December 2008

In order to achieve the goals made possible by recent technology advances in oncology nursing practice, nurses will have to endure the growing pains of in-services and devote the necessary time to build expertise and master the new technologies before they can implement them into daily oncology nursing practice.

Every day, an oncology nurse has a conversation with a patient that goes something like this: The patient asks, How much longer do you think I can live with this aggressive tumor?

Cold days should not prevent anyone from maintaining their outdoor fitness routines. People with cancer, in particular, can still enjoy the fresh air and physical activity, so long as they are prepared.

Research has shown that individuals are more inclined to participate in additional clinical trials if they have a positive experience and are treated with respect by the researchers.

Dean Heller, MD, President of VideoMD—an online library of physician-created, patient education videos—explains the benefits to both patients and physicians of www.videomd.com.

Harriet Berman, PhD, executive vice president of clinical programs, The Wellness Community – Greater Boston, Newton, MA, explains the pros and cons of cancer patient blogging, as well as what oncologists need to know about the topic.