Compassion fatigue and anxiety in critical care emergency nurses: In between efficiency and humanity

OBJECTIVES

To determine the emotional impact of permanent proximity to trauma and death in the Emergency and ICU's nurses establishing prevalence of Compassionate Fatigue (burnout and Secondary Traumatic Stress) and anxiety. Analyze its relationship with sociodemographic, training, workplace and psychological variables.

METHODS

Descriptive, cross-sectional and multicentre study. The validated ProQOL v. IV and STAI scales and an ad-hoc questionnaire with the variables of the second objective were used in 710 nurses from nine highly complex hospitals in Catalonia (Spain).

RESULTS

In both units, the prevalence of professionals affected with high scores of burnout was higher than 20%, on Secondary Traumatic Stress was 30% and, 12% on anxiety. Each subscale was significantly associated with the intention to leave units and the career. 97% of participants stated that they needed to be trained in emotional management.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of burnout and Secondary Traumatic Stress were higher in our study than those offered in the reference literature in emergency and ICU nurses. The prevalence of each construct was individually related to the desire to leave work units and career. This fact, together with the participants' desire to be better trained in emotional management exposes the need to establish educational plans, as well as institutional measures to prevent and support nurses for Compassion Fatigue.

“Evidence On Port-locking With Heparin versus Saline in Cancer Patients Not Receiving Chemotherapy. Randomized Clinical Trial”

Objective

To assess the safety and efficacy of port-locking with heparin every 2 months vs. every 4 months and vs. saline solution every 2 months in patients with cancer not receiving active chemotherapy. The hypothesis stated that locking with heparin at four-month intervals and saline at two-month intervals would not increment > 10% of port obstructions.

Methods

Multicentre, phase IV parallel, post-test control group study took place at the two chemotherapy units of oncology hospitals. Included patients with cancer with ports that completed the chemotherapy treatment but still having port maintenance care or blood samples taken up to four months. A sample of 126 patients with cancer in three arms was needed to detect a maximum difference of 10% for bioequivalence on the locking methods. Consecutive cases non-probabilistic sampling and randomized to one of the three groups; group A: received heparin 60 IU/mL every two months (control) vs. group B heparin every four months and vs. saline every two months in group C. Primary variables were the type of locking regimen, port obstruction, and absence of blood return, port-related infection, or venous thrombosis during the study period. Clinical and sociodemographic variables were also collected.

Results

A total of 143 patients were randomly assigned; group A, 47 patients with heparin every 2 months, group B, 51 patients with heparin 4 months, and group C, 45 patients with saline every 2 months. All participants presented an adequate blood return and no obstructions, until the month of the 10th, when one participant in the group A receiving was withdrawn due to an absence of blood flow (P ​= ​0.587).

Conclusions

Port locks with heparin every 4 months or saline every 2 months did not show differences in safety maintenance, infection, or thrombosis compared to heparin every 2 months.

Role of SPECT-CT in sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients diagnosed with head and neck melanoma

OBJECTIVE

Assess the role of SPECT-CT in sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in the accurate anatomical location of the SNL in patients with cutaneous head and neck melanoma.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted from February 2010 to June 2013 on 22 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of cutaneous head and neck melanoma (9 female, 13 male), with a mean age of 55 years old and who met the inclusion criteria for SLN biopsy. Patients underwent preoperative scanning after peri-scar injection of (99m)Tc-labeled-nanocolloid. Planar images of the injection-site, whole-body, and SPECT-CT scanning were acquired.

RESULTS

Detection rate of SLN reached up to 91% (20/22 patients) by planar lymphoscintigraphy and 95.4% (21/22 patients) by SPECT-CT. SPECT-CT provided an accurate location of SLN in 14/22 patients, enabling to improve the surgical approach (clinical impact: 63.6%). SLN was positive for metastatic cells in 9.1% patients.

CONCLUSION

SPECT-CT provides detailed anatomical SLN location and allows detecting a higher number of SLN than planar lymphoscintigraphy. Routine use of SPECT-CT is recommended in order to optimise the SLN detection and location in patients with head and neck melanoma.

Evidence-based management of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting: a position statement from a European cancer nursing forum

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is a common, but now often overlooked side effect of cancer treatment, and one that can be largely prevented through the implementation of international evidence-based guidelines. The European CINV Forum, comprising nurses from France, Germany, Portugal, Spain and the UK, discussed the use of CINV preventive strategies in routine practice, and the factors that affect optimal delivery of antiemetic therapies. Based on these discussions, they developed a series of recommendations for optimal, evidence-based management of CINV. These state that all patients receiving chemotherapy should undergo full assessment of their risk of CINV and receive appropriate prophylactic treatment based on guidelines from the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), which were both updated in 2011. Other recommendations, aimed at raising awareness of CINV and its management, include timely updates of relevant local practice guidelines and protocols, translation of the MASCC and NCCN guidelines into all European languages and their dissemination through accessible articles in nursing journals and newsletters and via nursing conferences and study days, improved training for nurses on CINV, collaboration between the European Oncology Nursing Society and national nursing organisations to promote consistent practice, the development of a CINV toolkit, information provision for patients, local audits of CINV management, and a survey of CINV management between and within European countries.

[Necrobiotic xanthogranuloma: efficacy of surgery in 2 patients]

Necrobiotic xanthogranuloma is a rare disease characterized by indurated nodules and yellowish-red plaques in the dermis or subdermal tissues particularly in the periorbital region; the lesions are often ulcerated. This disease is frequently associated with hematological disorders such as monoclonal gammopathy and lymphoproliferative disorders. Its pathogenesis is unknown and the small number of cases makes long-term studies difficult. We present 2 cases of periorbital lesions in which the biopsies established a diagnosis of necrobiotic xanthogranuloma. Both patients were treated with corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide, with no improvement. The lesions were excised and the periorbital regions were reconstructed with skin grafts. After 1 year of follow-up there are no signs of recurrence.

Use of complementary and alternative medicine in cancer patients: a European survey

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to explore the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in cancer patients across a number of European countries.

METHODS

A descriptive survey design was developed. Fourteen countries participated in the study and data was collected through a descriptive questionnaire from 956 patients.

RESULTS

Data suggest that CAM is popular among cancer patients with 35.9% using some form of CAM (range among countries 14.8% to 73.1%). A heterogeneous group of 58 therapies were identified as being used. Herbal medicines and remedies were the most commonly used CAM therapies, together with homeopathy, vitamins/minerals, medicinal teas, spiritual therapies and relaxation techniques. Herbal medicine use tripled from use before diagnosis to use since diagnosis with cancer. Multivariate analysis suggested that the profile of the CAM user was that of younger people, female and with higher educational level. The source of information was mainly from friends/family and the media, while physicians and nurses played a small part in providing CAM-related information. The majority used CAM to increase the body's ability to fight cancer or improve physical and emotional well-being, and many seemed to have benefited from using CAM (even though the benefits were not necessarily related to the initial reason for using CAM). Some 4.4% of patients, however, reported side-effects, mostly transient.

CONCLUSIONS

It is imperative that health professionals explore the use of CAM with their cancer patients, educate them about potentially beneficial therapies in light of the limited available evidence of effectiveness, and work towards an integrated model of health-care provision.