Oncology nurses care for a complex patient population, and the inevitable emotional exhaustion and compassion fatigue that result can lead to decreased productivity, high staff turnover, and increased use of sick days. In a poster session on April 25, 2024, during the 49th Annual ONS Congress^®, ONS members Jacqueline Anorga, RN, Meghan Manthorpe, BMTCN^®, RN, BSN, and Maria Weinstein, MSN, RN, DON, described how they formed an oncology nursing peer group to provide connections and interventions to address burnout, fatigue, and turnover. 

Cryotherapy, the therapeutic use of extreme cold, was first studied for cancer care in 1919, when Temple Sedgwick Fay, MD, discovered that higher-temperature body areas were more prone to metastasis and demonstrated that hypothermia reduced swelling and inflammation—two oncogenic drivers. Today, we understand that cellular proliferation slows under the influence of cryotherapy, which can be used internally (e.g., cryoablative surgery) or externally (e.g., ice bags, specially designed devices).

Psychological distress in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) affects overall survival and quality of life, yet nurses have no standard of practice to follow for their psychological assessment, ONS members Brooke E. Trigiani, RN, MSN, OCN^®, and Carolee Polek, PhD, RN, AOCNS^®, BMTCN^®, reported in the February 2024 issue of the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing.

Dance/movement therapy (DMT) is an integrative symptom management modality that uses the elements of dance and movement along with other body-focused activities, including guided imagery, mindfulness, breath awareness, and therapeutic play to support self-expression and promote well-being. Defined by the American Dance Therapy Association as “the psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote emotional, social, cognitive and physical integration of the individual,” DMT has been used in pediatric cancer settings. However, data on its delivery and outcomes are limited.

Even very young children can sense when there’s a change in routine, when parents or guardians are having hushed conversations in the next room, or when the energy in the room is lower than usual. They know when something is happening to someone they love, and they need to talk

A few years ago, ONS member Amy Gundelach, RN, MSN, AG-CNS-BC, OCN^®, survivorship program coordinator at the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center in Albuquerque, was managing two male patients—a 25-year-old and a 30-year-old—who were seeking a survivorship support group of young adult peers and a survivorship therapist for young adults. She discovered that her institution didn’t have any materials tailored specifically tailored for young adult cancer survivors’ needs, compared to their older counterparts.

Patients with cancer who participate in virtual mind-body classes are less likely to be hospitalized and are hospitalized for shorter durations, researchers reported at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology Quality Care Symposium. Their findings highlight the benefits of mind-body practices in reducing symptoms and improving mental health in patients with cancer.

Stigma is a deep-seated social construct that “profoundly discredits an individual or a group from being whole, causing them to be viewed as less desirable, harmful, or weak.” It infiltrates all corners of society, but when experienced in health care, it can contribute to health inequities and poor health-related outcomes.

Regular symptom check-ins and early survivorship education with a nurse can improve breast cancer survivors’ quality of life, fear of recurrence, and mental health, as compared to standard physician follow-up, researchers reported in study results presented at the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

Lack of social connections has the health implication equivalency of smoking 15 cigarettes per day, whereas maintaining a strong social community can increase odds of survival by 50%, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, MBA, said in a 2023 report.

A reported 22%–58% of patients with cancer experience distress that can occur at any point along the clinical course, and it can interfere with their ability to cope well with cancer, its physical symptoms, and treatment. Oncology nurses can teach patients about mind-body approaches such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), and mindfulness to help self-manage distress and guide them to resources for mind-body practices. 

When we use the term “trauma,” we’re often referring to experiences like war, being attacked or assaulted, or witnessing a terrible tragedy. However, other traumas can be just as harmful. Patients with cancer may have experienced multiple kinds of trauma throughout their lives, which can contribute to myriad challenges such as chronic health problems, mental illness, and difficulty seeking care. 

When the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic hit the United States, in a matter of days clinicians were scrambling to find novel ways to screen, triage, and provide telehealth interventions to protect patients with chronic conditions who are especially vulnerable to COVID-19. As nurses, we are accustomed to helping patients in crisis acclimate to a changing environment, process large amounts of information, and have their psychosocial needs met.

As health care advances, so too does our understanding about the numerous conditions affecting patients, including their mental health and well-being. Messaging from federal agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about mental health is taking an inclusive, wholistic approach to the many aspects of mental health. CDC presented new educational applications for providers to consider when talking to their patients about mental well-being and their continued success in treatment.

Depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and cognitive difficulties are just some mental health concerns that can affect cancer survivors: those living with, through, and beyond a cancer diagnosis. As many as three out of every four cancer survivors can experience acute or chronic symptoms of psychological distress, which can negatively affect quality of life, engagement in follow-up care, and health outcomes.

As part of its ongoing work “to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating healthcare organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value,” the Joint Commission hosts an annual Health Care Association Forum to educate associations about the commission’s latest initiatives and goals. Here are the outcomes that affect nursing practice in 2019.

Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) who experience more stress also have more cancer cells in their blood and elevated levels of three other advanced disease markers, according to results of a study published in Cancer. It is the first study to link stress with biologic disease markers in patients with CLL.

Sharon, age 40, was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma. Pathologically, her tumor was grade I, estrogen- and progesterone-receptor positive, and HER2 negative. The mass measured 0.5 cm on ultrasound. Sharon has no family history of cancer and is devastated by the diagnosis. One of her close friends recently died from metastatic breast cancer, and she is certain will have the same fate. She tells Jennifer, an RN in the breast center, that she is going home to “get her affairs in order.”

Just three to six sessions of a tailored psychotherapy program called CALM, or Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully, reduced symptoms of depression or prevented the onset of depression in patients with recently diagnosed advanced cancer, according to findings from a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

The January 2018 case study introduced Vince, a 55-year-old man receiving chemotherapy and radiation for recurrent bladder cancer. He suffers from chronic back pain because of spinal stenosis and has been on opioid therapy for nearly two years.

Music has historically been associated with health and healing in cultures around the world. As a therapeutic intervention in patients with cancer, it is used to address physical and psychological symptoms. The sessions are tailored to meet patients’ individual needs and abilities and can involve listening to, writing, performing, or discussing music and lyrics, guided by a trained therapist. Although music does not affect the disease itself, it produces more immediate effects compared to pharmacologic agents, has a positive impact on mood, and strengthens patients’ ability to cope.

Meditation is a healing practice that involves focusing attention, regulating breathing, and developing a nonjudgmental awareness of one’s thoughts and feelings. It aims to improve emotional regulation and overall well-being. Data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey indicate that 18 million adults and 927,000 children practice meditation. Meditation encompasses repeating words with phonetic significance as in mantram meditation; paying attention or continually returning to the present moment as in mindfulness meditation; or practicing specific movements as in tai chi and qigong.   

Kris is a 46-year-old newly diagnosed with stage III cervical cancer. She is an avid runner and vegetarian, and she believes strongly in taking care of herself. “I never thought I would get cancer,” she says. “I thought I did everything I could to avoid this.”