Benchmark – Nursing Process: Approach to Care Assignment

Benchmark – Nursing Process: Approach to Care Assignment

Nursing Process: Approach to Care

The role of a nursing practitioner is to ensure patient care is delivered in the best possible manner. In cancer, the role of nurses in palliative cannot be underrated. This paper seeks to explore different aspects of cancer.

Diagnosis and Staging of Cancer

Different cancers manifest differently, and most of the symptoms are not related to the cancers themselves, but rather benign tumors or other underlying If a patient presents with symptoms that last for several weeks, then the doctor would do a physical exam and some tests or procedures to unravel the underlying conditions (Tsikouras et al., 2016). Top among the assessments being done is the history of the patient since some cancers have demonstrated a genetic linkage.

Some of the lab tests considered include the test of the blood and tissue samples to detect tumor markers (substances produced by cancer cells or ody responding to cancer). In cancer cells, there is an abnormal production of the tumor markers. CT scans can also be used to determine the existence of tumors (Vansteenkiste, Deslypere, & Gullentops, 2019). CT scans incorporate x-ray machines connected to computers, which take pictures of the organs and visualize them from different angles.

The pictures are then used to create 3-D images of the inner side of the body. MRI uses powerful magnets and radio waves to pick up images of the body in slices. The slices are then used to create images of the inner sides of the body and therefore show the difference between healthy and unhealthy tissues. The nuclear scan uses radioactive materials to take pictures of the inside of the body tissues (radionuclide scan).

Before the radionuclide scan, an injection of radioactive materials is injected into the tissue. In the detection process, the machine detects the of different body tissues then displays them on the screen. Ultrasound can also be used where high energy waves are detected by the computer that then uses the echoes to create appropriate pictures (Tsikouras et al., 2016). A biopsy is the most common test used in clinical settings to determine the pathology of tissues. In a biopsy, the tissues are looked at in a microscope to determine malignancy.

PET scan can make detailed 3-D pictures of the different areas of the body and determines where glucose is taken up. The cancer cells are mainly known to consume more glucose than healthy cells, and they are therefore visible during scans. Bone scans are also vital because they can point out the damages to the bones hence used to diagnose bone cancer or cancer that has metastasized to the bones. Radioactive material is injected into the vein before the scanning process begins.

Staging is the process of determining the extent of the spread of malignancy and pinning the exact location of cancerous tissue. Cancer staging is mainly used to identify or predict the course of malignancy and initiate the appropriate treatment (Vansteenkiste, Deslypere, & Gullentops, 2019). Cancer tends to spread to neighboring tissues, and therefore doctors look at various organs like the lymph nodes to determine the degree of spread.

Complications, Side Effects of Treatment and Lessening Physical/Psychological Effects

Many of those under cancer treatment are prone to risks of adverse effects. Most of the effects occur when the drugs used to manage the cancerous cells exert their effects on the healthy cells. Different people would respond differently to various treatment options. Some of the common side effects related to cancer treatments include neutropenia from chemotherapy, lymphedema that occurs due to surgical procedures of the lymph nodes and radiation damages of the nodes.

Hair loss is common, especially with chemotherapy, known as alopecia, although in some instances, the hair grows back, two or three months after stopping the chemotherapy (Ferioli et al., 2018). Nausea and vomiting is also a common side effect that occurs following chemotherapy sessions, but the administration of the anti-emetics can manage this. The drugs can also affect one’s ability to think and concentrate, a situation known as “chemo brain.”

Besides the physical effects, cancer treatment is associated with occurrence psychological effects and stress. The inability to manage cancer leads to distress, which has been shown to cause decreased quality of life. There is evidence that has proven that distress is also associated with poor outcomes in cancer management (Bradford et al., 2020). Coping with the physical effects can be from a personal level or intervention by the professionals.

Physically, fatigue can be managed by taking part in specialized exercise activities specifically meant to help those ailing from cancer. Other approaches would entail relaxation and meditation. Counseling provides coping strategies during treatment and manages the mental issues that arise due to medication (Ferioli et al., 2018). It has been shown that counseling is essential in the management of anxiety and depression that occurs due to cancer.

The social support network is also crucial as it comprises family members, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and the community.  These groups of people are essential in providing physical, psychological, and financial assistance to the patients battling cancer. The chemo education is vital as a primer to chemotherapy to help patients come to terms with what they expect from treatment. Education addresses how medications work and side effects. When patients are aware of what to expect, they are therefore able to tolerate the symptoms.

Factors That Contribute to The Incidence of Cancer Among Americans

Based on findings in 2018, about 1,735,350 new cancer cases were diagnosed in the US, with about 609,640 estimated to succumb (Vaccarella et al., 2018). The incidence in the same year was estimated at 432.2 per 100,000 in both men and women. The mortality due to cancer is grimmer in men at 196.8/100,000 compared to 139.6/100,000 in women.

Most of the burden of cancer cases in the United States are traceable to modifiable risk factors. The five primary contributing factors include physical inactivity, excessive use of tobacco, poor diet, excessive use of alcohol, overweight, and obesity (Vaccarella et al., 2018). There are other factors like irresponsible sex practices and sun exposure, which have been shown to contribute to an increase in cancers. Tobacco smoking has singly been associated with the occurrence of many different types of cancer: lung, liver, bladder, and kidney cancers.

Education by the ACS

The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a credible site that provides A-Z information on cancer, allowing those who visit the site to gain any information they require regarding cancer. The site also updates this information regularly, based on the changing protocols and guidelines. Further, the website provides a real-time opportunity for the public to call in anytime and make inquiries about cancer and how to journey through chemotherapy.

Daily, there is different information coming in regarding the different types of cancer. Therefore, availability and consistency of information allow people to be abreast of new cases and best management (“Learn About Cancer | Cancer Resources | American Cancer Society,” n.d.). Also, the site has a slot for research, making available researches that come up from time to time regarding cancer.

Nursing Process for Cancer Patients

The nursing process is deeply involved in the management of cancer patients. The nurses carefully take the history of patients, determining factors that would contribute to the occurrence of cancer. The nurses also assess the symptoms and use the symptoms to help design the best plan for the patients. The process of designing the ideal diagnosis goes a long way to inform the kind of intervention designed and delivered. The nurses, therefore, work with physicians and other healthcare providers to provide a timely and appropriate diagnosis.

Since nurses spend a lot of time with the patients, they can establish an understanding with the patients. Creating a therapeutic relationship is the basis for designing treatment. When a great therapeutic relationship exists, it is possible to obtain consent from the patient regarding the types of medication and, therefore, effective management. The establishment of the care plan also allows healthcare providers to meet the goals of the patients. In planning, nurses also communicate with the patients and document findings.

The nurses also work alongside other healthcare workers, the patient, and family members of the patient to put into practice measures that would ensure improvement in conditions. The nurses ensure the treatment rendered to the patients is in line with available standard guidelines and protocols (Lavdaniti, 2017). The nurses also give supportive services like palliative care, which is vital in cancer.

In the end, when a patient is assessed, diagnosed, and treated, an audit must be done to determine effectiveness. The evaluation process looks at several issues regarding intervention, determining whether or not it was able to attain the intended goals. Different measurements can be used to determine whether or not an intervention has been effective in nursing. Some of the factors considered in the evaluation include improved quality of life of the patients and remission of the cancers.

Liberal and Science Studies in Nursing

Nursing interventions go beyond skills, and the practice would benefit significantly from a blend of liberal arts and nursing. The liberal arts and sciences are core in terms of enforcing educational discipline. The combination, therefore, stimulates the abilities of critical thinking, holistic care, and creativity. Liberal arts encompass aspects like religion, literature, history, architecture, fine arts (painting, film, and drama) and philosophy.

The nursing student would use the liberal arts to improve their communication, make decisions in an informed manner, think diversely, and enhance human relations. In the course of interacting with the patients, the nurses use the skills obtained from the liberal arts to determine what is true when interacting with patients among the competing interests.

Nurses work in complex systems, therefore incorporating sciences and liberal arts to unpack the challenges and design proper interventions (Kooken & Kerr, 2018). The interventions would more appropriate in helping out patients battling out cancer.

Conclusion

Cancer is a complex chronic condition that poses a significant challenge in management. It continues to be a global burden, and the United States shares a considerable burden. Nurses play an essential role in defining the disease, diagnosis, intervention, and evaluation of the outcome.

 

 

References

Bradford, N., Walker, R., Cashion, C., Henney, R., & Yates, P. (2020). Do specialist youth cancer services meet the physical, psychological and social needs of adolescents and young adults? A cross sectional study. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 44, 101709.

Ferioli, M., Zauli, G., Martelli, A. M., Vitale, M., McCubrey, J. A., Ultimo, S., … & Neri, L. M. (2018). Impact of physical exercise in cancer survivors during and after antineoplastic treatments. Oncotarget, 9(17), 14005.

Kooken, W. C., & Kerr, N. (2018). Blending the liberal arts and nursing: Creating a portrait for the 21st century. Journal of Professional Nursing, 34(1), 60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2017.07.002

Lavdaniti, M. (2017). Holistic nursing approach to patients with cancer. J Nurs Care, 6, e136.

Learn About Cancer | Cancer Resources | American Cancer Society. (n.d.). Retrieved June 6, 2020, from https://www.cancer.org/cancer.html

Tsikouras, P., Zervoudis, S., Manav, B., Tomara, E., Iatrakis, G., Romanidis, C., … & Galazios, G. (2016). Cervical cancer: screening, diagnosis and staging. J buon, 21(2), 320-5.

Vaccarella, S., Lortet‐Tieulent, J., Saracci, R., Fidler, M. M., Conway, D. I., Vilahur, N., … & Straif, K. (2018). Reducing social inequalities in cancer: Setting priorities for research. CA: a cancer journal for clinicians, 68(5), 324-326.

The nursing process is a tool that puts knowledge into practice. By utilizing this systematic problem-solving method, nurses can determine the health care needs of an individual and provide personalized care.

Write a paper (1,750-2,000 words) on cancer and based on the utilization of the nursing process. Include the following in your paper:

Describe the diagnosis and staging of cancer.
Describe at least three complications of cancer, the side effects of treatment, and methods to lessen physical and psychological effects.
Discuss what factors contribute to the yearly incidence and mortality rates of various cancers in Americans.
Explain how the American Cancer Society (ACS) might provide education and support. What ACS services would you recommend and why?
Explain how the nursing process is utilized to provide safe and effective care for cancer patients across the life span. Your explanation should include each of the five phases and demonstrate the delivery of holistic and patient-focused care.
Discuss how undergraduate education in liberal arts and science studies contributes to the foundation of nursing knowledge and prepares nurses to work with patients utilizing the nursing process. Consider mathematics, social and physical sciences, and science studies as an interdisciplinary research area.
You are required to cite to a minimum of four sources to complete this assignment. Sources must be published within the last 5 years and appropriate for the assignment criteria and relevant to nursing practice.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Refer to the LopesWrite Technical Support articles for assistance.

Benchmark Information

This benchmark assignment assesses the following programmatic competencies:

RN-BSN

2.1: Incorporate liberal arts and science studies into nursing knowledge.

3.1 Utilize the nursing process to provide safe and effective care for patients across the life span.

 

You must proofread your paper. But do not strictly rely on your computer’s spell-checker and grammar-checker; failure to do so indicates a lack of effort on your part and you can expect your grade to suffer accordingly. Papers with numerous misspelled words and grammatical mistakes will be penalized. Read over your paper – in silence and then aloud – before handing it in and make corrections as necessary. Often it is advantageous to have a friend proofread your paper for obvious errors. Handwritten corrections are preferable to uncorrected mistakes.

Use a standard 10 to 12 point (10 to 12 characters per inch) typeface. Smaller or compressed type and papers with small margins or single-spacing are hard to read. It is better to let your essay run over the recommended number of pages than to try to compress it into fewer pages.

Likewise, large type, large margins, large indentations, triple-spacing, increased leading (space between lines), increased kerning (space between letters), and any other such attempts at “padding” to increase the length of a paper are unacceptable, wasteful of trees, and will not fool your professor.

The paper must be neatly formatted, double-spaced with a one-inch margin on the top, bottom, and sides of each page. When submitting hard copy, be sure to use white paper and print out using dark ink. If it is hard to read your essay, it will also be hard to follow your argument.

ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CLASS

Discussion Questions (DQ)

Initial responses to the DQ should address all components of the questions asked, include a minimum of one scholarly source, and be at least 250 words.
Successful responses are substantive (i.e., add something new to the discussion, engage others in the discussion, well-developed idea) and include at least one scholarly source.
One or two sentence responses, simple statements of agreement or “good post,” and responses that are off-topic will not count as substantive. Substantive responses should be at least 150 words.
I encourage you to incorporate the readings from the week (as applicable) into your responses.
Weekly Participation

Your initial responses to the mandatory DQ do not count toward participation and are graded separately.
In addition to the DQ responses, you must post at least one reply to peers (or me) on three separate days, for a total of three replies.
Participation posts do not require a scholarly source/citation (unless you cite someone else’s work).
Part of your weekly participation includes viewing the weekly announcement and attesting to watching it in the comments. These announcements are made to ensure you understand everything that is due during the week.
APA Format and Writing Quality

Familiarize yourself with APA format and practice using it correctly. It is used for most writing assignments for your degree. Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in LoudCloud for APA paper templates, citation examples, tips, etc. Points will be deducted for poor use of APA format or absence of APA format (if required).
Cite all sources of information! When in doubt, cite the source. Paraphrasing also requires a citation.
I highly recommend using the APA Publication Manual, 6th edition.
Use of Direct Quotes

I discourage overutilization of direct quotes in DQs and assignments at the Masters’ level and deduct points accordingly.
As Masters’ level students, it is important that you be able to critically analyze and interpret information from journal articles and other resources. Simply restating someone else’s words does not demonstrate an understanding of the content or critical analysis of the content.
It is best to paraphrase content and cite your source.
LopesWrite Policy

For assignments that need to be submitted to LopesWrite, please be sure you have received your report and Similarity Index (SI) percentage BEFORE you do a “final submit” to me.
Once you have received your report, please review it. This report will show you grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors that can easily be fixed. Take the extra few minutes to review instead of getting counted off for these mistakes.
Review your similarities. Did you forget to cite something? Did you not paraphrase well enough? Is your paper made up of someone else’s thoughts more than your own?
Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in LoudCloud for tips on improving your paper and SI score.
Late Policy

The university’s policy on late assignments is 10% penalty PER DAY LATE. This also applies to late DQ replies.
Please communicate with me if you anticipate having to submit an assignment late. I am happy to be flexible, with advance notice. We may be able to work out an extension based on extenuating circumstances.
If you do not communicate with me before submitting an assignment late, the GCU late policy will be in effect.
I do not accept assignments that are two or more weeks late unless we have worked out an extension.
As per policy, no assignments are accepted after the last day of class. Any assignment submitted after midnight on the last day of class will not be accepted for grading.
Communication

Communication is so very important. There are multiple ways to communicate with me:
Questions to Instructor Forum: This is a great place to ask course content or assignment questions. If you have a question, there is a good chance one of your peers does as well. This is a public forum for the class.
Individual Forum: This is a private forum to ask me questions or send me messages. This will be checked at least once every 24 hours.

Benchmark – Nursing Process: Approach to Care – Rubric