“We were fortunate in that we found a donor to fund our ability to be STAR-certified and to initiate STAR training,” said Susan Sheehan, RN, MS, OCN, Nurse Manager, Reno Center for Cancer Care, in an interview with TON. “STAR programs provide oncology rehabilitation for cancer survivors. STAR-trained staff include occupational therapists, physical therapists, and nurses, along with nutrition counseling and cardiac rehabilitation”.
We also feature key presentations and studies from recent national meetings, including the 2016 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, the 2016 American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting, and the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) 41st Annual Congress.
Of note, one presenter highlighted the results of a project involving the use of an electronic locator system to evaluate the effect of hourly rounding in an inpatient oncology unit. The locator system, worn by nurses, proved helpful in measuring purposeful hourly rounding, and in reducing falls and call bells.
“We are always educating staff, constantly mentoring, [and continually] auditing and tracking our responsiveness,” Laurie Bryant, RN, MSN, OCN, ACNS-BC, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins Hospital, told ONS attendees. “We are getting a newer system [improved devices], and we’re excited to see what that new system will do for us,” she said.
Results from another study suggest that use of the anti–PD-1 monoclonal antibody nivolumab can improve outcomes in patients with metastatic anal cancer . “Anal cancer refractory to chemotherapy and radiation can respond to PD-1 inhibitory agents. [This is] good news to bring home to our clinics,” said Richard Goldberg, MD, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center–James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, at the 2016 ASCO Annual Meeting.
Other valuable insights in this issue can be gleaned from additional articles, such as the increased risk for ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary perineal cancer in carriers of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, which highlights the importance of genetics in cancer care. Other important information is highlighted in the article that points to the continued administration of aggressive therapies as part of end-of-life care for patients with terminal cancer and other illnesses, despite the clear recommendations from ASCO that patients with terminal cancer should receive palliative care rather than active interventions that do not prolong life but do add to patients’ pain and suffering.
As always, we hope you will enjoy this issue of TON and look forward to receiving your feedback. You can contact us via e-mail at info@TheOncologyNurse.com.
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