Keywords

cancer, care, oncology, education, nurse

Abstract

Literature shows that nursing care in rural communities improves when the nurse has increased knowledge through continuing education. Specific oncology studies in areas of stress, pain assessment and documentation, and death and dying.(Hedman-1990,Camp-Sorrell-1991,Foglesong-1987,Webber-1991) demonstrate similar results. It is reasonable that continuing education in areas of the cancer process, standard therapies, and methods of symptom control would improve patient care. This project allowed nurses who had limited access to cancer education in rural areas of Utah to receive basic cancer education. The subjects of this education included: 1) the cancer process, 2) chemotherapy, 3)radiation therapy, 4) the use and care of vascular devices, 5) principles and methods of cancer pain control, and 6) issues of death and dying. The study tested whether a structured cancer nursing continuing education program enhanced the cancer nursing knowledge of nurses in rural and frontier health care agencies. It examined the effects of such a program on self-reported nursing practice with cancer patients in such rural agencies. Finally, it tested the extent to which nurses who participated in continuing education programs disseminated information from the program to other health care providers in their practice setting.

Original Publication Citation

Rushton, P., Nail, L., & Brown, S. (1997) Impact of continuing education on rural cancer nursing care. Journal of Pharmaceutical Care of Pain and Symptom Control 5(2): 37-59.