English - the European Oncology Nursing Society

gave some useful hints as to the educational preparation for some ofthe less known areas. All participants received a packet of forgetme-notseeds which were labelled “encouraging growth”.Early Toxicities/ Delayed education: Providing Safety and Qualityin the Management of Oral Therapies was a session devoted to theproblems with the increasing number of oral cancer drugs in theU.S. and in Europe. Deficits in nurses’ knowledge of pharmacologyand poor communication patterns both with patients and physiciansappear to be ubiquitous. Using keypads it was shown that the worksettings of 63% of the attendees do not have specific tools to teachpatients about oral agents. Roberta Strohl presented some strategiesto rectify the problems.Also on Saturday, another excellent lecture about adherence tooral tumor therapies was presented. Of particular interest was thepresentation from Karin Schulte, (Dana Farber Cancer Institute). Sheshowed the results of her study on the assessment of current nursingpractice associated with oral chemotherapy adherence. Keeping themessage short, one could ask: If we were involved earlier, would theadherence be better? This is a problem that seems to be universal.On similar lines, several lectures focused on molecular targets,whether in applied research (bench) to clinical application (bedside).The profiling of molecular characteristics has allowed singlegenes, growth factor receptors, and other molecular targets to berecognised not only for treatment purposes but for prevention and forearly detection as well. With the targeted therapies, new side effectshave taken on an important part in daily nursing activities. As inthe EONS educational program, TARGET, one lecture also dealt withdermatological toxicities and the nurse’s role in providing care duringtreatment.Carol Estwing Ferrans, PhD, RN, FAAN, Professor and Associate Deanfor Research from the University of Illinois at Chicago, presentedthe Distinguished Research Special Session lecture, Research -Exposing the Deadly Difference. Ms. Ferrans demonstrated withher research findings that through nursing research change canbe made in healthcare policies, legislation and increased fundingto alleviate some health care disparities. Dr. Ferrans studied theprevalence of racial disparities in women with breast cancer andthe higher mortality incidence due to these disparities. The resultswere incredible and dramatic and left one wondering how thesedisparities could even arise. It truly left one with an “Oh, no – notpossible” feeling when looking at the facts and figures. One outcomeof the study was positive: An inaugural meeting of the Consortiumof Metropolitan Chicago Institutions dedicated themselves towork together to improve quality of care. We might have a look atdisparities in health care on the European level – the sooner thebetter.Saturday morning started with the traditional Mara MorgensenFlaherty Memorial Lectureship. Terry A. Badger, PhD, RN, FAANpresented an excellent lecture entitled Depression Assessment andPsychosocial Interventions for Cancer Survivors and Partners. Thelecture started with the re-definition of the social network: changein the traditional household and who is important. Her take-homemessage was: If you are important to the person you are a partnerwhether or not related by blood or marriage.Briefly, the content of her lecture dealt with the facts that depressionis an important issue in cancer survivorship and it significantlyinfluences cancer recovery, quality of life and possibly, long-termsurvival. Further, partners of cancer survivors often suffer the sameor higher levels of emotional distress as the patient. She describedseveral barriers which hinder the assessment process. Finally, shestated that all nurses can provide assessment, patient education andinformation, referrals and therapeutic social support.One of the last sessions on Sunday morning, was “Clinical HotTopics”. This presentation featured several of cancer treatmentmodalities, the place of pharmacovigilance and pharmacogenomicsin cancer treatment, special nursing considerations for emergingside effects of these drugs, and how cancer genetics may influencetreatment decisions in the future.Other HighlightsMeeting with the executive board of ONS as well as various ONSproject leaders was a highlight of the conference for me. Topicsrelating to possible EONS/ONS collaboration were discussed andmapped out. Further talks with Paula Rieger Trahan (ONS CEO),Len Mafrica (International Affairs), Brenda Nevidjon (President) andGeorgia Decker (Past president) will explore the possibilities of thecollaboration of EONS with ONS. We agreed that we could imaginejoining forces on developing guidelines and leadership programsadapting the content accordingly to European circumstances.There was time in the evening to see a bit of Philadelphia, visit theparks, enjoy a baseball game with the “Phillies” (they won) and getthe feel of life outside of oncology nursing.To say the least, after five days of conference one left with a wealthof information and with a feeling of confirmation that one is doingthe right thing. I also had the feeling that we have a great task aheadof us in light of the changing health care systems around Europeand the world and it will be a challenge to provide competent, safe,and equal cancer nursing care for all. I came away realizing thatEuropean nursing does not differ greatly from that in the U.S. butbecause of the structure of Europe we definitely have greater gaps inthe standardization of cancer care.newsletter fall 2008 -37