Oddie K, Pinto M, Jollie S, Blasiak E, Ercolano E, McCorkle R, et al.
Cancer nursing. Date of publication 2014 Mar 1;volume 37(2):E37-42.
1. Cancer Nurs. 2014 Mar-Apr;37(2):E37-42. doi: 10.1097/NCC.0b013e3182879ceb.
Identification of need for an evidence-based nurse-led assessment and management
protocol for radiation dermatitis.
Oddie K(1), Pinto M, Jollie S, Blasiak E, Ercolano E, McCorkle R.
Author information:
(1)Author Affiliations: Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven (Mss Oddie,
Pinto, Jollie, and Blasiak and Dr McCorkle); Yale University School of Nursing
(Drs Ercolano and McCorkle), New Haven, Connecticut.
BACKGROUND: Radiation therapy is used globally as a standard treatment for many
forms of cancer. Skin damage or radiation dermatitis is the most common effect of
radiation therapy.
OBJECTIVES: The study aims were to survey nurses to identify methods used to
screen, manage, and monitor acute skin reactions within the radiation departments
of an urban, northeastern teaching hospital and its network facilities and
identify strategies to establish a mechanism for ongoing communication among the
nurses to develop and implement an evidence-based protocol.
METHODS: Using an online self-report survey format (SurveyMonkey), radiation
nurses were asked to describe their current practice related to assessing and
monitoring radiation dermatitis, areas of expertise, skin assessment tools used,
frequency of skin assessment, and interventions used to manage patients with
radiation dermatitis.
RESULTS: Twenty-two radiation nurses (100%) representing all 8 facilities within
the network responded. Tools to assess patients' skin, the frequency of skin
assessments, and products used to manage skin reactions varied among the nurses.
Nurses also assessed patients for additional factors including nutritional
status, presence of other diseases, and medications.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results validated the need for a system-wide approach to manage
patients undergoing radiation therapy, specifically a skin care protocol that
defines type and frequency of skin assessments as well as recommends treatments
for prevention and management of common skin conditions.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The establishment of a standard method of assessing
the skin will improve quality of care provided in the radiation departments and
potentially limit patient complications and costs.
DOI: 10.1097/NCC.0b013e3182879ceb
PMID: 23584512 [Indexed for MEDLINE]
