Cancer and the Approach to Care using Nursing Process

Nursing Process
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Nursing Process
The concept of the nursing process has dominated nursing research and practice for several decades. The nursing process can be described as a systematic approach to care that used the basic principles of evidence-based practice, client-centered approach to treatment, critical thinking, nursing intuition, and goal-oriented tasks (Toney-Butler & Thayer, 2022). The focus of this paper will be to apply the ideas of the nursing process to cancer and the approach to care associated with this health condition. An overview of the diagnosis and staging of cancer will be provided alongside such topics as complications, side-effects of treatment, incidences and mortality rates, and ACS education and support. The nursing process will then be described as utilized in cancer care and the contribution of liberal arts and science to nursing knowledge explored.
Diagnosis and Staging of Cancer
The diagnosis of cancer is often accomplished through biopsy, a process where samples of cells are collected for laboratory testing. Other methods used in diagnosis include a physical exam, where doctors feel lumps in the body that may indicate the presence of cancer. Laboratory tests may include blood and urine tests, which seek to find any abnormalities caused by cancer imaging tests using modern technologies, including positron emission tomography (PET) scan, computerized tomography (CT) scan, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). According to Eklund et al. (2021), MRI tests have increasingly become popular since they have massively improved cancer diagnostics. Additionally, MRI tests allow biopsies to be more targeted.
Cancer staging can be described as the process of determining the specific details regarding cancer, including tumor size and its spread. Through cancer staging, physicians can make critical decisions about cancer treatment. Staging is often conducted through various tests, including X-rays, bone scans, or imaging tests.
Complications of Cancer
Cancer causes several complications, most of which can be life-threatening. The first complication is bone pain caused by a condition called bone metastasis, which entails cancer spreading from other areas of the body. Pain is the most common symptom, while the complications may extend to morbidity and reduced quality of life. Cancers that are most likely to spread to the bones include kidney, lung, breast, and prostate. The second complication is hypercalcemia, whose malignancy is common in advanced cancer stages. The complication requires tight regulation of calcium levels since slight variations can cause morbidity. Key symptoms of hypercalcemia include coma, confusion, peptic ulcers, abdominal pain, fractures, pancreatitis, mood changes, and renal tubular acidosis. Lastly, a complication called venous thromboembolism (VTE) is caused by cancer and can be described as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which often starts in the distal lower limb. It can also move to the pulmonary system (Ingledew & Janz, 2019). VTE is considered the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths.
Side Effects of Treatment
Cancer treatment in general causes several side effects, some of which can be...