Trans-sectoral care in patients with colorectal cancer: Protocol of the randomized controlled multi-center trial Supportive Cancer Care Networkers (SCAN)

Abstract

BackgroundManaging therapy-related side-effects and improving health-related quality of life in patients with colorectal cancer is still challenging. The need for an effective management of adverse events and unmet supportive care needs have been widely discussed. In the past decade, interventions by nursing staff gained more and more importance. Evidence suggests that a majority of patients even in early stages of the disease experience substantial impairments potentially resulting in diminished therapy adherence as well as impaired quality of life. However, evidence for the effectiveness of nurse-led interventions on symptom management and quality of life is still very limited. This especially applies to care transitions between different inpatient and outpatient health care providers throughout the course of treatment and aftercare.Methods/DesignSupportive Cancer Care Networkers (SCAN) is a prospective randomized controlled trial conducted in eight large and middle-sized German cancer centers and municipal hospitals. The target population is adults with colorectal cancer UICC I-III after initial R-0 resection scheduled for adjuvant chemotherapy or guideline-based aftercare only. 370 patients will be randomly assigned to either intervention or control group. Patients in the intervention group will receive an additional support by specialized oncology nurses for eight weeks after discharge from hospital by telephone, consisting of symptom monitoring, counselling on self-assessment and self-management and dealing with individual resources for coping and psychosocial well-being. The primary endpoint will be health-related quality of life (HRQoL) at eight weeks after discharge from the initial treating hospital.DiscussionThe presented SCAN trial is to provide information that will be useful to advance our understanding of complex interdependencies between symptom severity, supportive care needs, functioning and the risk for diminished HRQoL. Most importantly, these patient-reported outcomes are not fully implemented in today’s clinical routine practice potentially resulting in therapy cessations and lower chemotherapy treatment rates for colorectal cancer especially in older patients.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01651832.

Oncology Nursing Telephone Triage Workshop

“…This evidence-based workshop allowed for a 3-pronged approach to educating oncology nurses on telephone triage models utilizing didactic lecture, group case scenario with structured moderation, and virtual triage simulation with feedback. This educational method was congruent with other interventions/training programs demonstrated in the literature 2,14,15,26 …”

“…This educational method was congruent with other interventions/ training programs demonstrated in the literature. 2,14,15,26 Although no previous studies have assessed the impact of a telephone triage education intervention on nurse knowledge, confidence, and skill in using these specific models together, the study that had the closest educational model and influenced the structure of a multipronged approach in this QI project was from Stacey and colleagues in 2016. 27 The authors conducted a retrospective pre/post study on the impact of training on nurse satisfaction and perceived confidence in using remote symptom support protocols in cancer patients.…”

Influence of Early Predictive Nursing on Complications and Quality of Life in Patients after Colorectal Cancer Surgery

“…Currently, the efficiency of conventional postoperative nursing is considered unsatisfactory for patients [ 12 ], so high-quality nursing is a key factor to improve nursing satisfaction. High-quality nursing for patients undergoing surgery is an inevitable development of routine nursing interventions for the advancement of the healthcare system [ 13 ].…”

A concept analysis of transitional care for people with cancer

“…Identifying various needs such as information, physical, psychosocial, rehabilitation and support needs of people with cancer was considered an important factor in the provision of optimal transitional care, patient participation and appropriate interventions during the transition period (Aamodt et al, 2013;Bauer et al, 2015;Cox & Wilson, 2003;Houlihan, 2009;Jahn et al, 2014;Lithner et al, 2015;Young et al, 2013). (Beaver et al, 2010;Cox & Wilson, 2003;Cusack & Taylor, 2010;Moore et al, 2006).…”