Date of Award

12-2018

Degree Name

Nursing (D.N.P.)

Department

College of Nursing

First Advisor

Sandra Spoelstra

Second Advisor

Marie VanderKooi

Third Advisor

Gerri Roobol

Abstract

As innovative cancer treatments emerge, more people are surviving cancer. Cancer survivors have multiple and unique healthcare needs due to their cancer and cancer treatments. Communication among those treating the cancer, primary care providers, and cancer survivors is necessary to coordinate care once treatment is finished. The development of a survivorship care plan that is reviewed with the cancer survivor is intended to facilitate communication among all stakeholders. This quality improvement project examined current practice in a survivorship clinic in a Midwestern health system cancer center that cares for a variety of types of cancer patients. By reviewing evidence in the literature regarding cancer survivorship care, a quality improvement project was designed and implemented to standardize cancer survivorship care. Clinician education led to increased knowledge regarding Commission on Cancer requirements for survivorship care (p-Value 0.0016), and 100% were able to identify time parameters for survivorship care. Overall, a low rate of survivorship care and care plans were found. An 18% increase in patients being offered survivorship care (p-Value 0.18) occurred post education and identification of need for care. A survey of patients who received survivorship care found patients used the survivorship care plan and reported more support with symptom management when a plan was mailed and reviewed over the phone.

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