In this month’s issue of The Oncology Nurse-APN/PA (TON), we continue our coverage of the news from the 37th Annual Congress of the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) and the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. The news from ONS continues to demonstrate the important role nurses play in symptom management and in helping patients prepare for and understand their treatments. Staff at the Cedars- Sinai Blood and Marrow Transplant Program are using educational materials, prepared by one of their own, to educate and empower patients undergoing blood and marrow transplant. As reported at ONS, these new patient-friendly notebooks have received very positive responses from patients, caregivers, and members of the oncology team. These materials can be downloaded from the Cedars-Sinai Web site and customized for use by other institutions.
This issue starts our coverage of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer symposium, held in July in New York City. Our coverage includes results of a pilot study that “may offer a glimmer of hope” for patients dealing with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy as well as acknowledgment that diarrhea is a problematic side effect for patients even in the era of molecularly targeted treatments.
In The Patient’s Voice article, MMA tells us how her hospital stay for a stem cell transplant included some harrowing incidents that brought about an emotional breakdown that still lingers. She asks, “Will I ever recover from the emotional scars left from that hospital stay?” As oncology nurses, this is something we have to acknowledge and figure out how to handle so we can best help our patients get through these overwhelming situations.
Please let us know your reactions to what you see in TON. Contact us at editorial@greehillhc.com.
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