Being assigned a clinical nurse specialist is associated with better experiences of cancer care: English population-based study using the linked National Cancer Patient Experience Survey and Cancer Registration Dataset

Inequalities in patients' experiences with cancer care: the role of economic and health literacy determinants

BACKGROUND

Patients with fewer socioeconomic and health literacy resources are disadvantaged in their access and use of healthcare, which may give rise to worse experiences with care and thus inequalities in patient experiences. However, only a limited number of studies have examined how socioeconomic and health literacy factors shape inequalities in patients' experiences with cancer care.

OBJECTIVE

To examine whether patients' experiences with cancer care differ according to their economic status and health literacy.

METHODS

Secondary analysis of data on 2789 adult patients diagnosed with cancer from the Swiss Cancer Patient Experiences-2 (SCAPE-2) study, a cross-sectional survey conducted in eight hospitals across Switzerland from September 2021 to February 2022. Regression analysis was applied to examine the independent effect of patients' economic status and health literacy on various outcomes of experiences with cancer care, covering eight different dimensions of patient-centred care, controlling for confounding factors.

RESULTS

Adjusted regression analysis showed that patients with lower economic status reported significantly worse experiences with cancer care in 12 out of 29 specific care experiences, especially in the dimensions of 'respect for patients' preferences' and 'physical comfort' where all items of experiences were associated with economic status. Additionally, lower health literacy was associated with worse patient experiences in 23 specific care experiences. All items in the dimensions of 'respect for patients' preferences', 'physical comfort' and 'emotional support' were associated with health literacy.

DISCUSSION

This study revealed significant inequalities in experiences with cancer care shaped by the economic status and health literacy of patients across different dimensions of patient-centred care. It is essential to address the needs of more disadvantaged patients who face obstacles in their access and use of the healthcare system, not only to mitigate inequalities in cancer care but also to avoid inequalities in health outcomes.

A systematic review of the barriers and facilitators impacting patient enrolment in clinical trials for lung cancer

PURPOSE

Clinical research trials are needed to enhance the medical care and treatment for lung cancer, which remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. While clinical trials allow for the development of novel therapies to treat cancer, the recruitment of lung cancer patients to trials is low. This review aimed to identify and synthesise the available literature concerning barriers and facilitators affecting lung cancer patients' decisions to enrol in clinical trials to guide future cancer research efforts.

METHODS

Four databases were systematically searched: Academic Search Complete, CINHAL, PubMed, and PsycINFO in August 2023. A supplemental grey literature search was also conducted alongside this. Articles were quality appraised using CASP and JMI checklists, and results were narratively synthesised.

RESULTS

Eighteen articles of varied design met the inclusion criteria, and results were mapped onto the Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation Behaviour (COM-B) Model to help structure and conceptualise review findings. Evidence suggests that the decision to enrol in a trial is multifaceted and informed by: when and how study information is presented, travel and trial eligibility, and altruistic hopes and fears.

CONCLUSIONS

There is need to address the many different concerns that lung cancer patients have about participating in a clinical trial through the supply of accessible and timely trial information, and via the reduction of travel, expansion of study eligibility criteria, and recognition of a person's altruistic wishes, hopes, fears, and family-oriented concerns. Future research should aim to work alongside lung cancer patients, clinicians, and other stakeholders to increase research accessibility.

The role experience of advanced practice nurses in oncology: An interpretative phenomenological study

AIM(S)

To understand the experiences of advanced practice nurses working in cancer care.

DESIGN

Phenomenological qualitative study.

METHODS

Three focus groups were held to collect qualitative data. Participants were recruited through theoretical non-probabilistic sampling of maximum variation, based on 12 profiles. Data saturation was achieved with a final sample of 21 oncology advanced practice nurses who were performing advanced clinical practice roles in the four centers from December 2021 to March 2022. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was performed following Guba and Lincoln's criteria of trustworthiness. The centers' ethics committee approved the study, and all participants gave written informed consent. Data analysis was undertaken with NVivo 12 software.

RESULTS

Three broad themes emerged from the data analysis: the role performed, facilitators and barriers in the development of the role and nurses' lived experience of the role.

CONCLUSION

Advanced practice nurses are aware that they do not perform their role to its full potential, and they describe different facilitators and barriers. Despite the difficulties, they present a positive attitude as well as a capacity for leadership, which has allowed them to consolidate the advanced practice nursing role in unfavourable environments.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION

These results will enable institutions to establish strategies at different levels in the implementation and development of advanced practice nursing roles.

REPORTING METHOD

Reporting complied with COREQ criteria for qualitative research.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTIONS

No patient or public contribution.

Advanced Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVES

Our focus within this review is to summarize key advances and new therapeutic approaches within advanced triple-negative breast cancer. In addition, we highlight the importance of multidisciplinary management, discussing key issues for patients and importance of the supportive role that specialist nurses provide.

DATA SOURCES

Peer-reviewed literature, clinical practice guidelines, clinical trial, and government websites.

CONCLUSION

Triple-negative breast cancer is a highly heterogeneous subtype of breast cancer, often associated with a less favorable prognosis compared to other types. Significant advances in our understanding of specific mutations and signaling pathways within this subtype, coupled with expanding therapeutic options, has broadened the treatment landscape considerably. While chemotherapy traditionally formed the mainstay of treatment, new therapeutics such as immunotherapy, targeted agents, and antibody-drug conjugates in first-line and subsequent-line settings are now available. It is essential for all those who care for this patient group to be up-to-date on current practice and emerging treatments, so patients receive the support they need and deserve.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

Nurses need to become familiar with new systemic anticancer therapies within advanced triple-negative breast cancer to provide patients with adequate information about new treatment options and support with potential treatment-associated toxicities. It is important for nurses to be able to recognise key issues facing patients with a diagnosis of advanced triple-negative breast cancer, to gain a deeper understanding of both the physical and psychosocial support required, signposting or referring patients to additional support services if needed.

Organisation and delivery of supportive services for patients with prostate cancer in the National Health Service in England and Wales: a national cross-sectional hospital survey and latent class analysis

OBJECTIVES

We assessed how often National Health Service (NHS) hospitals reported that they had specific supportive services for patients with prostate cancer available onsite, including nursing support, sexual function and urinary continence services, psychological and genetic counselling, and oncogeriatric services. We identified groups of hospitals with similar patterns of supportive services.

DESIGN/SETTING

We conducted an organisational survey in 2021 of all NHS hospitals providing prostate cancer services in England and Wales. Latent class analysis grouped hospitals with similar patterns of supportive services.

RESULTS

In 138 hospitals, an advanced prostate cancer nurse was available in 125 hospitals (90.6%), 107 (77.5%) had a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) attending all clinics, 103 (75.7%) had sexual function services, 111 (81.6%) had continence services and 93 (69.4%) psychological counselling. The availability of genetic counselling (41 hospitals, 30.6%) and oncogeriatric services (15 hospitals, 11.0%) was lower. The hospitals could be divided into three groups. The first and largest group of 85 hospitals provided the most comprehensive supportive services onsite: all hospitals had a CNS attending all clinics, 84 (98.8%) sexual function services and 73 (85.9%) continence services. A key characteristic of the second group of 31 hospitals was that none had a CNS attending all clinics. A key characteristic of the third group of 22 hospitals was that none had sexual function services available. The hospitals in the largest group were more likely to run joint clinics (p<0.001) and host the regional specialist multidisciplinary team (p=0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

There is considerable variation in supportive services for prostate cancer available onsite in NHS hospitals in England and Wales. Availability of genetic counselling and oncogeriatric services is low. The different patterns of supportive services among hospitals demonstrate that initiatives to improve the availability of the entire range of supportive services to all patients should be carefully targeted.

Patients' and professionals' experiences with advanced practice nursing in cancer care: A qualitative study

PURPOSE

The growing complexity of cancer treatments requires changes in how care is organized and who provides it. The incorporation of advanced practice nursing roles within multidisciplinary teams can improve care in cancer patients. This study aims to understand the lived experience of cancer patients and multidisciplinary professionals in relation to the care provided by advanced practice nurses (APN).

METHODS

Phenomenological qualitative study. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and a field diary. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling; until theoretical data saturation was achieved. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was performed, following Guba and Lincoln's criteria for trustworthiness.

RESULTS

Interviews were performed with 18 professionals and 11 patients, from high-complexity public hospitals between March-December 2021. The main themes that emerged were: Advanced practice nurse role and competencies, Benefits provided by the APN, and Relevant aspects of nursing care.

CONCLUSION

Advanced practice nurses play a fundamental role in cancer care, making positive contributions to the patient experience and to the multidisciplinary team's work. Elucidating the contribution of advanced practice nurses in oncology will facilitate the definition of their specific competencies and, in turn, the implementation of training and management strategies to consolidate this figure in specialized centers.

The Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist: A Rapid Review of Implementation Models and Barriers around the World

The role of a clinical nurse specialist in oncology varies greatly between healthcare systems, and implementing this healthcare role with its multifaceted and co-existing responsibilities may prove challenging. While already integrated into healthcare systems and services in several European countries, Asia, Canada, and the United States, other countries are just beginning to develop clinical nursing specialties. The current study aims to provide healthcare policymakers with up-to-date evidence that focuses on the diverse modes of oncology clinical nurse specialist role implementation across several healthcare systems and pertinent implementation challenges as described in the literature. A rapid evidence assessment was carried out in order to provide policymakers with a rigorous review in a condensed timescale. Initially, only items in the English language were included, and "grey literature" was excluded. We searched PubMed between 1 January 2022 and 28 February 2022 and two independent scholars reviewed items. Based on 64 papers, both non-scientific and papers that met the initial criteria of the rapid review, we describe the modes of implementation of the oncology clinical nurse specialist in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Japan, Brazil and Australia. Barriers to implementation include conflicts around role boundaries, skepticism and lack of organizational support, as well as fears that oncology clinical nurse specialists will "encroach" on doctors' powers. In contrast, an oncology clinical nurse specialist is found to be universally more accessible to patients and their families and can help physicians deal with difficult workloads, among other advantages. Conclusions: This role offers a myriad of gains for cancer patients, oncology physicians, and the healthcare system. The literature demonstrates that it is a necessary role, albeit one that brings specific implementation challenges.

Nurses and Physicians' Perceptions Regarding the Role of Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialists in an Exploratory Qualitative Study

The purpose of the study was to examine the attitudes of nursing and medical teams about the role of oncology clinical nurse specialists in the healthcare system in Israel, where, unlike many countries in the world, such a role has not yet been developed or professionally defined. We conducted 24 interviews with physicians and nurses between August and October 2021. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a thematic analysis method. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist was used to report the study. Five main themes emerged from the interviews: (1) contribution to the healthcare system, (2) contribution to the patient, (3) drawing professional boundaries, (4) additional responsibilities and authority for oncology clinical nurse specialists, and (5) the field's readiness for a new position of oncology clinical nurse specialists. The findings provide evidence about the need to develop the role of clinical nurse specialists in the oncology field due to its potential benefits for nurses, physicians, patients, family members, and the healthcare system. At the same time, an in-depth exploration of the boundaries of the role and its implementation, in full cooperation with the oncologists and relevant professional unions, is needed to prevent unnecessary conflicts in the oncology field. Professional development training programs in nursing must create a platform for open dialogue between key stakeholders, nurses, and physicians, in order to help all involved parties, place the benefits to the patients above any personal or status considerations.

Intervention pathways for low anterior resection syndrome after sphincter-saving rectal cancer surgery: A systematic scoping review

AIM

Low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) has a large impact on patients' quality of life. Several heterogeneous intervention pathways are suggested in the literature. The steps and timing of the different steps in the pathways are unclear. This systematic scoping review aims to map the range of intervention pathways for LARS after sphincter-saving rectal cancer surgery.

METHODS

A search was undertaken on four databases (CINAHL, EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science). Any type of paper describing intervention pathways for patients with LARS following sphincter-saving surgery was included. Excluded were patients with a stoma, no full paper, no intervention pathway and not being written in English or Dutch. The review was registered with Open Science Framework (10.17605/OSF.IO/JB5H8). Narrative synthesis of the results was performed by charting and summarising key results.

RESULTS

A total of 373 records were screened and 12 papers were included. There was a high variability among the intervention pathways, including which patients should be included. The number of pathway steps ranged from 2-6. Most intervention pathways were treatment-led. Intervention options ranged from conservative measures to a permanent stoma. Pathway flow was highly variable and sometimes not well described, with different or no timings provided for the start, progression, or end of the pathways. Three studies discussed the use of a nurse to coordinate the pathway.

CONCLUSION

This systematic scoping review shows that despite similarities in treatment options there are variations in which treatments are included, when treatments should be instigated, and even which patients should be treated.

Delphi survey on the application of advanced practice nursing competencies: Strong points and unfinished business in cancer care

AIM

This study assessed the application of advanced practice nursing competencies in cancer care to identify obstacles to their full implementation.

BACKGROUND

Internationally, the implementation of advanced practice nursing roles depends on the context and environment, which shape the definition, scope and competencies associated with these roles.

METHODS

Nurses participated in two rounds of an online Delphi survey about the competencies of advanced practice oncology nurses. The threshold for expert consensus was set at 75%.

RESULTS

Eleven competency domains were proposed; all yielded consensus of over 75%. However, for 57.8% of the specific competencies proposed in round 1 and for 62.2% in round 2, there was no consensus on which were applied in practice. There was more agreement on the competencies applied in the domains of direct clinical practice, consultation and collaboration and interprofessional relations than in dimensions such as health care promotion, quality improvement, evidence-based practice and research. Barriers related to unimplemented competencies were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

The competencies applied in advanced practice nursing reflect incomplete development of these roles. Domains related to direct clinical practice, consultation and collaboration and interprofessional relations are relatively well developed, whereas those related to leadership, research, evidence-based practice and quality improvement are not. The identified barriers hindering implementation of some competencies can inform strategies to develop this role in cancer care.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Hospital administrators and nurse managers should reflect and be mindful of the development of advanced practice nurse (APN) competencies along with the challenges associated with implementing advanced practice roles.

Factors influencing cancer patients' experiences of care in the USA, United Kingdom, and Canada: A systematic review

The extent to which individual and structural factors influence cancer patients' reports of their experiences are not yet well understood. We sought to identify which groups of patients consistently report poorer experiences and whether structural care factors might also be associated with better or worse reports. We conducted a systematic review of literature in PubMed and Web of Science with the date of last search as 27th of February 2022 following PRISMA guidelines. We focused on studies from three established population-based surveys datasets and instruments. After screening 303 references, 54 studies met the inclusion criteria. Overall, being from an ethnic minority group, having a more deprived socioeconomic status, poorer general or mental health status, being diagnosed with poor prognosis cancers, presenting to care through an emergency route, and having delayed treatment were consistently associated with poorer cancer care experiences. Conversely being diagnosed with earlier stage disease, perceiving communication as effective, positive patient-provider relationships, and receiving treatment with respect were overall associated with better reports of cancer care experiences. Improvement efforts aimed at delivering better experiences of patient-centred care need to take account much more explicitly patients' differing characteristics, prognoses, and trajectories they take through their care journeys.

Clinical nurse specialist role in providing generalist and specialist palliative care: A qualitative study of mesothelioma clinical nurse specialists

Aim

To explore perspectives of Mesothelioma UK clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) on their role in providing palliative care for patients with mesothelioma and their families.

Design

A qualitative descriptive approach using focus group and interview methods.

Methods

Focus groups and semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 16 Mesothelioma UK clinical nurse specialists using the online software Google Meet. Data collection was carried out in Jan‐Feb 2021 and data were analysed using thematic analysis. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) was used as the reporting guideline for this paper.

Results

Four main themes were identified from the data: Mesothelioma UK clinical nurse specialist role in relation to palliative care; joint working with specialist palliative care and community services; patients and family carer's willingness to engage with palliative care services; and the impact of COVID‐19 on palliative care for mesothelioma patients.

Conclusion

This study provides valuable insights into palliative care needs in mesothelioma. Patients with mesothelioma and their families have significant palliative care needs throughout the course of their illness from diagnosis to the end of life. Mesothelioma UK CNS's play a crucial role in supporting patients' and families palliative care needs, and are highly skilled in providing this care.

Impact

By acknowledging the role of Mesothelioma UK CNS's in palliative care provision, and supporting collaborative working between specialist and generalist palliative care providers, there is the capacity to significantly improve palliative care in mesothelioma and improve outcomes for patients and their families.

Clinical nurse specialists and survival in patients with cancer: the UK National Cancer Experience Survey

OBJECTIVE

To examine whether having a better care experience with a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is associated with better overall survival of patients with cancer in England.

METHODS

We identified 99 371 patients with colorectal, lung, breast and prostate cancer who reported their care experience with CNS from the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey (2010-2014) and English cancer registration linked dataset. We categorised patients' experiences into three groups (excellent, non-excellent and no CNS name was given), across three aspects of CNS care: the ease of contacting their CNS, feeling that a CNS had listened to them and the degree to which explanations given by a CNS were understandable. We used univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analyses to estimate HRs with 95% CIs by patient experience for each cancer adjusting for patients' sociodemographic and disease stage at diagnosis.

RESULTS

Among the three compared groups, patients who reported not being given a CNS name had the lowest survival. In the adjusted Cox regression analysis, the results show that among those who reported not being given a CNS name, the highest risk of death was in those with colorectal, breast and prostate cancers only (colorectal HR: 1.40; 95% CI: 1.32 to 1.84; breast HR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.25 to 1.44; prostate HR: 1.09; 95% CI: 0.99 to 1.13). However, this association seemed reversed among patients with lung cancer, although attenuated when accounting for potential confounders.

CONCLUSION

These findings provide new evidence of the vital contribution CNS may make to cancer survival and suggest CNS input and support should be available to all patients after the diagnosis.