1. Interferences to Oxygen Needs: Head, Neck and Chest Surgery

2. Cancer of the Larynx Why is cancer of the larynx considered so devastating? What care would you plan for just knowing that the patient has laryngeal cancer? (hint: think psychosocial) What are the s/s of laryngeal cancer? What are the risk factors related to laryngeal cancer? What would you teach your patient about preventive actions?

3. Is there any difference in prognosis between carcinoma in situ and well-differentiated cancer? Would this affect your plan of care for this patient? If so, how? Many patients undergo radiation therapy prior to surgical intervention. What are the nursing interventions for someone having radiation therapy and why would you do those things? What preop teaching needs to be done for the patient undergoing a laryngectomy? Does the type of laryngectomy affect what you would teach, how you would care for the patient?

4. What are the major concerns regarding nursing care/assessments postop for the laryngectomy patient? What would you teach a patient who is on aspiration precautions? What patient education is required for the laryngectomy patient prior to discharge?

5. Lung Cancer Are there any parallels that can be drawn between lung cancer and laryngeal cancer? (compare and contrast, ie. s/s, etiology, prognosis, etc.) What are the common findings on physical assessment with someone diagnosed with lung ca? How would you provide psychosocial care for the patient diagnosed with stage 3 lung ca?

6. What happens in each of the paraneoplastic syndromes listed in table 32-4, page 642 in Iggy? What are the various surgical procedures done for the treatment of lung ca? How do they differ from one another in the procedure, in nursing care? This is a pretty good explanation of chest tube setup/drainage. Go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=- I4bj0qwhM0&feature=related

7. What are the nursing considerations/concerns when caring for a patient with a chest tube? What sorts of problems/issues would cause you to make an immediate call to the MD? Design a nursing care plan for the postop patient with lung cancer, with a chest tube in place, having had a pneumonectomy, for the patient undergoing pleurodesis. What are the nursing interventions for someone undergoing chemotherapy? Give rationales for each intervention.