| 1. |
- Fyhr, AnnSofie, et al.
(author)
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Characteristics of medication errors with parenteral cytotoxic drugs.
- 2012
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In: European Journal of Cancer Care. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1365-2354 .- 0961-5423.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- FYHR A. & AKSELSSON R. (2012) European Journal of Cancer Care Characteristics of medication errors with parenteral cytotoxic drugs Errors involving cytotoxic drugs have the potential of being fatal and should therefore be prevented. The objective of this article is to identify the characteristics of medication errors involving parenteral cytotoxic drugs in Sweden. A total of 60 cases reported to the national error reporting systems from 1996 to 2008 were reviewed. Classification was made to identify cytotoxic drugs involved, type of error, where the error occurred, error detection mechanism, and consequences for the patient. The most commonly involved cytotoxic drugs were fluorouracil, carboplatin, cytarabine and doxorubicin. The platinum-containing drugs often caused serious consequences for the patients. The most common error type were too high doses (45%) followed by wrong drug (30%). Twenty-five of the medication errors (42%) occurred when doctors were prescribing. All of the preparations were delivered to the patient causing temporary or life-threatening harm. Another 25 of the medication errors (42%) started with preparation at the pharmacies. The remaining 10 medication errors (16%) were due to errors during preparation by nurses (5/60) and administration by nurses to the wrong patient (5/60). It is of utmost importance to minimise the potential for errors in the prescribing stage. The identification of drugs and patients should also be improved.
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| 2. |
- Björk, Maria, et al.
(author)
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Returning to a changed ordinary life - families' lived experience after completing a child's cancer treatment
- 2011
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In: European Journal of Cancer Care. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0961-5423 .- 1365-2354. ; 20:2, s. 163-169
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of the study was to illuminate the families' lived experience after completing a child's cancer treatment. The study took place at a University Hospital in southern Sweden. Interviews were carried out with 10 mothers, eight fathers, four patients and two siblings from a total of 10 families. The interviews were analysed with a hermeneutical phenomenological approach. One essential theme emerged from their stories, ‘returning to a changed ordinary life – incorporating a trying and contradictory experience’. The families felt relieved that the treatment was over yet they experienced strains in their daily life. Family members felt changed and especially the parents needed to focus on themselves in order to recover. Closeness with other people, especially their own family, was important. The previously sick children felt a loss of concern from their parents when treatment had ended, in contrast to siblings who experienced increased attention from their parents. Parents experienced being in uncharted territory and sometimes missed the security of hospital. For professionals it is important to offer the family a structured follow-up to help them in their daily life after the child's treatment is completed.
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| 3. |
- Dellson, Pia, et al.
(author)
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Towards optimised information about clinical trials; identification and validation of key issues in collaboration with cancer patient advocates.
- 2011
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In: European Journal of Cancer Care. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1365-2354 .- 0961-5423. ; 20, s. 445-454
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- DELLSON P., NILBERT M., BENDAHL P-O., MALMSTROM P. & CARLSSON C. (2010) European Journal of Cancer Care Towards optimised information about clinical trials; identification and validation of key issues in collaboration with cancer patient advocates Clinical trials are crucial to improve cancer treatment but recruitment is difficult. Optimised patient information has been recognised as a key issue. In line with the increasing focus on patients' perspectives in health care, we aimed to study patients' opinions about the written information used in three clinical trials for breast cancer. Primary data collection was done in focus group interviews with breast cancer patient advocates. Content analysis identified three major themes: comprehensibility, emotions and associations, and decision making. Based on the advocates' suggestions for improvements, 21 key issues were defined and validated through a questionnaire in an independent group of breast cancer patient advocates. Clear messages, emotionally neutral expressions, careful descriptions of side effects, clear comparisons between different treatment alternatives and information about the possibility to discontinue treatment were perceived as the most important issues. Patients' views of the information in clinical trials provide new insights and identify key issues to consider in optimising future written information and may improve recruitment to clinical cancer trials.
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| 4. |
- Hansson, H, et al.
(author)
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Hospital-based home care for children with cancer: a qualitative exploration of family members' experiences in Denmark.
- 2012
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In: European Journal of Cancer Care. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1365-2354 .- 0961-5423. ; 21:1, s. 59-66
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Hospital-based home care for children with cancer: a qualitative exploration of family members' experiences in Denmark The study aims to describe the experiences of a hospital-based home care programme in the families of children with cancer. Fourteen parents, representing 10 families, were interviewed about their experiences of a hospital-based home care programme during a 4-month period in 2009 at a university hospital in Denmark. Five children participated in all or part of the interview. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using qualitative content analysis. The findings indicate that hospital-based home care enabled the families to remain intact throughout the course of treatment, as it decreased the strain on the family and the ill child, maintained normality and an ordinary everyday life and fulfilled the need for safety and security. According to family members of children with cancer, hospital-based home care support enhanced their quality of life during the child's cancer trajectory. Our study highlights the importance of providing hospital-based home care with consideration for the family members' need for the sense of security achieved by home care by experienced paediatric oncology nurses and regular contact with the doctor. In future studies, interviews with children and siblings could be an important source of information for planning and delivering care suited to the families' perceived needs.
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| 5. |
- Kisch, Annika, et al.
(author)
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Factors associated with changes in quality of life in patients undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation
- 2012
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In: European Journal of Cancer Care. - : Blackwell Munksgaard. - 0961-5423 .- 1365-2354. ; 21:6, s. 735-746
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Factors associated with changes in quality of life in patients undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation It is well known that patients undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) experience changes in quality of life. We investigated factors associated with quality of life changes in adult HSCT patients. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Bone Marrow Transplantation (FACT-BMT) scale, supplemented with the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Spiritual Well-being (FACIT-Sp) subscale, was administered on three occasions, immediately before transplantation, 100 days and 12 months after transplantation. Analyses of nine selected factors were made where changes in quality of life were found. Seventy-five patients were included and 40 of these completed the study. Emotional well-being was found to improve between the baseline and 100 days, while all other dimensions deteriorated, including overall quality of life. Physical and social/family well-being deteriorated between the baseline and the 12-month follow-up, while emotional well-being improved. The main factors associated with deteriorating quality of life over time were found to be significant infections, female gender and transplantation with stem cells from a sibling donor. In our further studies we aim to focus on the relationships between patients and sibling donors in order to improve the care. Careful attention must be paid to continuous adequate information during the transplantation procedure.
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| 6. |
- Klaeson, Kicki, et al.
(author)
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To feel like an outsider : focus group discussions regarding the influence on sexuality caused by breast cancer treatment
- 2011
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In: European Journal of Cancer Care. - : Blackwell. - 0961-5423 .- 1365-2354. ; 20:6, s. 728-737
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aftermath of breast cancer treatment, especially the sexual side effects, appears to be a neglected issue in developed society. The purpose of this study was to explore how middle-aged women treated for a breast cancer experienced their sexual identity connected to the community norms and values in the society as a whole. Three focus group interviews were conducted, with a total of 12 women. The discussions were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The main theme to feel like an outsider symbolises the womens situation after breast cancer treatment. They experienced their body in a wholly new unfamiliar way, which affected their sexuality in a deep and profound way. This feeling affected their female roles and overshadowed earlier experiences in life. All their female roles were suddenly vague and this was expressed in various ways across each of the four subthemes: to feel different, the unruly body, eroticism is not what it used to be and re-evaluating. From a nursing perspective, there appears to be a definite challenge to identify the womens own unique sexual needs in the rehabilitation transition and to use the skills from all team professionals to improve sexual health in this context.
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| 7. |
- Knöös, Marlene, et al.
(author)
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Oral Assessment Guide : test of reliability and validity for patients receiving radiotherapy to the head and neck region
- 2010
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In: European Journal of Cancer Care. - : Hindawi Limited. - 0961-5423 .- 1365-2354. ; 19:1, s. 53-60
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Radiotherapy to the head and neck region leads to severe side effects in the oral cavity but knowledge about severity and onset is scarce among oncology nurses in a radiotherapy department. The aim was to test the Oral Assessment Guide for reliability and validity for patients receiving radiotherapy to the head and neck region. A prospective design with repeated assessments was selected. Thirty-six outpatients admitted to the department for radiotherapy to the head and neck region were included. In connection with the treatment session, the oral cavity was examined every second day by a nurse and once a week by an oncologist. The results were documented on separate forms. All patients showed alterations in the oral cavity and side effects started early during the first week of treatment. The result from inter-rater reliability showed a high concordance in all categories (>71%). Cohen's kappa (k) showed good agreement for voice, swallow and saliva and moderate for lips, tongue, mucous membranes, gums and teeth/dentures. The association, the sensitivity, between dose of radiation and side effects was weak or moderate and the acceptability with patients and staff was generally good.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Ahl Jonsson, Christina, et al.
(author)
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The lived experience of the early postoperative period after colorectal cancer surgery
- 2011
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In: European Journal of Cancer Care. - : Wiley. - 0961-5423 .- 1365-2354. ; 20:2, s. 248-256
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancer diagnoses and undergoing colorectal cancer surgery is reported to be associated with physical symptoms and psychological reactions. Social support is described as important during the postoperative period. The purpose of this paper was to describe how patients experience the early postoperative period after colorectal cancer surgery. Interviews according a phenomenological approach were performed with 13 adult participants, within 1 week after discharge from hospital. Data were collected from August 2006 to February 2007. Analysis of the interview transcripts was conducted according to Giorgi. The essence of the phenomenon was to regain control over ones body in the early postoperative period after colorectal cancer surgery. Lack of control, fear of wound and anastomosis rupture, insecurity according to complications was prominent findings. When caring for these patients it is a challenge to be sensitive, encourage and promote patients to express their feelings and needs. One possibility to empower the patients and give support could be a follow up phone call within a week after discharge.
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| 10. |
- Andersson, Inger, 1964, et al.
(author)
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Patients' perception of health-related quality of life during the first year after autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
- 2011
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In: European journal of cancer care. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1365-2354 .- 0961-5423. ; 20:3, s. 368-379
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Little attention has been paid to examine health-related quality of life (HRQoL) the first year post-transplant, despite that this period is crucial for returning to normal life and functioning and to prevent delayed psychosocial adjustment. The purpose of the present study was to describe HRQoL after autologous versus allogeneic stem cell transplantations during the first year post-transplant. The allogeneic group was further divided into two groups: allogeneic stem cell transplantation after reduced intensive conditioning and allogeneic stem cell transplantation after myeloablative conditioning. All together 202 patients were enrolled in the study. HRQoL was assessed by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and the treatment-specific module High-Dose Chemotherapy (HDC-19). The questionnaires were filled out at six occasions (from inclusion to 12 months after transplantation). The reduced intensive conditioning group seemed to recover in the same way as the autologous group and these two groups were closer in their scoring compared with the myeloablative conditioning group. One month after the transplantation there were no significant differences in change scores between the autologous and reduced intensive conditioning group, and 1 year after the transplantation levels of symptoms and functioning were back to baseline or better. The myeloablative conditioning group, who perceived more symptoms and lower levels of functioning during the whole period, was still impaired in 10 out of 29 scales 1 year after the transplantation and no significant improvements compared with baseline were observed for this group.
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