Oncology Nursing Development in Singapore: AINEC Annual Scientific Meeting 23 October 2018 Oncology Nursing Development in Singapore: Education to Practice Dr M Kamala Devi Associate Professor Director of Education (Continuing Education and Training) Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, National University of Singapore
Greetings from Singapore .
Introduction The cancer burden is enormous in both developed and lesser developed countries Increasing incidence in Asia fast growing and aging population adoption of cancer-risk lifestyle behaviours (Jemal et al. 2010)
Cancer Cases Diagnosed Each Year in Singapore National Registry of Disease Office, 2016 Daily 35 Singaporeans are diagnosed with cancer!
10 Most Frequent Cancers in Males (%), 2011 – 2015
10 Most Frequent Cancers in Females (%), 2011 – 2015
To reduce the of cancer, oncology nursing should be improved to provide high quality and effective care and to improve the of patients quality of life
Oncology Nursing Development education research practice continuum of care
Oncology Education content on oncology are taught as part of the medical- surgical nursing module in the pre-registration nursing programmes oncology nursing not as an independent module
Oncology Education offered as post-registration specialty 1989: Post-basic Certificate in Oncology Nursing 1993: Advanced Diploma in Oncology Nursing offered by the Polytechnic Advanced Practice Nurse Master of Nursing offered by NUS Acute track Full time over 2 years
Oncology Nursing Practice Settings Acute Care Chemotherapy Services Radiation Therapy Facilities Hospice Care Home Care
Role of Oncology Nurses in Singapore patient assessment, symptom management and supportive care
safe handling of chemotherapy evaluation of laboratory data insertion of intravenous lines s bone marrow aspiration and biopsy symptom management following radiation-therapy
APN Nurse-led Clinics in Cancer Care Chemotherapy review Breast cancer follow-up Colorectal management Hematological care follow-up Acute cancer care unit Survivorship clinics
APN-led Chemotherapy Review History taking and advanced physical assessment Patient education on treatment and side-effects Supportive care Patient advocate in plan of care Medication prescribing
Oncology Research
Research impacting Practice Oral mucositis normal saline versus plain water – no difference in reducing incidence of mucositis in low-risk patients
Scalp hypothermia for breast cancer patients receiving doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide 15 mins before, during and 15 mins after found to useful in reduction of alopecia Continuous limb hypothermia to reduce peripheral neuropathy for patients receiving paclitaxel-induced chemotherapy 60 mins before, during and 30 mins after (Sundar, et al., 2017)
Future Directions … New National Cancer Centre Building by 2022 24-storey new building New Proton Therapy Centre and research facility for immunotherapy
Acknowledgment AINEC Elsevier
References Jemal, A., Center, M.M., DeSantis, C., & Ward, E.M. (2010). Global pattersn of cancer incidence and mortality rates and trends. Cancer Epidemiology Markers Prevention, 19, 1893-1907. Sundar, R., Bandia, A., Tan, S,S,H., Liao, L.D., et al. (2017). Limb hypothermia for preventing Paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy in breast cancer patients: A pilt study. Frontier in Oncology, 6, article 274. .
Terima Kasih