The evidence is strong! Physical activity is an effective intervention to combat cancer related fatigue and may help mitigate treatment related symptoms such as anxiety and depression, lymphedema and sleep quality – not to mention improve bone and muscle strength. A number of observational studies demonstrate the therapeutic benefit of physical activity during and after cancer treatment with a reduction in cancer recurrence of between 10-50% in a number of cancer types for patients who engaged in regular physical activity during and after cancer treatment. 

Since the campaign launched, a number of ONS members have vowed to have their patients get up and get moving. That’s why ONS is happy to recognize the work of several members who are leading the charge in their practice sites.

  • Lori Tritto, RN, MSN, Clinical Educator IV and a Chapter Leader in the South Bay ONS Chapter in Long Beach, CA learned about the campaign at ONS Leadership Weekend in Pittsburgh, PA in August 2015. After the meeting, Lori contacted ONS for permission to incorporate the patient teaching video into the patient education channel in her work place. She has also worked to activate the members of her chapter to incorporate physical activity in cancer care. 
  • Yvonne Ward, RN, MSN, OCN®, a Nurse Navigator at HCA Midwest Health in Overland Park, KS and her colleague, Kelly Duty, ARNP, MSN have incorporated Get Up, Get Moving into their patient teaching materials. They anticipate that between 20 and 25 patients and their families will have the opportunity to view the patient video monthly. 
  • Cynthia Reiss, RN, BSN, a graduate student and staff nurse at Ogallala Community Hospital in Ogallala, NB reports that she will be using a number of the tools and resources on the Get Up, Get Moving webpage as a part of her capstone project. Implementing an evidence-based practice change will extend beyond the requirements of her academic program and she has plans to continue to incorporate mutual goal setting with patients and family regarding physical activity. 
  • Leah Scaramuzzo, MSN, RN-BC, AOCN®, Nurse Clinician II at the Billings Clinic in Billings, MT worked on the ONS project team that developed the plan for this national quality campaign for physical activity in cancer care. Leah utilized the Incorporating Physical Activity into Cancer Care educator resources to create a workshop for the Statewide ONS Conference in fall of 2015. She also believes that nurses need to care for themselves and engage in the same 150 minutes of physical activity weekly as their patients.
  • Lawanda Wood, BSN, RN, a staff development educator at Sentora Norfolk General in Ghent, VA has incorporated the patient teaching video into the hospital line up.

ONS salutes the contributions of oncology nurses working to deliver the highest quality cancer care by incorporating physical activity into cancer care plans. If you or your colleagues are working to incorporate physical activity recommendations for patients let us know about your accomplishments at research@ons.org.