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- Title
PELVIC AND VAGINAL RECONSTRUCTION: THE ROLE OF THE AMBULATORY CARE ONCOLOGY NURSE.
- Authors
Vaziri-Kermani, Nasrin
- Abstract
Certain advanced cancers of the vagina, ovaries, rectum, and vulva require extensive surgical resection which often leaves the patient with a large surgical defect in the pelvic, perineal, and vaginal region along with emotional scarring. Specialized reconstructive procedures are now available to correct the surgical defect. Patients undergoing these complicated procedures require extensive preoperative and postoperative education and psychosocial support. Oncology nurses play an essential role in helping patients and their families meet these needs and in insuring they have a smooth transition from their hospital stay to their home care setting. Oncology nurses must be well informed about the complex issues related to pelvic resection followed by pelvic and vaginal reconstruction to provide optimal patient care. Experienced nurses play an important role in sharing their knowledge and educating those nurses who have less experience with regard to the numerous physical, psychosocial, and educational needs of these patients. This presentation will describe how nurses can best meet the needs of these patients. Nursing interventions focus on continuous physical and psychosocial assessment and patient and family education. Nurses need to prepare patients for what to expect postoperatively and how to care for themselves at home. Issues surrounding potential changes in body image, physical and sexual activity, and altered sensation at the surgical sites need to be reviewed. Depending on the specific surgical procedure, education in ostomy and urostomy care may be indicated as well as care of the flap. Patients should be aware of potential complications including ileus, flap loss, and infection. Patients are also at high risk for developing emotional problems including depression, anger, or disappointment and may require a referral for counseling. Upon patient discharge, the nurse makes frequent follow-up phone calls and schedules postoperative visits as needed to allow ongoing evaluation of the patients' physical and emotional progress and to make appropriate referrals as indicated. This information will provide oncology nurses with a more thorough understanding of the specific needs of this patient population and the appropriate nursing intervention to adequately meet these needs.
- Subjects
NURSES; ONCOLOGY nursing; AMBULATORY surgical nursing; PELVIC surgery; GYNOPLASTY; PLASTIC surgery complications; SURGERY &; psychology
- Publication
Oncology Nursing Forum, 2007, Vol 34, Issue 2, p475
- ISSN
0190-535X
- Publication type
Article