End-of-Life
The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+) promotes the goal to share best practices for survivorship and to address the question “Does the Survivorship Care Plan (SCP) Meet Patient Goals?” (Staci Oertle, RN, MSN, APN, AOCNP, AONN+ Survivorship Committee).
Stephanie M. Hoopes, BSN, RN, OCN, ONN-CG, Patricia Leighton, MSN Ed, OCN, ONN-CG, Jo Weathers, RN, BSN, OCN, CBCN, Gina Franco, MSN, ANP-C, LeAnn Perkins, FNP-BC, DipACLM, Pamela Cloys, MSN, ANP-C, Mark A O'Rourke, MD
Per the American Cancer Society, there will be an estimated 20 million cancer survivors by 2026.
Survivorship care plans (SCPs) have played an important role in cancer care for over a decade and are included in the quality metrics or accreditation standards of several institutions, including the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (ACS CoC).
Breast cancer survivors often report depression, anxiety, and stress before and after a breast cancer diagnosis.
The survivorship care plan (SCP) is used to assist cancer survivors with the transition from active treatment to the survivorship phase; all nurses play a significant role in the delivery of this vital aspect of survivorship care.
A recent survey by Consumer Reports shows that nearly 90% of Americans would prefer to die at home, focused on comfort, and yet, two-thirds of Americans over the age of 65 years end up dying in a healthcare setting, intubated, and in considerable pain.
Cancer patients must juggle doctor appointments; combat treatment side effects, while trying to maintain a sense of normalcy; and handle financial struggles.
Nurse navigator Cheryl Bellomo discusses the essential role of navigators in ensuring that quality survivorship care begins at diagnosis and continues throughout the balance of a patient’s life.
Eugenia Artice, RN-BC, BSN, Marian E. Gilmore, RN, OCN, Pamela Goetz, BA, OPN-CG, Barbara R. McHale, RN, BS, OCN, CBCN, ONN-CG
The authors present a case study in resourceful navigation in a rural setting.
The authors present a case addressing the importance of understanding issues facing cancer survivors in order to provide effective patient-centered survivorship care.