Oncology Nursing Society’s Annual Meeting (ONS)

Oncology nursing leader Deborah Boyle highlights some essential tips to address common issues in bedside care, staff communication, and on-the-job distress.

Alisa Domb highlighted training and workflow optimization for an ambulatory-setting navigation program covering 10 hem/onc clinics and 2 cancer centers, during the 2018 ONS Congress.

Jeannine Brant, PhD, APRN-CNS, discussed the importance of using non-opioid modalities to manage cancer patients' pain, during the 2018 ONS Congress.

Updates to the 8th edition of AJCC's staging manual include incorporation of more nonanatomic features. Oncology Clinical Specialist Chelsea Backler discussed key changes during the 2018 ONS Congress.

Detailed education and other initiatives related to CHG cloth use boosted bathing compliance rates by 95% in 14 months, and decreased CLABSI by 8%.

After non-oncology units received comprehensive safety kits for handling oral hazardous drugs, chemo handling precautions at Maine Medical Center increased significantly.

A streamlined nursing protocol reduced delays related to treatment with oral formulations of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, and increased patient satisfaction.

In this podcast, Kelly Brassil, PhD, RN, discusses irAEs and ONS’s role in developing an ASCO/NCCN guideline for their management.

It is increasingly important that nurses recognize cytokine release syndrome and other side effects that can be triggered by treatment with engineered CAR T-cell therapies.

Women undergoing robotic surgery procedures for gynecologic cancers and nonmalignant conditions report more patient education needs than those undergoing traditional laparotomy.

Oncology nurses must navigate an increasingly complex web of state medical marijuana laws, with varying provisions and roles for healthcare providers.

In this interview we discuss a study that looked at the effect of an 8-week exercise intervention on treatment side effects for patients with prostate cancer.

Oncology nurses and others should pay close attention to their patients’ quality-of-life concerns, but what that means will vary from patient to patient.

Chlorhexidine wipe bathing might help reduce the risk of deadly central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) among cancer inpatients, but barriers can complicate implementation efforts.

Gum chewing might help patients avoid prolonged intestinal motility dysfunction following abdominal cancer surgery, suggested findings reported at the ONS Congress.

Improving oropharyngeal cancer survival rates necessitates better coordination of survivorship care between oncology teams and primary care providers, according to a presentation at ONS.

Nurse practitioners play a central role in helping patients with esophageal cancer understand and manage their disease and treatment complications.

Electronic medical record and telephone triage systems should be updated to reflect the unique risks of immune-related side effects faced by patients undergoing cancer immunotherapies.

In this interview we discuss pain management for cancer patients who are at high risk of opioid abuse.

Patient education can improve adherence to skin-care plans and reduce radiation dermatitis among patients undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer.

In this interview we discuss how obesity can affect cancer treatment, and how healthcare providers can better communicate with overweight patients on issues such as diet and exercise.

Patients undergoing allo-HSCT can remain immune-impaired for several years after treatment, but methods such as adopting guideline-driven tracking tools to determine which patients have been assessed for immunization eligibility can improve vaccination rates, suggest a feasibility study at ONS.

Delivering vincristine via mini-IV drip bags instead of pushing it with a syringe might avoid injection into spinal fluid, which is uniformly fatal.

Dental exams and procedures should occur before treatment begins for patients with head and neck cancer and other malignancies, and post-treatment dental follow-up care should be life-long for cancer survivors.

Advanced practice nurses and oncology nurses can benefit from having a better understanding of recently approved immunotherapies and targeted agents, both in how they work and who should be receiving them.

Blood transfusions play a key role in managing complications of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), involving unique blood product strategies.

Good cancer treatment is not just brilliant diagnostics, treatment, and follow-up care, but includes treating and caring for the whole person, which can include understanding a patient’s sexual orientation and gender identity.

While oncologic emergencies are common among cancer patients, they can often be avoided with close monitoring, early intervention, and ongoing patient education.

Precautions should be taken when handling chemotherapy and other hazardous drugs, as they can cause acute or chronic effects in nurses and healthcare providers.