Chemotherapy Extravasation: Establishing a National Benchmark for Incidence Among Cancer Centers.

BACKGROUND: Given the high-risk nature and nurse sensitivity of chemotherapy infusion and extravasation prevention, as well as the absence of an industry benchmark, a group of nurses studied oncology-specific nursing-sensitive indicators. 
. OBJECTIVES: The purpose was to establish a benchmark for the incidence of chemotherapy extravasation with vesicants, irritants, and irritants with vesicant potential.
. METHODS: Infusions with actual or suspected extravasations of vesicant and irritant chemotherapies were evaluated. Extravasation events were reviewed by type of agent, occurrence by drug category, route of administration, level of harm, follow-up, and patient referrals to surgical consultation.
. FINDINGS: A total of 739,812 infusions were evaluated, with 673 extravasation events identified. Incidence for all extravasation events was 0.09%.

On the Scene: Developing a Nurse Care Coordinator Role at City of Hope.

We describe the development of an oncology solid tumor disease-focused care coordination model. Consistent with our strategic plan to provide patient- and family-centered care and to organize care around disease management teams, we developed the role of nurse care coordinator as an integral team member in our care delivery model. Managing a defined high-risk patient population across the care trajectory, these nurses provide stable points of contact and continuity for patients and families as they navigate the complex treatments and systems required to deliver cancer care. We describe role delineation and staffing models; role clarity between the role of the nurse care coordinator and the case manager; core curriculum development; the use of workflow management tools to support the touch points of the patient and members of the care team; and the incorporation of electronic medical records and data streams to inform the care delivery model. We identify measures that we will use to evaluate the success of our program.

High-dose chemo-radiotherapy for relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma and the significance of pre-transplant functional imaging.

We previously reported that three risk factors (RF): initial remission duration <1 year, active B symptoms, and extranodal disease predict outcome in relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Our goal was to improve event-free survival (EFS) for patients with multiple RF and to determine if response to salvage therapy impacted outcome. We conducted a phase II intent-to-treat study of tailored salvage treatment: patients with zero or one RF received standard-dose ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide (ICE); patients with two RF received augmented ICE; patients with three RF received high-dose ICE with stem cell support. This was followed by evaluation with both computed tomography and functional imaging (FI); those with chemosensitive disease underwent high-dose chemoradiotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). There was no treatment-related mortality. Compared to historical controls this therapy eliminated the difference in EFS between the three prognostic groups. Pre-ASCT FI predicted outcome; 4-year EFS rates was 33% vs. 77% for patients transplanted with positive versus negative FI respectively, P = 0.00004, hazard ratio 4.61. Risk-adapted augmentation of salvage treatment in patients with HL is feasible and improves EFS in poorer-risk patients. Our data suggest that normalisation of FI pre-ASCT predicts outcome, and should be the goal of salvage treatment.

Management issues in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the leadership and management challenges of creating and maintaining a comprehensive hematopoietic stem cell transplant program. DATA SOURCES: Research studies, review articles, databases, and web sites. CONCLUSION: Nurses at all levels of practice must conceptualize and execute expert specialized care through all phases of transplantation. Attention must be paid to specialized functions such as care coordination and case management, as well as scope of practice. Focus must be given to quality assessment and improvement. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: As the field of transplant grows and evolves, expert nursing leadership will be required to manage the continuum of care as patients move between health care settings. The increased emphasis on outpatient care, cost containment, and consumer and regulatory demand for quality will continue to challenge nurse leaders to manage creative enterprises.

Neutropenia: state of the knowledge part I.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To review neutrophil physiology, consequences of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (CIN), CIN risk assessment models, national practice guidelines, the impact of febrile neutropenia and infection, and what is known and unknown about CIN. DATA SOURCES: Extensive review and summary of published neutropenia literature, guidelines, meta-analyses, currently funded National Institutes of Health and Oncology Nursing Society studies, and invited expert panel symposium presentations. DATA SYNTHESIS: A comprehensive review of current literature regarding CIN risk assessment, practice guidelines, management, impact on dose-dense and dose-intense cancer treatment, complications, costs related to hospitalizations, and treatment strategies has been compiled. CONCLUSIONS: CIN is the most common dose-limiting toxicity of cancer therapy. Medical practice guidelines and risk assessment models for appropriate use of myeloid growth factors and management of febrile neutropenia have been developed to assess patients for CIN complications prechemotherapy and during CIN episodes. CIN affects patients, families, practitioners, and the healthcare system. Although much is known about this common chemotherapy complication, a great deal remains to be learned. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: CIN is a serious and global problem in patients receiving cancer therapy. Oncology nurses need to critically analyze their own practices when assessing, managing, and educating patients and families about CIN.

Neutropenia: state of the knowledge part II.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To summarize the current available evidence for oncology nurses so that they may predict and prevent complications of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (CIN), provide optimal education to patients, and become familiar with the state of the knowledge of neutropenia by understanding the evidence and guidelines for patients with cancer who may experience CIN. DATA SOURCES: Review of primary literature, meta-analyses, available systematic reviews, clinical practice guidelines, and discussions at the State of the Knowledge on Neutropenia Symposium. DATA SYNTHESIS: The evidence for nursing interventions to prevent CIN complications is underdeveloped. Strong empirical support to prevent infection in patients with CIN (e.g., restrictions in diet, isolation procedures, providing accurate patient education) is lacking. Several areas of preventive measures by patients, hand washing, and skin care have a stronger evidence base and should have high priority on patient education plans. CONCLUSIONS: Strong evidence is available for several nursing interventions to prevent infection in patients with CIN. Many existing practices lack empirical support and should be identified and reviewed in the clinical setting for appropriate patient management. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Oncology nurses can use the findings from the symposium to revise their care standards for patients anticipated to experience CIN. Research and practice performance improvement projects may be undertaken by oncology nurses to improve the delivery of evidence-based nursing care to this vulnerable patient population.