News

Beebe Nurse Shares Cancer Treatment Guidelines at National Forum

06/14/05

More than 5,200 oncology nurses met recently in Orlando, FL, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Oncology Nursing Society and to discuss the most up-to-date information on advances in cancer care.

Beebe Medical Center clinical nurse Donna Miskin, RN, OCN, who is the Performance Improvement Coordinator for Beebe's Tunnell Cancer Center, was invited to present information on guidelines Beebe has developed to improve the care of cancer patients.
It was an honor, Miskin said. This experience has opened many doors to opportunities for Beebe to participate in other efforts to improve cancer care.
The presentation, entitled "A Multidisciplinary Approach for Establishing Standardized Anemia Guidelines, focused on improving the quality of life of patients who suffer from anemia as a result of their cancer treatment.
Miskin and Tunnell Cancer Center oncology pharmacist, Cheryl Hoechner, RPh, MS, BCOP, worked to coordinate team efforts and to prepare the presentation.
Cancer treatment can lead to the destruction of red blood cells causing anemia. This can result in excessive fatigue and poor quality of life if not managed successfully. Miskin discussed with oncology nurses and other cancer healthcare professionals how a multidisciplinary team of nurses, doctors, a pharmacist and the director was formed at Beebe. Its goal was to establish guidelines and design a one-page physician order sheet.
The effort came about in 2003 after Beebe had made changes in the medication prescribed for chemotherapy -induced anemia. The multidisciplinary team studied factors that may interfere with the effectiveness of medications used for anemia. The physician order sheet they designed incorporates the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines for Treatment-Related Anemia to achieve optimal management.
Patient charts were reviewed three to six months after the initiation of the new guidelines, which confirmed improved anemia management in our cancer patients.
Our focus is to continually make improvements in care, Miskin said.
Tunnell Cancer Center, located in Lewes at the main campus of Beebe Medical Center, was established in 1995. It is a comprehensive outpatient cancer care center. Its clinical specialties are hematology, medical and radiation oncology and clinical trials. Its physicians see between 20 and 30 patients a day, and the center treats 20 chemotherapy and 40 radiation therapy patients a day.