Abstract
Session presented on: Tuesday, July 23, 2013:
Purpose: In 2007, a comprehensive nursing program was implemented at the National Pediatric Oncology Unit in Guatemala to improve the quality of nursing care. Twenty-four new nursing positions were created, decreasing nurse patient ratio from 1:7 to 1:5, and a full-time nurse educator was hired to provide pediatric oncology education. In addition, processes were established to improve 20 nursing quality standards. The purpose of this study was to assess the program's impact on treatment abandonment in children with cancer. Treatment abandonment is a critical problem in developing countries and a leading cause of death for children with cancer.
Methods: Pre-program (January 2004-December 2006) cumulative incidence (CIN) of treatment abandonment was compared to post-program CIN (January 2007 to October 2008) at the intervention site (Guatemala) and to a control site in which no new nursing interventions were implemented during the study period. The sample included 1,936 patients diagnosed with cancer during study period.
Results: Pre-program CIN of treatment abandonment for the intervention site (10.2 - 1.2) was significantly higher (p = .045) than post-program CIN (6.5 - 1.3). Post- program CIN of treatment abandonment for the intervention site (6.5 - 1.3) was significantly lower (p = 0.0003) than post-program CIN for the control site (14.7 - 2.7).
Conclusion: Significant improvement in the CIN of treatment abandonment within the intervention site and as compared to the control site was found. Several factors may have contributed to the study's findings. Well educated nurses are better able to provide parents with insight regarding the need to continue therapy, and the improved nurse-patient ratio allowed more time for nurses to provide individualized parent education. In developing countries, abandonment is seen as the primary domain of psychologists and social workers. A combined effort of nursing and psychosocial intervention may be the best option for preventing abandonment.
Sigma Membership
Unknown
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
N/A
Research Approach
N/A
Keywords:
Clinical Outcomes, Developing Countries, Quality Nursing Care
Recommended Citation
Day, Sara W.; Carty, Rita M.; and McKeon, Leslie, "Impact of the Guatemalan nursing program on treatment abandonment in children with cancer" (2013). INRC (Congress). 215.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2013/presentations_2013/215
Conference Name
24th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Prague, Czech Republic
Conference Year
2013
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Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Impact of the Guatemalan nursing program on treatment abandonment in children with cancer
Prague, Czech Republic
Session presented on: Tuesday, July 23, 2013:
Purpose: In 2007, a comprehensive nursing program was implemented at the National Pediatric Oncology Unit in Guatemala to improve the quality of nursing care. Twenty-four new nursing positions were created, decreasing nurse patient ratio from 1:7 to 1:5, and a full-time nurse educator was hired to provide pediatric oncology education. In addition, processes were established to improve 20 nursing quality standards. The purpose of this study was to assess the program's impact on treatment abandonment in children with cancer. Treatment abandonment is a critical problem in developing countries and a leading cause of death for children with cancer.
Methods: Pre-program (January 2004-December 2006) cumulative incidence (CIN) of treatment abandonment was compared to post-program CIN (January 2007 to October 2008) at the intervention site (Guatemala) and to a control site in which no new nursing interventions were implemented during the study period. The sample included 1,936 patients diagnosed with cancer during study period.
Results: Pre-program CIN of treatment abandonment for the intervention site (10.2 - 1.2) was significantly higher (p = .045) than post-program CIN (6.5 - 1.3). Post- program CIN of treatment abandonment for the intervention site (6.5 - 1.3) was significantly lower (p = 0.0003) than post-program CIN for the control site (14.7 - 2.7).
Conclusion: Significant improvement in the CIN of treatment abandonment within the intervention site and as compared to the control site was found. Several factors may have contributed to the study's findings. Well educated nurses are better able to provide parents with insight regarding the need to continue therapy, and the improved nurse-patient ratio allowed more time for nurses to provide individualized parent education. In developing countries, abandonment is seen as the primary domain of psychologists and social workers. A combined effort of nursing and psychosocial intervention may be the best option for preventing abandonment.