Trans-sectoral care in patients with colorectal cancer: Protocol of the randomized controlled multi-center trial Supportive Cancer Care Networkers (SCAN)

A concept analysis of transitional care for people with cancer

AIM

Transitional care as the journey between different caregivers in multiple healthcare centres is crucial for the provision of care to people with cancer, but it is often complex and poorly coordinated. This study aimed to analyse the concept of transitional care for people with cancer.

DESIGN

Rodgers' evolutionary concept analysis.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted on the databases of PubMed (including MEDLINE), EMBASE, Scopus and Web of Science to retrieve articles published between 2000 and 2022.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine eligible articles were selected and their findings were classified in terms of related concepts and alternative terms, antecedents, attributes and consequences. Attributes included three main categories, namely 'nurse-related attributes', 'organisation-related attributes' and 'patient-related attributes'. Antecedents of transitional care for people with cancer were categorized into two main categories: 'patient-related antecedents' and 'caregiver-related antecedents'. Consequences were categorized into 'psychological consequences' and 'objective consequences'.

Providing Leadership Through Patients as Partners: Improving Australian Colorectal Survivorship Care Through Perspectives from a Nurse Who Became a Cancer Patient

OBJECTIVE

To provide contemporary real-world, real-life insights into gaps in supportive care experiences for people affected by colorectal cancer. For the first time, this article includes a patient as a coauthor, with the aim to identify future priorities to improve care and recovery in colorectal cancer survivorship.

DATA SOURCES

Electronic databases, peer-reviewed literature, and real-life professional and personal experiences were used.

CONCLUSION

There are several problematic areas in providing supportive care for people affected by colorectal cancer that could be improved by wider access to colorectal specialist nurses, coordinated multidisciplinary teams, patient collaboration, linking survivorship care outcomes to national standards, and developing supported self-management care plans.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

A patient-led insight has underscored some fundamental failings in current service delivery among people affected by colorectal cancer. Partnering with consumers in research and service redesign is essential to stratify future priorities to optimize care and person-centered recovery.

Influence of Early Predictive Nursing on Complications and Quality of Life in Patients after Colorectal Cancer Surgery

Objective

To analyze the effect of early predictive nursing on complications and quality of life in patients after colorectal cancer surgery.

Methods

A total of 130 patients with colorectal cancer who were diagnosed and underwent surgical resection in our hospital from 2019 to 2021 were recruited and assigned via the random number table method (1 : 1) to receive either conventional nursing (routine group) or predictive nursing (study group). Outcome measures included the incidence of complications and the quality of life.

Results

Predictive nursing was associated with shorter operation time and hospital stay and less blood loss (2.35 ± 0.41, 9.32 ± 1.86, and 70.52 ± 16.52) versus conventional nursing (3.02 ± 0.78, 11.20 ± 2.14, and 81.51 ± 17.74) (all P < 0.05). Patients in the study group showed a lower incidence of complications than the control group (10.76% vs 35.38%) (all P < 0.05). Predictive nursing resulted in better anxiety relief than conventional nursing (P < 0.05). Predictive nursing was associated with higher emotional function, cognitive function, role function, and physical function scores (83.51 ± 12.56, 82.45 ± 9.15, 82.48 ± 10.46, 84.43 ± 13.48, and 82.73 ± 9.67) than conventional nursing (73.85 ± 13.54, 72.54 ± 12.74, 72.48 ± 10.45, 73.99 ± 14.51, and 72.45 ± 11.69) (all P < 0.05). Patients receiving predictive nursing showed a significantly higher nursing satisfaction versus conventional nursing (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Early predictive nursing for patients receiving colorectal cancer surgery can lower the incidence of complications, effectively improve the quality of life of patients, shorten the hospital stay, reduce the amount of bleeding, and enhance the satisfaction of patients.

Current Status of Out-of-Hospital Management of Cancer Patients and Awareness of Internet Medical Treatment: A Questionnaire Survey

Objective: To explore the current situation of the out-of-hospital management of patients with cancer and evaluate the feasibility of Internet medical intervention outside the hospital in China.

Methods: The questionnaire was designed based on the investigators' clinical experience, literature data, and the Anderson Symptom Scale, and adopted a cross sectional survey method.

Results: Totally 1,171 qualified questionnaires were analyzed. The results showed that 92.7% of patients with cancer experienced varying degrees of out-of-hospital symptoms after treatment, and a third of them needed clinical intervention. Abnormal blood test results outside the hospital were basically consistent with the events that occurred during the hospitalization. One third of patients with cancer could not identify abnormal results. The primary approaches to solve these abnormalities were to seek guidance from the physician in charge or from nearby hospitals, but only 6.75% patients sought help online. More than half of the life or work of patients with cancer are still greatly affected under the current management model. 92% of respondents required medical help outside the hospital, and 65% ones were willing to pay for the out-of-hospital management.

Conclusions: Out-of-hospital management model needs to be improved. Most users are willing to accept Internet cancer management with fees. The survey has a positive effect on guiding future Internet cancer management practices in China to a certain extent.

Oncology Nursing Telephone Triage Workshop: Impact on Nurses' Knowledge, Confidence, and Skill

BACKGROUND

Outpatient oncology nurses are responsible for symptom assessment/management and care coordination during telephone triage. Nursing telephone triage interventions can improve patient outcomes and clinical efficiency. Therefore, the lack of education and training in telephone triage can greatly impact patient care.

OBJECTIVE

Using a prospective pretest/posttest design, we sought to determine if a telephone triage educational workshop would improve oncology nurses' knowledge, confidence, and skill over 12 weeks.

INTERVENTION/METHODS

The educational intervention incorporated an online didactic lecture, group case scenario, and feedback on a virtual triage simulation. Evaluation was conducted before and after the intervention through an online, 13-item survey (knowledge and confidence) and simulation utilizing a 56-item checklist (skills).

RESULTS

Thirteen oncology nurses were enrolled; 54% did not have telephone triage experience before this job. A total of 12 participants completed the workshop. From pretest to posttest, there was a median 1.0 out of 5.0 (interquartile range, 2.8) improvement in confidence (P = .008) and a 26.3% (interquartile range, 15.2) improvement in skills (P = .002). There was no difference in knowledge scores from pretest to posttest (P = .11).

CONCLUSIONS

This workshop was associated with an improvement in oncology nurse confidence and skill, using telephone triage models. It benefits an existing process within the outpatient center and it highlights a new educational strategy that may optimize nursing practice and improve patient care and experience.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

This workshop contributes to existing evidence of telephone triage models and nursing education. The findings can guide future research, nursing orientation, and educational activities within the field of nursing and telehealth.