Practice Matters
An Early Postoperative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy Policy for Patients With Colorectal Cancer
Irina Rifkind, RN, BSN, Sharon Lafever, MS, RN, AOCN®, Robin Cianos, RN, OCN®, and Terry Sparhawk, RN, OCN®
From Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland, and St. Agnes Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland
Authors' disclosures of potential conflicts of interest are found at the end of this article.
Correspondence to: Irina Rifkind, RN, BSN, 18 Sandview Ct, Baltimore, MD 21209. E-mail: iravel@comcast.net
J Adv Pract Oncol 2011;2:122–124 |
DOI: 10.6004/jadpro.2011.2.2.6 |
© 2011 Harborside Press®
ABSTRACT
The focus of this article is a project that entailed creating and implementing a new policy on early postoperative intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy for patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Colorectal cancer is a systemic malignancy that is difficult to eradicate even after a major abdominal surgery. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy is designed to provide an intensive regional dose with fewer systemic adverse effects. There is limited evidence-based practice on the use of IP chemotherapy for CRC. The experience of one clinical nurse specialist with the development and implementation of the policy on a medical oncology unit is explored. The Transformative Model by Dunphy and Winland-Brown (1998) was used as a theoretical framework for the project. A pilot is being planned; for patient safety only one patient will be admitted for the procedure at a time. The project is ongoing.
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