Evaluation of a Nurse-Led Patient Navigation Intervention Follow-Up of Patients After Autologous and Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

Mariska C. M. van der Lans*, Wendy H. Oldenmenger, Heleen A. van der Stege, AnneLoes van Staa, Annemieke Molendijk, Annoek E. C. Broers

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background
Complex survivorship cancer care requires nurse-led interventions. Therefore, a nurse-led patient navigation intervention was developed in which trained cancer nurses gave advice and referred to other professionals during the process of recovery and rehabilitation of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients.

Objective
The aim of this study was to understand the nature and effect of this nurse-led information and referral intervention.

Methods
Of the 199 included patients in the intervention group, 75 completed the quality of life, quality of care, self-efficacy, and self-management behavior questionnaires at baseline and at 6 and 12 months after HSCT. A historical control group of 62 patients completed the same questionnaires 12 months after HSCT. In addition, patients’ experiences with the intervention were evaluated in 2 focus groups.

Results
Patients emphasized the holistic approach of the cancer nurses and the opportunity to discuss psychosocial domains of life. Within the intervention group, a statistically significant effect on quality of life was demonstrated over time. The differences in quality of life, self-efficacy, and self-management were not significant between the intervention group and control group.

Conclusion
The holistic focus of this nurse-led intervention proved to be acceptable to the HSCT patients and promising in supporting the (complex) challenges that these patients face during their process of recovery and rehabilitation.

Implications for Practice
Nurse-led patient navigation interventions with a holistic approach when included in the daily practice of complex survivorship cancer care can support HSCT patients’ information and referral needs during their rehabilitation.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)287-296
Number of pages10
JournalCancer Nursing
Volume45
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jul 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The study was part of the Research Program NURSE-CC: Rotterdam Consortium for Nursing Research into Self-management and Empowerment in Chronic Care. Funding was obtained from the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) (grant number 520001004), the Netherlands. The funding body did not play a role in the design of the study, data collection, analysis or interpretation of the data, or writing of the manuscript.

Publisher Copyright:
© Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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