Surgical oncology is the area that is used to treat patients with solid tumors. Surgery is used to treat children with brain tumors, soft tissues cancers, skin cancers, and central nervous system tumors among other forms of cancer. Though less surgery is practiced nowadays on cancer patients, it usually gives children a high chance to be cured. Surgical oncology nurses assist in planning, implementing, educating and offering support through out the surgical process. “Nurses can become specialized in surgical oncology with their continued involvement in the intensive care units, general surgery and in ambulatory cancer centers (Hawks, 2006).
” Nurses on top pf the skills they have, they need to be conversant with treatments like chemotherapy, gene therapy and radiation treatment. Radiation and chemotherapy Radiation therapy is used to aid in cancer treatment by exposing the patient to ionized radiation so as to control malignant cells. It is also used to prevent the occurrence of certain ailments that can worsen the patient’s condition. It is used to treat condition such as severe eye complications, severe complication affecting joints and tendons and preparation of the body for bone marrow transplants among others.
Chemotherapy on the other hand entails the use of chemicals to treat certain diseases by killing cells. This will entail taking various medications that most of the time have severe side effects on the patients. Children who undergo chemotherapy usually have a rough time in dealing with the situation. “The condition will even be worse for children who have been exposed more to chemotherapy such that they may experience learning disabilities (Tomlinson & Kline, 37).
”For this reason, nurses have to be skilled in advising the children why they need the treatment, prepare them psychologically for what they will be facing and support and encourage them throughout the process while making sure that they are not adversely affected by the treatment. Palliative care and after care Cancer patients are the most in palliative care. Palliative care usually deals with controlling and possibly reducing the disease symptoms so as to improve the child’s quality of life.
“Nurses in palliative care need to be skilled and experienced so that they can treat the patients better (Ferrell & Coyle, 2006). ”After care for the recovering patients is necessary as follow ups need to be made so as to ensure that the various medications are taken as prescribed by the physicians. “Physical examination is conducted a t this stage especially for those who have finished chemotherapy treatment so that proper nutritional standards can be established (Carlson, Reilly & Hitchens, 2005). ” After care will enable the children fit back into society and develop mechanisms to survive in this environment.
Conclusion The nursing profession is very fulfilling especially in the area of pediatric oncology nursing. This is because nurses assist children; who are fragile, to face the treatments bravely so as their support really matters. Some cases might be devastating at first but they usually turnout great and it is this hope for caring and treating the young that keeps nurse going. For this reason, nurses need to be supported by other medical practitioners so that they can improve their skills and work in many areas in oncology so as to continue providing proper care for the children.
References Branicki F. & Adem A. (April 2009). Recent Advances in Clinical Oncology. Annals of the New York Academy of Science, New York Academy of Sciences Vol. 1138 pp. 123-168 Carlson, C. , Reilly, M. & Hitchens, A. (Nov 2005). An Innovative Approach to the Care of Patients on Phase I and Phase II Clinical Trials: The Role of the Experimental Therapeutics Nurse Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, vol. 22: pp. 353 – 364. Eiser C. (2004). Children with cancer: the quality of life, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Ferrell, B. & Coyle N. (2006).
Textbook of palliative nursing, 2nd ed. Oxford University Press US, p. 881 Feldman J. B. (Oct, 2004). The efficacy of hypnosis in the reduction of procedural pain and distress: Pain management in pediatric oncology. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis Vol. 51, No. 3 Hawks R. (Sep 2006). Complementary and Alternative Medicine Research Initiatives in the Children’s Oncology Group and the Role of the Pediatric Oncology Nurse. Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, vol. 23: pp. 261 – 264. Itano, J. & Taoka, K. N. (2005).
Core curriculum for oncology nursing, 4th ed. Elsevier Health Sciences Pinkerton R. et al. (Sep 2007) Evidence-based pediatric oncology, 2nd Ed. Ed. Blackwell Publishing… sections on solid tumors, leukemia, and supportive care in pediatric oncology Tomlinson, D. & Kline N. E. (2005). Pediatric Oncology Nursing: Advanced Clinical Handbook, Springer, pp. 1, 37, 42 Wilson K. (2005). The Evolution of the Role of Nurses: The History of Nurse Practitioners in Pediatric Oncology Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, Sep; vol. 22: pp. 250 – 253.