The Effectiveness and Need for Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) Delivered Psychosocial Interventions in Cancer Patients: Addressing Health Disparities

Primary Faculty Mentor’s Name

Dr. Kathryn H. Anderson

Proposal Track

Student

Session Format

Poster

Abstract

The Effectiveness and Need for Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) Delivered Psychosocial Interventions in Cancer Patients: Addressing health disparities

Authors: Jasmine Scott, BSN Student; Kathryn Hoehn Anderson, PhD, ARNP;

Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Ga

Johanna Feuchtinger, RN, PhD

Universitas Klinikum, Freiburg, Germany

Head and neck cancers (HNC) account for 3-5% of cancers, lung cancer 27% of cancer deaths, hematological cancers 9.5% of newly diagnosed cancers, and brain cancer 25% of cancers. Problematic physical symptoms these cancer patients deal with are bone pain, swallowing pain, head pain, and shortness of breath. Psychosocial and emotional symptoms often remain untreated. Depression and anxiety can become normal and acceptable behavior. The purpose of this integrative literature review was to explore the psychosocial difficulties facing these vulnerable populations and to address the research question: What are the effects of advanced practice nurse (APN) led interventions to reduce psychosocial distress in patients with hematological, lung, HNC, and brain cancer? A literature search was conducted in CINAHL Complete and Academic OneFile databases for articles published from 1995-2014. The inclusion criteria were: (1) psychosocial interventions delivered by an APN master-prepared or equivalently qualified nurse, (2) adult patients with hematological, lung, HNC, or brain cancer, and (3) measurable outcomes; excluding pediatric oncology patients. Two-hundred and nine abstracts were initially found. Forty articles were reviewed, with 8 articles meeting inclusion criteria. Findings indicated cancer care trained APNs and nurses played a critical role in reducing psychosocial, emotional, and physical symptoms experienced by these cancer patients. The greatest improvements were seen in anxiety (lowered), depression (lowered), and quality of life (improved). Cancer nurses are effective and needed in oncology to address psychosocial issues to deliver interventions, programs, and studies to lower distressing symptoms. Tackling psychosocial issues that affect the mental well-being and quality of life of these patients lowers the problematic incidence of these symptoms. The U. S. healthcare system does not regularly offer psychosocial nurse interventions. Those without insurance likely receive less nurse interventions. Future research should focus on comparing nurse psychosocial care post-treatment for those with and without insurance.

This research was supported by the National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) My work on this project was supported by “Training in Chronic Illness Research in Florida and Abroad,” (T37MD001489-10) from the National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, Dr. K. Anderson, PI. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Keywords

Cancer, Oncology, Nurse, Interventions, Psychosocial, Anxiety, Depression, Support, Head and neck

Award Consideration

1

Location

Concourse/Atrium

Presentation Year

2014

Start Date

11-15-2014 9:40 AM

End Date

11-15-2014 10:55 AM

Publication Type and Release Option

Presentation (Open Access)

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Nov 15th, 9:40 AM Nov 15th, 10:55 AM

The Effectiveness and Need for Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) Delivered Psychosocial Interventions in Cancer Patients: Addressing Health Disparities

Concourse/Atrium

The Effectiveness and Need for Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) Delivered Psychosocial Interventions in Cancer Patients: Addressing health disparities

Authors: Jasmine Scott, BSN Student; Kathryn Hoehn Anderson, PhD, ARNP;

Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Ga

Johanna Feuchtinger, RN, PhD

Universitas Klinikum, Freiburg, Germany

Head and neck cancers (HNC) account for 3-5% of cancers, lung cancer 27% of cancer deaths, hematological cancers 9.5% of newly diagnosed cancers, and brain cancer 25% of cancers. Problematic physical symptoms these cancer patients deal with are bone pain, swallowing pain, head pain, and shortness of breath. Psychosocial and emotional symptoms often remain untreated. Depression and anxiety can become normal and acceptable behavior. The purpose of this integrative literature review was to explore the psychosocial difficulties facing these vulnerable populations and to address the research question: What are the effects of advanced practice nurse (APN) led interventions to reduce psychosocial distress in patients with hematological, lung, HNC, and brain cancer? A literature search was conducted in CINAHL Complete and Academic OneFile databases for articles published from 1995-2014. The inclusion criteria were: (1) psychosocial interventions delivered by an APN master-prepared or equivalently qualified nurse, (2) adult patients with hematological, lung, HNC, or brain cancer, and (3) measurable outcomes; excluding pediatric oncology patients. Two-hundred and nine abstracts were initially found. Forty articles were reviewed, with 8 articles meeting inclusion criteria. Findings indicated cancer care trained APNs and nurses played a critical role in reducing psychosocial, emotional, and physical symptoms experienced by these cancer patients. The greatest improvements were seen in anxiety (lowered), depression (lowered), and quality of life (improved). Cancer nurses are effective and needed in oncology to address psychosocial issues to deliver interventions, programs, and studies to lower distressing symptoms. Tackling psychosocial issues that affect the mental well-being and quality of life of these patients lowers the problematic incidence of these symptoms. The U. S. healthcare system does not regularly offer psychosocial nurse interventions. Those without insurance likely receive less nurse interventions. Future research should focus on comparing nurse psychosocial care post-treatment for those with and without insurance.

This research was supported by the National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) My work on this project was supported by “Training in Chronic Illness Research in Florida and Abroad,” (T37MD001489-10) from the National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, Dr. K. Anderson, PI. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.