ONS Connect - November 2008 - (Page 13)

Paula Sherwood, RN, PhD, CNRN, is finding ways to translate research with caregivers of patients with other diseases to caregivers of patients with cancer. benefit from supportive-educative interventions,” Northouse says. “For example, caregivers in the prostate study who participated in the FOCUS program reported less negative appraisal of caregiving, less uncertainty, higher selfefficacy, improved communication with their spouses, and better quality of life.” With the paradigm shift to treating cancer as a chronic illness, it is inevitable that the caregiver role will ultimately be impacted. This impact has the potential to not only affect the patient’s well-being, but that of the caregiver as well. Strain and burden, along with depression, are common in family caregivers and, if left untreated, can result in poor physical and mental health (Goode, Haley, Roth, & Ford, 1998). “Our current work focuses on understanding the emotional reactions to providing care and how this affects caregivers’ physical health,” Sherwood says. “For example, family caregivers have been shown to be at risk for poor immune function and for increased days of respiratory illness. Our challenge lies in figuring out how and when those physical changes happen so we can intervene to improve caregivers’ health.” Implementing Interventions Into Practice During the cancer journey, caregivers may look at their lives in a new light and feel that they have a purpose while caring for their loved ones. Other times, caregivers may experience strain and burden. One of ONS’s recently published Putting Evidence Into Practice® cards focuses on the management of caregiver strain and burden. Northouse explains how important it is for oncology nurses to use this evidence in their practice. “It is helpful when oncology nurses ask caregivers how they are doing, acknowledge caregivers’ strengths (e.g., ongoing support of patients), and encourage patients and caregivers to work as a team to manage the illness. “There is convincing evidence across a number of well-designed studies that there is a reciprocal effect between the emotional well-being of patients with cancer and their spouse caregivers and that they react as an emotional system to cancer rather than as isolated November 2008 ONS CONNECT 13

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of ONS Connect - November 2008

ONS Connect - November 2008 Contents Editor's Note Just In Lean on Me You Tell Us A Year in the Life-- Month Eleven Put Evidence Into Practice to Manage Caregiver Strain and Burden Web Connect Capitol Connection Caregiver Care New Technique Monitors Patients with NSCLC Calendar of Events Working for You Staying on Top

ONS Connect - November 2008

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