ABSTRACT
Introduction: With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, clinical practice had to be adapted very quickly. As cancer patients are considered to be at higher risk, in cancer care substantial organizational and treatment related changes had to be implemented. Our presentation will focus on consequences of these changes for oncology nursing. Method(s): The Academic Society for Oncology Nursing in cooperation with the Swiss Oncology Nursing Society organized several webinars with oncology nurses, nurse managers and clinical nurse specialists. Tese experts from French and German speaking regions shared their experiences discussing a) major practice changes and b) needs of nurses to meet the care needs of patients and relatives in two webinars in French and in German. Result(s): The major practice changes included the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), the rapidly implemented changes in treatment and care resulting in changing patients needs. Facemask and protective glasses were standard PPE in many places. PPE impacted nursing interventions and communication with the patient. The lack of visibility of facial expressions hampered nurses' capacity to express empathy or to recognize the emotional state of their patients. Terapies were switched to longer cycles or postponed entirely. This resulted in an increased informational and educational needs of patients. Tey expressed the fear to be exposed to a higher risk of SARS CoV-2 infection or to receive a less efective cancer therapy. In turn, patients who did not come to cancer centers worried that something missed care could have fatal consequences. To meet these needs many centers reinforced remote consultations, mainly via phone. Centers with established procedures for telephone consultations felt better prepared for remote consultation during the pandemic. Overall, webinar participants highlighted the lack of guidelines for conducting telephone consultations and policies for reimbursement. Conclusion(s): The round-table webinars provided a platform for oncology nursing to exchange on challenges and solutions in times of COVID-19. Regarding telephone consultations, the webinars have stimulated the development of nursing guidelines for remote consultations. An important subject for future round-table webinars could be the preparation of oncology nurses for a second epidemic wave.
ABSTRACT
Introduction Literature on the impact of COVID-19 on cancer patients pointed towards an increase in uncertainty, anxiety, fear and distress. Our aim was to analyze cancer patient-reported experiences through a qualitative approach to identify their potential concerns, needs and resources during the pandemic and to evaluate their levels of distress and resilience. Methods Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted after the second wave, March to July 2021, with cancer patients from three hospitals in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Transcripts were analyzed using an iterative thematic analysis approach. Quantitative data included measurement of distress and resilience by the NCCN distress thermometer and the 2-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. Results Patients with lung, breast, colon cancer or melanoma were included (n=35). Mean distress score was 2 (SD=2.1) and mean resilience score was 6.7 (SD=1.3). Thematic analysis highlighted five themes evoking changes in life, concerns, cancer care, resources and vaccination. Conclusions Cancer patients from the French-speaking part of Switzerland reported relatively low distress and high resilience. Nevertheless, interviews revealed COVID-related elements having an influence on patients' lives and trajectory of care. These results allow for a better understanding of the cancer patients' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland and provide suggestions for better support.