Curriculum Objectives
Geriatric Oncology: Educating Nurses to Improve Quality Care
spacer
- Understand the demographic changes of aging of the US population and how this affects future trends in oncology care
- Understand the ability to utilize the science of geriatric nursing and how those skills can be integrated into oncology care including reviewing initiatives from the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing that can be applied to oncology nursing.
- Identify physical and biological changes associated with aging and how they affect cancer diagnosis, treatment and survival.
- Assess physical functioning in an older adult and identify interventions to improve or retain function and promote safety.
- Describe cognitive and psychological changes that can occur with aging and identify assessment techniques and follow up care that are appropriate in patients with cancer.
- Understand unique nutritional concerns for the elderly patient with cancer and recommended interventions that can improve nutritional status.
- Discuss the identification and management of polypharmacy in the older adult with cancer and review methods to optimize drug adherence.
- Identify the factors in a geriatric assessment which can identify older adults at increased risk of chemotherapy toxicity.
- Learn techniques to assess and manage pain and insomnia concerns in the older adult with cancer.
- Instill in oncology nurses an understanding of how to advocate for the older adult and how to work with leadership in their institution to impact changes to care for this population.
- Develop an understanding of legal concerns facing older patients with cancer and identify available resources.
- Review community resources available to the older patient with cancer and their caregivers to support identified needs.
- Delineate methods for disseminating information about care of the older adult with cancer through various strategies.
- Develop an implementation plan for effective techniques for improving the care of the older patient with cancer.