How Do Nurse Case Managers Care for Older Women With Breast Cancer?

Purpose/Objectives: To describe how nurse case managers care for older women with breast cancer.

Design: A randomized, prospective trial.

Setting: Thirteen community hospitals and two public hospitals in southeastern Texas.

Sample: 335 older women aged 60-89 years newly diagnosed with breast cancer and being cared for by 60 surgeons. Most participants were Caucasian. A total of 166 women were in the control group, and 159 were in the intervention nurse case management group.

Methods: The nurses implemented multiple nursing interventions in each nursing process phase over a period of 12 months.

Main Research Variables: Independent variables were participants' demographic characteristics, depressive symptomatology, and cognitive impairment. Nurse case management contact was a dependent variable.

Findings: In each nursing phase, a greater number of nurse case management contacts were made in the first quarter. Bivariate analysis illustrated statistical differences among race, income, education, and living alone with respect to the mean amount of nurse case management. Multivariate analysis revealed that age, income, living alone, and stage of cancer predicted more nurse case management contact.

Conclusions: Nurse case managers may play a role in helping older women with breast cancer achieve positive health outcomes.

Implications for Nursing: Based on the findings of this study, nurses can develop specific nursing interventions to meet the needs of older women with breast cancer. Nurses can use the Model of Nurse Case Management to plan and manage care for older women with breast cancer.