New federal data show America’s nursing workforce has become more diverse over the past 15 years, but underrepresentation remains a problem in a field struggling with burnout and racism. A diverse nursing workforce can reduce health disparities, provide more culturally competent care, and, in turn, improve patient outcomes.
On April 5, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (Enhertu®) for adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive (IHC3+) solid tumors who have received prior systemic treatment and have no satisfactory alternative treatment options. It is one of seven anticancer agents with a tumor-agnostic FDA approval.
In March 2024, in collaboration with the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses and the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology, ONS released a new joint position statement, Fertility Preservation in Individuals With Cancer, to highlight its importance for both patients and their families.
Even very young children can sense when there’s a change in routine, when parents or guardians are having hushed conversations in the next room, or when the energy in the room is lower than usual. They know when something is happening to someone they love, and they need to talk
A significant portion of young patients with breast cancer have concerns about fertility, but only 20% of them pursue fertility preservation. Published in Cancer Medicine, new study findings highlight the importance of providing patient education about fertility preservation and the effects of cancer treatment on fertility as well as addressing barriers to fertility care.
A few years ago, ONS member Amy Gundelach, RN, MSN, AG-CNS-BC, OCN®, survivorship program coordinator at the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center in Albuquerque, was managing two male patients—a 25-year-old and a 30-year-old—who were seeking a survivorship support group of young adult peers and a survivorship therapist for young adults. She discovered that her institution didn’t have any materials tailored specifically tailored for young adult cancer survivors’ needs, compared to their older counterparts.
In 2023, approximately 2 million people were diagnosed with cancer in the United States. During National Cancer Control Month each April, the country pauses to recognize the pivotal role of prevention, detection, and treatment in the fight against cancer.
A 34-gene signature can predict the behavior of meningiomas more accurately than microscopic pathology, researchers reported in Nature Medicine. Meningiomas, the most common type of central nervous system tumor, generally are benign, but their behavior has been difficult to predict based on pathology. The study is a major step forward in managing meningiomas and could lead to more effective, personalized treatment.
Using a formal framework for a team debriefing after an emotionally challenging critical event can create a positive learning experience, initiate process improvements, and ultimately offer nurses and other healthcare professionals psychological support that reduces burnout and compassion fatigue, ONS members Molly Joyce, MSN, APRN, OCN®, and Joanne Itano, RN, PhD, reported in an article published in the February 2024 issue of the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing.
On March 27, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Amneal Pharmaceuticals, LLC, is voluntarily recalling four lots of vancomycin hydrochloride for oral solution, USP, 250 mg/5 ml, packaged in 80 ml, 150 ml, or 300 ml pack sizes, to the consumer level.