Symptom Experience In Older Adults Undergoing Treatment For Cancer

Purpose/Objectives: To explore the symptom experience of older adults receiving cancer chemotherapy in an outpatient treatment setting. Design: Exploratory, descriptive, cross-sectional study. Setting: A community cancer center in the southeastern United States. Sample: 100 adults aged 65 years or older undergoing treatment for cancer. Methods: Data were collected from participants at a chemotherapy treatment visit using structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to examine data. T tests and analysis of variance were used to compare symptoms among groups, and Pearson correlations were used to examine relationships among variables. Main Research Variables: Cancer treatment-related symptoms, comorbid illnesses, mental health function, and physical function. Findings: Older adults experience a high number of cancer treatment-related symptoms with moderate severity. The most common symptoms included fatigue, bowel disturbances, lack of appetite, hair loss, and drowsiness. Numbness and tingling were the most severe symptoms experienced. The presence of comorbid illness and poor mental functioning affects the number of symptoms experienced. Conclusions: Opportunities exist for clinicians to take steps to assess and manage symptoms common to older adults before serious complications and negative outcomes occur. Future research is needed. Implications for Nursing: Nurses should consider comorbidities and poor mental functioning in older adults when assessing treatment-related symptoms. Being proactive and assessing and managing symptoms early during treatment may improve outcomes for older patients

Symptom Self-Management: Strategies Used By Older Adults Receiving Treatment For Cancer

BACKGROUND: Older adults are at high risk for cancer treatment–related symptoms but often accept them as inevitable. This may have a negative impact on patient outcomes. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to examine symptom self-management strategies used by older adults receiving cancer treatment, determine the effectiveness of these strategies, and examine relationships between symptom self-management and demographic and treatment characteristics. METHODS: 100 adults aged 65 years or older from a community cancer center participated in this descriptive, exploratory study. Demographic, treatment, and self-management data were collected using an investigator-developed tool. Symptom presence was collected using part 1 of the Symptom Representation Questionnaire. FINDINGS: Participants reported an average of 7.15 symptoms and 3.36 self-management strategies used at home. Taste changes were managed most, followed by fatigue and bowel changes. On average, strategies used to manage symptoms were moderately effective

A Bump In The Road-Older Women\u27S Views On Surviving Breast Cancer

Due to the aging of the Baby Boomer generation, surviving with breast cancer will become more common, but also more complicated, as older women are often dealing with additional chronic illnesses and problems of aging. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how older women view surviving breast cancer in context with aging. Findings suggest that most women are able to put their cancer experience in the background and come to view breast cancer as a bump in the road through expecting illness with aging, putting cancer in perspective, and sensing a partnership. © 2013 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Interventions That Address Cancer Health Disparities In Women

Health disparities exist in cancer incidence and mortality rates among certain populations. Women of low socioeconomic status and minority women are at particular risk for not adhering to recommended cancer screening guidelines. Such behaviors may contribute to disparities when cancers are discovered at later stages, contributing to higher mortality rates in these women. Barriers to screening tests exist and are factors in preventing women from accessing available screening tests for breast and cervical cancer. Once barriers are identified, interventions can be developed to reduce certain health disparities. This article is a review of the literature that focuses on interventions that have been successful in addressing barriers that interfere with cancer screening in women

Posttreatment Concerns Of Older Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer

By exploiting recent developments associated with parity-time (PT) symmetry in optics, we here propose a new avenue in realizing single-mode large area laser amplifiers. This can be accomplished by utilizing the abrupt symmetry breaking transition that allows the fundamental mode to experience gain while keeping all the higher order modes neutral. Such PT-symmetric structures can be realized by judiciously coupling two multimode waveguides, one exhibiting gain while the other exhibits an equal amount of loss. Pertinent examples are provided for both semiconductor and fiber laser amplifiers. © 2012 Optical Society of America

Advances And Challenges: Student Reflections From An Online Death And Dying Course

This study describes nursing students’ reflections on taking an online course on death and dying. In a semistructured paper, students described fears of caring for clients at end of life (EOL), important content learned, and remaining discomforts. Data were analyzed using directed content analysis. Consistent themes were noted among the papers. Student reflections on the knowledge they gained closely followed initial fears. Several students appreciated the ability to reflect on their experiences in a nonjudgmental setting. Overall, the data showed that nursing students can become more confident in EOL care through online education. Knowledge gains and continued fears about the same topics suggest EOL confidence lies along a continuum and may require ongoing education. Future research should focus on offering online continuing education on EOL to practicing nurses

A Pap Test Does Not Screen For Everything: Nurse Practitioner Knowledge Of Ovarian Cancer

Purpose: Nurse practitioners (NPs) are in a prime position to educate women about initial signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer (OC) and perform appropriate screening tests. However, little is known about NPs knowledge regarding OC. This article\u27s purpose is to present the outcomes of a focused OC awareness program for NP students. Data sources: NP students (N = 104) participated in this longitudinal one group pre-post study. Knowledge was calculated based on the number of correct answers for a total knowledge score and subscales related to OC incidence, risk, screening, symptoms, and treatment. An item related to the effectiveness of the Pap test to screen for OC was evaluated separately. Conclusion: Knowledge deficits continue to exist related to OC, emphasizing the need for NPs to be aware of risk factors, symptoms, and early detection options for women with average risk. Many NP students erroneously believed a Pap test was an effective screening tool for OC. Implications for practice: Many NPs are inadequately prepared to assess risk, detect early symptoms, and perform screening tests for OC. Continuing education and reinforcement about OC is essential if NPs are to provide appropriate education to clients and detect this deadly disease as early as possible