An Advance Practice Nurse (APN) is any nurse who is registered and has met specific graduate degree educational requirements. One should also have expert clinical knowledge and provide direct care to patients.
An APN’s role in primary prevention of cancer is crucial as at this stage, it is one of the most effective means of reducing incidence, morbidity and mortality (Yarbro, Frogge & Goodman, 2005). Early detection is about identifying disease in an individual while it is still localized, curable or manageable. It involves physical examination for cancer screening which is performed in primary care offices. This goes hand in hand with identifying an individual’s risk profile. This is the reason why, for example, women aged 40 and older should have a mammogram every year and continue to do so for as long as they are in good health; or that beginning at age 50, both men and women should go for a fecal occult blood test (FOBT) to test for colon and rectum cancer.
An APN is also involved in educating health care consumers and providers about barriers to cancer screening. This is in line with their training where they also advise patients to obtain screening procedures such as colonoscopies and mammograms early on. Developing educational programs for schools, the community and the workplace also goes a long way in helping people to be aware of cancer risk factors, prevention and early detection. They not only conduct research but also develop programs aimed at reducing the risk of getting cancers. An example is programs geared at quitting smoking and better nutritional programs.
With rapid expansion of knowledge, APNs are also involved in the field of cancer genetics. This is testing for a genetic predisposition to cancer causing genes. More people are now opting to be tested since the cancer causing genes can now be individually identified. Patient counseling is availed and permission obtained from patients so as to carry out the testing.
In the secondary prevention of cancer, an APNs responsibility may include assessment, counseling, teaching, screening and detection (Varricchio & American Cancer Society, 2004). Patients receiving treatment are cared for and radiology and laboratory results are reviewed ending up in a treatment plan being devised. When the patient is receiving active medical treatment, APNs meet their medical and nursing needs. They also see patients undergoing chemotherapy and treat or manage their side effects. According to Yarbro, Frogge & Goodman (2005), any medical problems arising on the side such as diabetes are managed on top of providing education and psychosocial support (p.1768). The APN is not only involved with the patient but also focuses on their family so as to enable them to fully comprehend the disease and its side effects. APNs can also be involved in establishing standards at the centers where they work.
In conclusion, Hoeman (2008) argues that APNs manage complex health situations and intervene throughout the patient’s life span. They have perfected their advanced skills to improve patient outcomes, forging partnerships with patients and communities, co-coordinating interdisciplinary plans of care and meeting global health challenges (p. 12).
References
Hoeman, S. P., (2008). Rehabilitation nursing: Prevention, intervention & outcomes. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Elsevier Health Science.
Varricchio, C.G., American Cancer Society. (2004). A Cancer Source Book for Nurses. Baltimore, Maryland: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Yarbro, C. H., Frogge, M, H., Goodman, M. (2005). Cancer Nursing Principles and Practice: The Jones and Bartlett Series in Oncology. Baltimore, Maryland: Jones & Bartlett Learning.