, the quality of patient care. This qualitative study aimed to explore the learning experiences of nursing students engaged in an integrated teaching-learning method during their clinical education in oncology nursing. Method: : Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 nursing students who had completed a clinical training program in oncology nursing using an integrated teaching-learning method. Conventional qualitative content analysis was employed to analyze the data, identifying sub-categories and categories related to students' experiences. Results: The analysis revealed four main categories: (1) sustained cognitive learning, (2) non-cognitive learning, (3) application of learned concepts in real-world situations, and (4) students' suggestions for improving the learning of the nursing process. Conclusion: The findings suggest that an integrated teaching-learning method, implemented as a creative and student-centered approach at the bedside, effectively enhances both cognitive and non-cognitive skills, facilitating the practical application of learned concepts. To fully leverage the benefits of this method, its implementation should be expanded across clinical education units, starting in lower semesters. Simultaneously, optimizing real-world clinical education environments will further accelerate positive educational outcomes, enhancing students' cognitive and non-cognitive skills and creating a foundation for applying learned concepts in clinical practice.

Investigating the Salience of Clinical Meaningfulness and Clinically Meaningful Outcomes in Metastatic Breast Cancer Care Delivery

PURPOSE As metastatic breast cancer (mBC) treatment evolves, there is a need to understand how clinical meaningfulness, or a meaningful change in a patient's daily life, and clinically meaningful outcomes inform patient-centered care. Partnering with key stakeholders ensures patient-centered research incorporates the knowledge and expertise of advisors with lived experience. We describe a multistakeholder engagement approach to examine how people living with mBC (PLWmBC), caregivers, and health care providers interpret clinical meaningfulness and clinically meaningful outcomes and their influence on mBC treatment decision making and care. METHODS Qualitative focus groups with PLWmBC, caregivers, and health care providers were conducted and analyzed along three overarching themes: interpretations of clinical meaningfulness and clinically meaningful outcomes; treatment recommendations, preferences, and decisions; and implications for clinical practice. Patient-led and professional organizations served as research partners in study design, implementation, and interpretation of findings. RESULTS Partnerships were established with four patient-led and three professional organizations representing diverse constituencies throughout the United States. Twenty-two focus groups were conducted with 50 PLWmBC, 24 caregivers, and 41 health care providers (oncologists, n = 11; advanced practice providers, n = 13; oncology nurses, n = 17) between March and June 2023. PLWmBC and caregivers were unfamiliar with the concepts of clinical meaningfulness and clinically meaningful outcomes. Although health care providers were familiar, they did not use the terms when discussing treatment with PLWmBC. Across groups, participants emphasized the importance of meaningful outcomes beyond overall survival, including quality of life and improvement in symptoms and functioning. Participants noted that outcomes considered meaningful are individualized and dynamic. CONCLUSION This study offers insight into how partnering with patient advocacy and professional organizations can enhance research quality and aid translation of findings to clinical practice, thereby supporting patient-centered care.

Knowledge, attitudes, practices, and barriers of oncology nurses in promoting physical activity in cancer survivors: a cross-sectional survey in China

PurposeTo explore the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Chinese nurses in promoting physical activity among cancer survivors and the relationships between these attributes and to identify the factors hindering nurses’ clinical practice.MethodsNurses from oncology-related departments of 10 public tertiary hospitals in Shandong Province completed self-administered questionnaires that included information about demographics; knowledge, attitudes, and practices of physical activity promotion; and barriers to clinical practice. The STROBE statement for observational studies was applied.ResultsA total of 502 valid questionnaires were obtained. The average standardized scores of knowledges, attitudes, and practice were 75.33%, 82.36%, and 62.60%, respectively. Oncology specialist nurses and nurses who had received relevant training had higher levels of knowledge, nurses from general hospitals reported higher levels of practice, and nurses who had learned the relevant guidelines were better in terms of knowledge, attitude, and level of practice. Attitude had a statistically significant mediating effect between knowledge and practice. Lack of time, lack of multidisciplinary clinical teams, and lack of clear guidelines were the most frequently reported barriers to practice.ConclusionIn China, nurses have a moderate level of knowledge and practice in promoting physical activity among cancer survivors, but a positive attitude. Numerous barrier factors present challenges in nurses’ clinical practice. Attitude plays a partial mediating role between knowledge and practice.

Secondary traumatic stress and vicarious posttraumatic growth in oncology nurses: the mediating role of empathy.

The relationship between secondary traumatic stress (STS), empathy, and vicarious post-traumatic growth (VPTG) in oncology nurses is unclear. Understanding these links is crucial for improving nurse well-being and patient care quality. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between STS, empathy, and VPTG among oncology nurses. This cross-sectional study was conducted in a multicentric setting. Data collection involved oncology nurses completing questionnaires assessing STS, empathy, and VPTG levels. Data analysis included correlation analyses, multiple stepwise regression analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the interrelationships between these variables. The study adhered to the STROBE checklist. A total of 391 oncology nurses participated in the study. They showed moderate to low levels of VPTG and high levels of STS. STS exhibited a negative association with VPTG, while empathy demonstrated a positive direct association with both VPTG and STS. Moreover, SEM indicated that empathy mediated the relationship between STS and VPTG, with a partial mediating effect of 0.127. Factors such as receiving psychological training, educational attainment, STS, and empathy collectively explained 24% of the variance in VPTG. Our findings highlighted the negative correlation between STS and VPTG among oncology nurses. Additionally, empathy was found to mediate the relationship between STS and VPTG, suggesting it plays a significant role in influencing VPTG. To aid oncology nurses, interventions should focus on reducing STS and enhancing empathy. Strategies like resilience workshops, peer support, and stress management can foster VPTG. Creating a supportive work environment is crucial for nurses' well-being and quality patient care.

Talazoparib Plus Enzalutamide in Patients With HRR-Deficient mCRPC: Practical Implementation Steps for Oncology Nurses and Advanced Practice Providers.

About one-quarter of patients with advanced prostate cancer have alterations in homologous recombination repair (HRR) genes. In a global phase 3 study, talazoparib plus enzalutamide significantly improved progression-free survival in patients with HRR-deficient metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). This article reviews the role of oncology nurses and advanced practice providers (APPs) in administering talazoparib plus enzalutamide in patients with mCRPC. This review and hypothetical case study illustrate the role of oncology nurses and APPs in the administration of talazoparib plus enzalutamide and the management of adverse events to ensure safe and effective use in clinical practice. Oncology nurses and APPs play an important role in the dosing and administration of talazoparib plus enzalutamide and can recognize and manage adverse events in patients with HRR-deficient mCRPC.

Assessing and Treating Causes of Depressed Mood in Patients With Cancer.

Oncology nurses and nurse practitioners often provide initial (prior to transition of care to a psychiatric provider) or maintenance assessment of and treatment for patients with depressed mood. Research informing oncology nu.

Is There Space for New Graduate Nurses in Pediatric Oncology?

For my senior high school capstone project, I focused on pediatric oncology, which included shadowing two physicians. I realized that although physicians do incredible work, the nurses I encountered were so hands on and appea.

Increasing Oncology Nurse Cultural Knowledge, Sensitivity, and Humility in Caring for the Native Hawai'ian and Pacific Islander Population.

Stress affects people's physiologic and mental well-being. Compounded stress from natural disasters, intergenerational trauma, stigma, and mistrust of the dominant society may lead to illness and potential oncologic disorde.

Herbal Products: Considerations and Educational Resources for Oncology Nurses.

The use of herbal products, one component of the growing field of integrative cancer care, is a common yet controversial practice. This article distinguishes nursing issues specific to patient safety when herbal products are used during cancer treatment and identifies available evidence-based resources to enhance patient and professional comprehension. PubMed®, CINAHL®, and Google Scholar™ databases were searched for literature published between 2018 and 2024 specific to the clinical sequelae of the use of herbal products and their interactions with antineoplastic drugs, as well as patient and healthcare providers' perceptions of efficacy and safety. Patients have misconceptions about the use of herbal products and are generally unaware of these products' potential contraindications when taken in conjunction with antineoplastics. Providers seldom inquire about patients' use of these products and may lack knowledge of their potential interactions with prescription medicines.

Fairness in AI-Driven Oncology: Investigating Racial and Gender Biases in Large Language Models.

Large language model (LLM) chatbots have many applications in medical settings. However, these tools can potentially perpetuate racial and gender biases through their responses, worsening disparities in healthcare. With the ongoing discussion of LLM chatbots in oncology and the widespread goal of addressing cancer disparities, this study focuses on biases propagated by LLM chatbots in oncology. Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (Chat GPT; OpenAI, San Francisco, CA, USA) was asked to determine what occupation a generic description of "assesses cancer patients" would correspond to for different demographics. Chat GPT, Gemini (Alphabet Inc., Mountain View, CA, USA), and Bing Chat (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA, USA) were prompted to provide oncologist recommendations in the top U.S. cities and demographic information (race, gender) of recommendations was compared against national distributions. Chat GPT was also asked to generate a job description for oncologists with different demographic backgrounds. Finally, Chat GPT, Gemini, and Bing Chat were asked to generate hypothetical cancer patients with race, smoking, and drinking histories. LLM chatbots are about two times more likely to predict Blacksand Native Americans as oncology nurses than oncologists, compared to Asians (p < 0.01 and < 0.001, respectively). Similarly, they are also significantly more likely to predict females than males as oncology nurses (p < 0.001). Chat GPT's real-world oncologist recommendations overrepresent Asians by almost double and underrepresent Blacks by double and Hispanics by seven times. Chatbots also generate different job descriptions based on demographics, including cultural competency and advocacy and excluding treatment administration for underrepresented backgrounds. AI-generated cancer cases are not fully representative of real-world demographic distributions and encode stereotypes on substance abuse, such as Hispanics having a greater proportion of smokers than Whites by about 20% in Chat GPT breast cancer cases. To our knowledge, this is the first study of its kind to investigate racial and gender biases of such a diverse set of AI chatbots, and that too, within oncology. The methodology presented in this study provides a framework for targeted bias evaluation of LLMs in various fields across medicine.

Examining Factors in the Decision to Sperm Bank by Adolescent and Young Adult Males Diagnosed With Cancer: A Review of the Literature.

Background: Despite American Society of Clinical Oncology and Children's Oncology Group recommendations, the rate of sperm-banking for newly diagnosed adolescent and young adult males with cancer remains between 18% and 35%. The purpose of this study was to examine recent literature regarding decision-making and fertility preservation prior to the initiation of therapy for adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer. Method: A search of multiple online databases was undertaken for peer-reviewed studies between the years of 2010 and 2022. The databases CINAHL, PubMed, PsycInfo, Scopus, Google Scholar, and forward citation search was employed using the same Boolean search phrases in each database. Some 402 articles were then screened for relevance by title, abstract, and full review based on inclusion/exclusion criteria for synthesis. Results: Ten articles met criteria to be included in this review. Three themes were identified as impacting the decision to cryopreserve sperm prior to the initiation of therapy. Provider recommendation, parent recommendation, and referral for fertility specialist consult emerged as statistically significant factors in the decision to attempt sperm banking. Discussion: While the most significant factor impacting the decision to preserve fertility, parents reported they were more likely to recommend this to their child if they received clear recommendations from the medical team. Pediatric oncology physicians and nurses are in a unique position to positively impact quality of life and psychosocial outcomes in survivors of pediatric cancer by providing up-to-date evidence-based information, risk assessment, recommendations, and/or referral to fertility preservation specialists to families and patients.

Knowledge attitude practice among oncologists and health care workers during COVID19 pandemic

IntroductionHealthcare providers should be well prepared to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and protect their patients and themselves as frontline workers. The aim of this study was to assess oncologists’ and health care workers (HCWs) knowledge, attitude, and practice in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on them.Material and methodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted among Egyptian oncologists and HCWs in the oncology department at Suez Canal University Hospitals, Egypt. Participants were reached through a Google Form questionnaire. The questionnaire was shared on social media (Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp) over four months, from June 1st to September 30, 2022. All physicians and HCWs in the oncology department were invited to participate in the survey. Researchers intended to enroll all physicians and HCWs within the study period.ResultsOut of the 110 participants included in the study, there was a female predominance, and the majority were oncology nurses and clinical oncologists. Knowledge with significant participants’ characteristics showed that knowledge significantly varied by age. The level of knowledge was significantly higher among participants between 30 and 40 years old (OR = 5.111; 95% CI, 1.202–21.738; P = 0.027). 65.5% of the participants had poor knowledge, with a mean ± SD of 4.9 ± 1.4. About 43.6% of the participants experienced more burnout than before the COVID-19 pandemic, with a negative emotional impact. 63.7% reported a negative financial impact due to the pandemic. 62.7% had support from their family, even though their job increases their risk of infection. 7.3% only reported a positive impact regarding their friend’s relationship.ConclusionCOVID-19 pandemic has a negative impact on oncologists' personal and professional lives. Interventions should be implemented to lessen the negative impact and better prepare oncologists to handle future crises with greater efficiency and resilience.

Development and Psychometric Testing of the: Efficacy Perception Scale for Suicide Risk Management for Oncology Nurses

ObjectivesOncology patients are one of the groups with high suicide risk and it is emphasized that oncology nurses' suicide risk management knowledge and skills are insufficient. Several studies have underlined the need to create training programs specifically for oncology nurses to increase their level of awareness, knowledge, skill, and efficacy in recognizing and managing suicide risk. A valid and reliable scale is required to assess the efficacy of suicide risk management for oncology nurses. This study aimed to develop the Efficacy Perception Scale for Suicide Risk Management for Oncology Nurses and evaluate its psychometric properties. MethodsThis methodological study was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, the authors conducted a literature review and qualitative study and examined other efficacy scales to generate items. In the second stage, the validity and reliability of the 26 items were determined. The scale content was validated based on feedback from 10 experts. Exploratory analysis of the scale was conducted with the data of 234 oncology nurses. Internal consistency and 2-week test-retest stability measured reliability. ResultsThe scale's items met the required level of content validity (content validity rate = 0,62), were found to be understandable by 15 nurse (face validity), and all 26 items were retained in the item pool. The exploratory factor analysis extracted a unifactorial solution for the scale. The value of Cronbach's alpha for the scale was 0.96, and the inter-class reliability coefficient was 0.92. ConclusionThe scale is a valid and reliable scale that might be used to assess the efficacy perception of oncology nurses for suicide risk management. Implications for Nursing PracticeThe assessment of oncology nurses' perceptions of efficacy in suicide risk management may enable the identification of training needs and the development of the content of suicide prevention trainings in parallel with the needs of nurses.

CN108 Comparison of symptom distress ranking between oncology nurses and pediatric patients receiving chemotherapy

CN108 Comparison of symptom distress ranking between oncology nurses and pediatric patients receiving chemotherapy

“Pioneers, yes. We all should think that way” Improving Papua New Guinea Cancer Nurses Education through an International Partnership

ObjectivesFirst, to understand Papua New Guinea (PNG) oncology nursing issues perceived through the nurses’ lens of unmet supportive care needs of people affected by cancer and to identify nurses’ self-perceived educational priorities in cancer care. Second, to evaluate the tailored bidirectional learning and knowledge transfer among the participants of the Australia Capital Territory Health and PNG Oncology Nursing Development Program hosted in Australia in June 2023. MethodsA qualitative descriptive study was conducted. Two focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Based on PNG oncology nurses’ experiences and self-assessed educational needs, the findings were analyzed and presented separately for Time 1 before the PNG Oncology Nursing Development program and Time 2 following the completion of the program. ResultsThe findings from the Time 1 focus group identified four themes: (1) educational priorities, (2) system-wide challenges, (3) patient unmet care needs, and (4) cultural beliefs. After the completion of the educational program, there were four emergent themes: (1) new educational experiences, (2) learnings into practice, (3) culturally sensitive nursing, and (4) leadership (PNG nursing trailblazers). This study, for the first time, provided the PNG RNs with a “voice,” to empower them to take more leading roles in important decision-making regarding care structures and management. ConclusionPolicymakers, government officials, and international cancer organizations must continue to work together to support cancer control in PNG in light of the current and projected limited resources and barriers to timely cancer diagnosis and treatment in PNG. Implications for Nursing PracticeThrough observing and learning from a modern cancer department, PNG oncology nurses have gained insight into what is needed for a safe cancer service for both patients and nurses. Oncology nursing education in PNG needs to be further developed, enhanced, and supported for sustainability of cancer nurses in the long term.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Oncology Nurses in the Maintenance of Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) in Selected Hospitals in Shandong Province China

Background: Standardized catheter maintenance by nurses can reduce complications. Understanding the knowledge, attitude and practice status of clinical nurses in PICC maintenance is of great practical significance for medical and health development. Objective: To describe the current knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of nurses on peripheral central catheterization (PICC) maintenance. Methods: The knowledge, attitude and behavior of PICC maintenance of 317 oncology nurses in Shandong Province were analyzed by questionnaires. The counting data were described by frequency and percentage. The influence factors of PICC maintenance knowledge, attitude and behavior were determined by independent sample t test and one-way analysis of variance. Results Gender, age, professional title, education level, work experience, PICC training experience and PICC certificate are all significant factors affecting PICC maintenance knowledge, attitude and behavior. In the dimension of PICC maintenance knowledge, 212 nurses (mean = 10.00, SD=1.26) were proficient in PICC maintenance knowledge, while 105 nurses (mean = 16.60, SD=1.34) were obviously lacking in PICC maintenance knowledge. In the dimension of PICC maintenance attitude, the average score of nurses' PICC maintenance attitude was 52.92+10.34 points, and 228 nurses (mean = 58.86, SD=4.67) had a positive attitude towards PICC maintenance. The average score of nurses' PICC maintenance practice was 62.03+13.00, 64% of nurses had good PICC maintenance practice ability, and 203 nurses (mean =71.33, SD=4.76) had good PICC maintenance practice ability. Discussion In conclusion, the knowledge, attitude and practice of PICC maintenance of oncology nurses in Shandong Province were all at a moderate level. The role of demographic factors on PICC maintenance was paid attention to, and the training on PICC maintenance was emphasized, and the knowledge level, attitude cognition and practical ability of nurses on PICC maintenance were improved through diversified training methods.

Knowledge levels of oncology nurses regarding evidence-based practices in the assessment and management of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy

ObjectiveThe study aimed to determine the level of oncology nurses' knowledge of evidence-based practice for assessing and managing chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). MethodsThis study employed a descriptive and cross-sectional research design. It was carried out with oncology nurses who were working at a university hospital in the Western Region of Turkey and who were members of the Oncology Nursing Association. The sample of the study consisted of 96 nurses who met the inclusion criteria. ResultsThe study sample comprised 94.8% female oncology nurses, 57.3% of whom held an undergraduate degree, and over half (58.5%) of whom were employed as clinical nurses. A majority of nurses (76.0%) indicated that they had not received any training in peripheral neuropathy. 35.4% of the nurses assessed patients receiving neurotoxic chemotherapy for peripheral neuropathy at each visit/each chemotherapy cycle. A total of 43.8% of nurses indicated that they frequently assessed patients for peripheral neuropathy at the conclusion of the treatment protocol. The oncology nurses assessed the patient-reported symptoms of motor neuropathy (58.3%), sensory neuropathy (56.3%), autonomic neuropathy (51.0%), neuropathic pain (55.2%), and co-occurring symptoms (52.1%) on a frequent basis. The nurses reported that they assessed muscle strength (56.3%), gait and balance (58.3%), and quality of life (52.1%) “frequently”. In contrast, they assessed deep tendon reflex (41.7%), neurological tests (36.5%), and social activities (46.8%) “rarely”. ConclusionsThe study findings indicated that oncology nurses require further education and training in evidence-based practices for the assessment and management of CIPN.