A nurse’s perspective in the creation of health technology tools to deliver quality patient care is important for the digital era we provide care in. Advancements can be as complex as artificial intelligence in big institutions or as simple as a mobile app for personal smartphones. I’ve been working with other healthcare providers to develop the latter to improve care for pediatric patients with cancer.
Currently under study, multicancer early detection (MCED) tests have the potential to fill gaps in the screening process for some cancers, consequently leading to earlier diagnoses for cancers historically diagnosed at later stages because of a lack of screening options. MCED tests use various methods to detect multiple cancers from one blood sample, such as methylation-based assay, which analyzes methylation patterns in cell-free DNA. In cancer cells, hypermethylation may silence tumor suppressor genes in the early stages of cancer growth.
Remote educational outreach involving oncology nurse–developed videos and follow-up navigator phone calls increased breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening adherence compared to usual care in females obtaining community care in rural Ohio and Indiana locations, according to study findings published in JAMA Network Open.
Patients who follow various religious practices may wear head coverings that can affect their height or weight measurements. Accurate height and weight measurements are essential for weight-based medication dosing to prevent inadvertent over- or underdosing.
PITTSBURGH, PA—July 17, 2023—Providing resources and education on topics that support direct care nurses in their day-to-day practice, the Oncology Nursing Society will host ONS Bridge™, the premier virtual oncology nursing conference, on September 12 and 14, 2023. This year’s event also features a bonus day on September 13, 2023, where attendees can exchange ideas and network in roundtable discussions.
I always wanted to be a nurse, but it was unattainable for me as a single mother until online programs became available in the mid-2000s. I was a nursing assistant for 18 years before I became a nurse in 2015.
Joining two powerful entities may be what it takes to overcome cancer and global health threats and improve health architecture around the world. In May 2023, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra and the European Union Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides announced that the countries had formed the EU–U.S. Health Task Force, a new joint effort to address global health.
Despite pain’s prevalence as a debilitating symptom correlated with poor outcomes among patients with cancer, it is often inadequately treated. Racial disparities further contribute to the challenges of assessing and managing cancer pain, with health systems reporting markedly lower doses of opioid prescriptions for Black patients compared to White patients. The inequities stem from provider biases, patient belief systems, and systemic racism.
A geriatric nurse practitioner who served as a Navy helicopter pilot in the Persian Gulf through two deployments, U.S. Representative Jen Kiggans (R-VA) introduced new legislation that would allow more providers to use telehealth services, expanding access and reducing barriers for their patients.
The United States has waged a war on cancer for more than 50 years, but no patient ever willingly enlists for service. Although evidence conflicts about the psychosocial implications of using war imagery terms with patients with cancer, researchers conducting a new study found that patients with nonmetastatic disease embrace using war imagery to place meaning around their diagnosis. The researchers reported their findings in Supportive Care in Cancer.