Flashcards about Oncology Nursing

Flashcards about Oncology Nursing

Cancer

A complex and often devastating disease that affects many people, requiring clinical support, emotional and psychological care from nurses.

Patient Journey

From diagnosis to treatment and survivorship or end-of-life care.

Neutropenic Sepsis

A life-threatening complication for cancer patients which nurses play a role in its prevention and early detection and management.

Cancer Patient's Journey: Beginning

The moment of symptoms appear, which may involve numerous visits to healthcare professionals and potential referrals to specialized secondary care.

Further Investigations after Cancer Diagnosis

Aimed at determining the cancer's stage, extent, and the most suitable course of treatment.

Cancer treatment

Can vary greatly depending on the type of cancer, the individual’s age, the stage of diagnosis, the presence of other health conditions, and the cancer spread.

Patient Journey: Themes

Themes of cancer patient experiences include waiting, troublesome body, adjusting to a different life and information challenges.

Implications for cancer patient care

Providing information support to patients in a timely manner will be individual for each patient and therefore care needs to be personalised.

Patient Values in Cancer Care

Encompasses the need for autonomy, concern for family, hope, normality, and sincerity.

Patient Needs in Cancer Care

Includes care coordination, information, privacy, and emotional support.

Patient Preferences in Cancer Care

Involves decision-making, information delivery, and psychological response to diagnosis.

Cancer Survivorship

The state of living beyond cancer, where needs include disease surveillance, supportive care, psychosocial care, symptom management, health promotion, and self-management support.

Māori and Cancer Inequities in New Zealand

More likely to get cancer, more likely to die from cancer, and less likely to survive their cancer once diagnosed.

Barriers to Health for Māori Patients

Racism, cultural alienation, ineffective communication, and practical barriers.

Bad News in Healthcare

Any bad, sad or significant information that alters negatively people’s expectations or perceptions of their present or future.

Breaking Bad News

Involves activities that take place before, during and after the initial provision of information, including preparing the patient, clarifying understanding, and supporting decision-making.

Importance of Disclosing Information Well

Builds a sense of trust, increases patient confidence, and allows patients and their family to make informed decisions and plans.

Why Breaking Bad News is Difficult

Patients and their family's reaction to bad news is unpredictable

Guidelines for Giving Bad News

Suitable room, time to compose yourself, introduce self and role, be honest and direct, allow for moments of silence, and be prepared for emotional reactions.

Leucopenia

Decrease in white cell numbers (granulocytes, monocytes, lymphocytes).

Granulocytopenia

Deficiency of granulocytes (neutrophils, eosinophils and basophils) which have a phagocytosing action.

Neutropenia

Reduction in the number of neutrophils.

Neutrophils

Recognize, attack, and kill bacteria by engulfing them through the process of phagocytosis.

Single most important preventive measure to minimise the risk of infection in the patient with neutropenia

Handwashing

Infection Protection: Interventions

Maintain isolation techniques, screen visitors for communicable diseases, remove fresh flowers and plants, follow neutropenic precautions, and monitor for signs and symptoms of infection.

Sepsis

The systematic inflammatory response that occurs in the presence of infection.

Neutropenic Sepsis

Patients who are neutropenic and have an infection are at increased risk of deteriorating along the sepsis continuum as their ability to respond to infection is compromised.

Neutropenic Sepsis: symptoms

May, or may not, develop an elevated temperature.

Treatments for cancer

Bowel surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunological therapy or surgery.