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Innovative Oncology Nurses Break Down Communication Barriers for Patients Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Special Populations

Innovative Oncology Nurses Break Down Communication Barriers for Patients Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

How I Practice Mindfulness as an Oncology Nurse

Nurse well-being

How I Practice Mindfulness as an Oncology Nurse

Clinical and Pharmaceutical Nurse Educators Collaborate to Bring Training to Nurses and Improve Patient Care

Oncology nurse education

Clinical and Pharmaceutical Nurse Educators Collaborate to Bring Training to Nurses and Improve Patient Care

January 13, 2023

Oncology Nurse Uses Retirement to Help Patients and Healthcare Professionals Understand Pancreatic Cancer Biomarker Testing Results

Pancreatic cancer

Oncology Nurse Uses Retirement to Help Patients and Healthcare Professionals Understand Pancreatic Cancer Biomarker Testing Results

November 11, 2022

The Life of Marie Curie and Her Contributions to Oncology

Cancer treatments

The Life of Marie Curie and Her Contributions to Oncology

November 07, 2022

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Drug Reference Sheet

Oncology Drug Reference Sheet: Belumosudil

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a severe adverse reaction after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation that decreases quality of life and is a major cause of death. In July 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved belumosudil (Rezurock^TM) as a third-line treatment option for chronic GVHD.

Nurse well-being

Show the World Your Beautiful Mess

Embracing—not judging or hiding—our flaws and vulnerabilities makes us happier and more relatable, a research-supported concept called the beautiful mess effect. What we think are negatives or weaknesses, others see as courageous. Showing vulnerability can lead to stronger relationships, increased self-esteem, and better mental health.

December 30, 2021

Nurse well-being

Find Solace in Silence

A balanced life allows us to function at our best. Our bodies do that naturally through homeostasis, a familiar term from nursing school, by self-regulating physiological processes to ensure equilibrium and optimal functioning. But our brains sometimes need help to self-regulate, and one way to do that is to practice silence. After a day of noise and action, silence and solitude can calm and restore you.

October 28, 2021

Drug Reference Sheet

Oncology Drug Reference Sheet: Pertuzumab, Trastuzumab, and Hyaluronidase-Zzxf Subcutaneous Injection

Pertuzumab, trastuzumab, and hyaluronidase-zzxf subcutaneous injection (Phesgo^TM) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in June 2020 for patients with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer. The drug components are the same as those in FDA-approved IV version, and study results showed comparable safety and efficacy to the IV counterparts. The new administration route allows eligible patients to bypass infusion centers or even receive the therapy at home.

Nurse well-being

Strong Social Relationships Strengthen and Sustain You

Social distancing was never intended to be social isolation, but many of us have struggled to maintain relationships in today’s world. Human beings are built to be social, and science has shown that building strong, meaningful relationships can get us through tough times, provide physical and mental advantages, and make us happier. Perhaps a silver lining of the pandemic is a newfound appreciation for social connections with friends, colleagues, and community.

Drug Reference Sheet

Oncology Drug Reference Sheet: Tepotinib

Tepotinib (Tepmetko®) was granted accelerated approval in February 2021 for mesenchymalepithelial transition (MET)-altered metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) based on overall response rate and duration. The drug is still under long-term evaluation and healthcare providers should report all serious adverse events that may be associated to FDA’s MedWatch Reporting System.

Nurse well-being

Time in Nature Is Time Well Spent

“Nature alone cures,” Florence Nightingale instructed her fellow nurses in Notes on Nursing—and we’ve continued to follow that principle, creating a healing environment for our patients that involves fresh air and sunlight. That same environment can promote health in nurses as well.

Clinical practice

Oncology Drug Reference Sheet: Selpercatinib

In May 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave accelerated approval for selpercatinib (Retevmo^®) to treat RET-altered non-small cell lung cancer or thyroid cancer based on overall response rate and duration of response. Selpercatinib fights cancer by impeding RET protein activity. The determining clinical trial results demonstrated that it reduced tumor size in more than 50% of patients and was associated with fewer adverse reactions than other drugs that block the RET protein.

November 24, 2020

Nurse well-being

Intuitive Eating Creates Healthy Food Rituals

Food connects us to other cultures, helps us celebrate life’s milestones, and nourishes our body. We spend hours of our day planning meals, cooking, and eating. With food at the center of our lives, a positive view of it promotes health and well-being, but many of us struggle with eating behaviors and weight management throughout our lifetime.

November 17, 2020

Nurse well-being

Use the Nursing Process to Create a Self-Care Plan

Current events have given us an opportunity, and sometimes even a necessity, to rethink our well-being approaches. But developing a self-care plan doesn’t have to be overwhelming when you use a familiar method like the American Nurses Association’s nursing process.

October 15, 2020

Cancer screening

Develop Your Individual Cancer Screening Plan

As oncology nurses, we know that catching cancer early through screening leads to better outcomes and increased survival rates. We ask our survivors and loved ones to prioritize their cancer screenings, reminding them, “I do not want to see you in my clinic chair or hospital bed with cancer, especially not at an advanced level.” Take care of yourself by giving yourself the same lecture.

Nurse well-being

Be Honest: Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

A full night’s sleep is a necessity, not a luxury, yet many people place sleep at the end of their priority list. Rather than seeing it as restorative, they think it takes up precious time to be productive. Many proudly proclaim, “You can sleep when you’re dead,” but ignoring healthy sleep habits can actually bring people closer to that end. Insufficient sleep is so pervasive in the United States that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers it a public health epidemic.

Oncology drug research

Oncology Drug Reference Sheet: Daratumumab

Daratumumab (Darzalex^®) was originally approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2015 with additional indications added since. The most recent new indication was approved in September 2019 for newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma who are eligible for autologous stem cell transplantation. In May 2020, daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj (Darzalex Faspro™), a subcutaneous (SQ) formulation, was approved.

Clinical practice

Emotional Coping Strategies for COVID-19

The COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic is turning the world, inside and outside of the hospital, upside down. Not only are oncology nurses seeing high demands at work, but changes and restrictions are being instated at home as well.

Nurse well-being

Why You Need to Use Your Vacation Benefits

Vacations can take many forms. Some are focused on pursuing thrill in far off places, whereas others are all about rest, whether at home or in an exotic locale. But all vacation takers are seeking the same outcome: better health and well-being when they return. This can translate into personal and professional benefits such as a better attitude, increased focus, and improved outlook on life. So why does the average American leave approximately four employer-paid vacation days on the table each year?

February 21, 2020

Oncology Drug Reference Sheet: Erdafitinib

Erdafitinib (Balversa™) is the first targeted therapy that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved for treatment of metastatic bladder cancer.

September 24, 2019

Oncology Drug Reference Sheet: Atezolizumab’s Indications for Breast and Lung Cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved atezolizumab (Tecentriq^®) in 2016, but it received additional approvals when used in combination treatments for locally advanced or metastatic triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) in March 2019.

Nurse well-being

Practice These Five Self-Care Strategies in Less Than Five Minutes

Oncology nursing is a rewarding profession that offers nurses opportunities to build meaningful relationships with patients and families, manage complex patient situations, and provide compassionate care during a scary time in someone’s life. But what makes oncology nursing so special can also make nurses more vulnerable to occupational stress, which can lead to compassion fatigue or burnout.

Clinical practice

Oncology Drug Reference Sheet: Ribociclib

Ribociclib is a CDK 4/6 inhibitor first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in early 2017 for postmenopausal women with HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer in combination with an aromatase inhibitor as initial endocrine therapy, based on the MONALEESA trial results.

February 26, 2019

Pain management

Opioids Have Been a Healthcare Concern Since the 1980s, but Here’s How Nurses Can Help

Although the opioid crisis was formally labeled a public health emergency in late 2017, excess drug abuse beyond prescription directions has been a public health concern for much longer—since the 1980s, in fact. At the November 2018 Center for Advancing Palliative Care Annual Seminar in Orlando, FL, speakers Lynn Hallarman and Mary McPherson presented a session on how the opioid crisis came to be and what our role as nurses is in changing culture and ultimately addressing it.

January 22, 2019

Nurse well-being

Reality-Based Leadership Helps Nurses Cut the Drama So They Can Problem Solve

Nurses spend an average of 2.5 hours per day on drama per staff person, according to Cy Wakeman, the opening keynote speaker at the 2018 American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Conference in Denver, CO, in October. That’s right, take 2.5 and multiply it by how many staff are working that day.

December 18, 2018

Advanced Practice Nursing (APRN)

How Advanced Practice Nurses Can Recognize It; Report It in an Era of Fast-Track Drug Approvals

It takes an average of 12 years to move a drug from a new application to approval for a specific indication. Twelve years of clinical trials, documentation of several endpoints, and data surrounding incidence of observed adverse events and expected severity. Twelve years until a broader subset of patients can access the drug.

September 20, 2018

Advanced Practice Nursing (APRN)

How APRNs Can Support Patients During Oral Agent Treatment

Oral agents offer many patient benefits, one of which is the freedom to take the medication at home, allowing them to keep their daily routine and gain additional time and independence they would have spent traveling to the clinic for treatment. However, with that freedom comes additional patient responsibilities, and preparation from advanced practice RNs (APRNs) is necessary to ensure patients can self-manage symptoms and adhere to administration regimens. Research shows that patients experience severe symptoms on oral agents that may cause them to miss as many as one-third of the prescribed doses. How can APRNs empower patients to adhere to the treatment plan and ensure safe symptom self-management at home?

August 16, 2018

To discuss the information in this article with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities.

To report a content error, inaccuracy, or typo, email pubONSVoice@ons.org.

Erin Dickman MS, RN, OCN®

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