Interdisciplinary communication is critical for patient safety across the healthcare continuum. One way our institution addressed communication barriers and looked to enhance understanding of each other’s roles was by creating an oncology service line pharmacy and nursing committee.
Patient safety is of utmost importance in health care today, especially in an oncology setting where mistakes can have grave impacts on patients with complex care needs. The Health and Medicine Division, formerly the Institute of Medicine, estimated that 44,000–98,000 Americans die each year from preventable medical errors.
President Obama, during his final State of the Union address on January 12, 2016, said, “Let’s make America the country that cures cancer once and for all.” From that challenge, the National Cancer Moonshot Initiative was born with Vice President Joe Biden appointed to the helm. A new national endeavor to develop massive strides in cancer research and treatment would take the brightest minds and most dedicated workers in oncology and throughout the country.
Colorectal cancer will account for an estimated 49,000 deaths in 2016. It’s currently the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. However, when caught early through screening procedures, the five-year survival rate is 90%. On June 15, 2016, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released updated colorectal cancer screening guidelines to better inform healthcare professionals and patients of best ways to detect colon cancer early.
Evolving your practice and refining your education is part of being a great oncology nurse. Through continuing education opportunities, our members are always pushing themselves to provide better care for their patients.
About 40% of acute lymphocytic leukemias (ALLs) occur in adults, but those cases are responsible for 80% of ALL’s death rate. Two studies have shown the blinatumomab is effective in inducing remissions in refractory B-cell ALL.
I was honored and thrilled to represent the Oncology Nursing Society at this year’s One Voice Against Cancer (OVAC) lobby day during National Nurses Week on May 10th 2016. For those unfamiliar with OVAC, it “is a collaboration of national non-profit organizations representing millions of Americans, delivering a unified message to Congress and the White House on the need for increased cancer-related appropriations.”
