Oncology nursing role in cancer-related PTSD-Part II

• Published in: Canadian oncology nursing journal Vol. 29; no. 2; pp. 147 - 150
• Main Authors: Korman, Melissa B, Hejri-Rad, Yasmine, Goldberg, Lauren, Leano, Alyssa, Ellis, Janet
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Canada Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology 2019; Pappin Communications
• Subjects: Health psychology; Mental health; Nurse patient relationships; Nurses; Nursing care; Oncology; Patient assessment; Post traumatic stress disorder
• ISSN: 1181-912X; 2368-8076

Cancer-related posttraumatic stress disorder (CR-PTSD) is relatively newly defined, lacks clinician awareness and, therefore, often goes undiagnosed. Untreated CR-PTSD can be debilitating; negatively impacting all aspects of a patient's life throughout diagnosis, treatment, and into survivorship. Oncology nurses' frontline role, which includes caring for both patients' physical and psychosocial needs, and commonly forming a trusting relationship with patients, makes them ideal candidates for providing emotional support and assessing patients for risk or symptoms of CR-PTSD. In addition to a brief summary on the current nursing role in assessing and treating mental health disorders such as CR-PTSD, this article provides recommendations for how nurses can identify vulnerable patients, assess these patients for CR-PTSD and provide psychosocial support to those in need, as well as how hospitals can better equip oncology nurses to do so through training, education and supportive resources.