Oncology Nurses Create Procedures to Improve Patient Safety in Outpatient Area

Since many cancer patients receive therapies known to cause allergic reactions or hypersensitivity, oncology nurses in the outpatient setting handle constant challenges as they manage patient care. When faced with emergency challenges, oncology nurses need to quickly, competently, and safely manage specific patient needs.

To address such a scenario, Yuk Wong, RN, BSN, MA, OCN, and Kira Lynn Voitle, BSN, RN, OCN, nurses at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ), identified and explored ways to improve patient safety through the development of a step-by-step rapid response procedure and hands-on simulation tool.

To ensure quality care for those patients experiencing a medical emergency, a pilot of the teaching method was developed by oncology nurses at CINJ. A rapid response step-by-step procedure was utilized to determine the specific role responding nurses would play in handling an emergency. In mock scenarios, the nurses also utilized a “code cart” with emergency medications and equipment to quickly detect changes in patient status so that responses can be improved during emergencies.

After additional use of emergency equipment in a training environment, the nurses taking part in the pilot verbally expressed more comfort and competency in handling urgent situations. Formal nurse evaluations as well as analysis of live emergency situations will be conducted in the future.

“Because an increasing number of novel cancer medications are being given in the outpatient setting, the number of treatments that have the potential to cause allergic or other negative reactions has dramatically increased. It is important during such emergencies that nurses feel comfortable in handling the situation rather than intimidated. By providing a hands-on teaching method in how to respond to these adverse reactions in the outpatient setting, we are further preparing our nurses with the advanced skills needed to address an emergency situation,” note the authors.

According to both Wong and Voitle, all nurses in the outpatient setting can utilize the pilot program to enhance both patient safety and patient outcome.

Source: The Cancer Institute of New Jersey.