Adherence to Oral Agents for Cancer

Adherence to oral agents for cancer (OACs) is an important issue in the oncology setting. Unlike IV agents, which are typically administered in a controlled environment by oncology nurses, OACs are self-administered at home with little professional oversight. The potential for medication error or nonadherence cannot be underestimated, but oncology nurses are in a key position to spearhead initiatives aimed at improving patient education and adherence for OACs.

January 2016

Congress Passes 2016 Budget With Several Increases to Health and Cancer Spending

In a bipartisan move, Congress successfully passed the $1.15 trillion omnibus spending bill on December 18, 2015 along with a $680 billion tax package to finalize their 2016 budget, which will fund the government until September 30, 2016.

In the New Year: Do-Over or Do Different?

At the start of a new year, people often make resolutions about what they’ll do differently during the next 365 days. Perhaps you, the oncology nurse, are in this place of pondering, self-examination, or you’re just reviewing the past year in general. Here’s some food for thought.

Stop Bullying and Encourage Civility in the Workplace

Workplace incivility, sometimes called bullying, is a secret kept on nursing units. How we treat each other is sometimes not very nice, even when it is done with the thought of patient safety and compassion

Rhythms of the Night Shift

The humming of the florescent lights in the quiet of the night shift on the bone marrow transplant unit at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center in Denver, CO, doesn’t bother ONS member Pam Richardson, BSN, RN, OCN^®, at all; in fact, she hardly notices it.

Become a More Resilient Nurse

Oncology nurses know about resilience; we see it every day. We assess our patients’ psychosocial wellness, distress, and quality of life, recognizing the value in supporting resilience throughout the cancer continuum, but oncology nurses need to be resilient as well.

A Nurse’s Guide to ACS’s New Breast Cancer Screening Guideline

The American Cancer Society (ACS) recently updated its 2003 breast cancer screening guidelines, including major changes in the recommendations for breast cancer screening procedures with important implications to all clinical nurses, not just those in oncology.

Effective Treatment for Ovarian Cancer Is Underused

A new study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology has shown that fewer than half of women with metastatic ovarian cancer are receiving an effective treatment that could improve ovarian cancer outcomes.

Chemotherapy Near the End of Life Questioned

A new study has added to the growing body of medical literature questioning widespread use of chemotherapy near the end of life in patients with cancer who have poor prognoses. The findings were reported in JAMA Oncology.

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