Advances in How Clinical Nurses Can Evaluate and Improve Quality of Life for Individuals With Cancer

Cynthia R. King

ONF 2006, 33(1), 5-12. DOI: 10.1188/06.ONF.S1.5-12

Purpose/Objectives: To describe advances in the ways that clinical nurses understand, assess, and work to improve quality of life (QOL) for individuals with cancer since the 1995 Oncology Nursing Society's State-of-the-Knowledge Conference on QOL.

Data Sources: Published research and clinical articles.

Data Synthesis: The number of QOL assessment tools and methods for understanding QOL results has increased. However, scant literature has focused on how clinical oncology nurses evaluate QOL and the methods they use to affect QOL for individuals with cancer.

Conclusions: Based on the nurse-patient relationship, clinical nurses are able to assess QOL in individuals with cancer and intervene appropriately to improve QOL.

Implications for Nursing: Clinical nurses can involve individuals with cancer in rating their QOL to assist in providing high-quality care that is directed at positively affecting QOL.

Jump to a section

    References

    Aaronson, N.K. (1986). Methodological issues in psychosocial oncology with special reference to clinical trails. In V. Ventafridda, F.S. van Dam, R. Yancik, & M. Tamburni (Eds.), Assessment of quality of life and cancer treatment (pp. 29-41). Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica.

    Annells, M., Koch, T., & Brown, M. (2001). Client relevant care and quality of life: The trial of a client generated index (CGI) tool for community nursing. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 38, 9-16.

    Berry, D.L., Trigg, L.J., Lober, W.B., Karras, B.T., Galligan, M.L., Austin-Seymour, M., et al. (2004). Computerized symptom and quality-of-life assessment for patients with cancer part I: Development and pilot testing. Oncology Nursing Forum, 31, E75-E83.

    Bishop, A.H., & Scudder, J.R., Jr. (1990). The practical, moral, and personal sense of nursing: A phenomenological philosophy of practice. Albany, NY: University of New York Press.

    Braslis, K.G., Santa-Cruz, C., Brickman, A.L., & Soloway, M.S. (1995). Quality of life 12 months after radical prostatectomy. British Journal of Urology, 75, 48-53.

    Buchanan, D.R., O'Mara, A.M., Kelaghan, J.W., & Minasian, L.M. (2005). Quality-of-life assessment in the symptom management trials of the National Cancer Institute-supported community clinical oncology program. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 23, 591-598.

    Bush, N.E., Haberman, M., Donaldson, G., & Sullivan, K.M. (1995). Quality of life of 125 adults surviving 6-18 years after bone marrow transplantation. Social Science and Medicine, 40, 479-490.

    Campbell, S., & Whyte, F. (1999). The quality of life of cancer patients participating in phase I clinical trials using the SEIQoL-DW. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 30, 335-343.

    Carr, A.J., & Higginson, I.J. (2001). Are quality of life measures patient centred? BMJ, 322, 1357-1360.

    Catalona, W.J., & Basler, J.W. (1993). Return of erections and urinary continence following nerve sparing radical retropubic prostatectomy. Journal of Urology, 150, 905-907.

    Cella, D.F., Tulsky, D.S., Gray, G., Sarafian, B., Linn, E., Bonomi, A., et al. (1993). The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy scale: Development and validation of the general measure. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 11, 570-579.

    Cochran, J., & Ganong, L.H. (1989). A comparison of nurses' and patients' perceptions of intensive care unit stressors. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 14, 1038-1043.

    Crawford, E.D., Bennett, C.L., Stone, N.N., Knight, S.J., DeAntoni, E., Sharp, L., et al. (1997). Comparison of perspectives on prostate cancer: Analyses of survey data. Urology, 50, 366-372.

    Crowe, H., & Costello, A.J. (2003). Prostate cancer: Perspectives on quality of life and impact of treatment on patients and their partners. Urologic Nursing, 23, 279-285.

    da Silva, F.C., Reis, E., Costa, T., & Denis, L. (1993). Quality of life in patients with prostatic cancer. A feasibility study. The members of the Quality of Life Committee of the EORTC Genitourinary Group. Cancer, 71(3, Suppl.), 1138-1142.

    Detmar, S.B., Aaronson, N.K., Wever, L.D., Muller, M., & Schornagel, J.H. (2000). How are you feeling? Who wants to know? Patients' and oncologists' preferences for discussing health-related quality-of-life issues. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 18, 3295-3301.

    Detmar, S.B., Muller, M.J., Schornagel, J.H., Wever, L.D., & Aaronson, N.K. (2002). Health-related quality-of-life assessments and patient-physician communication: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA, 31, 3027-3034.

    Dow, K.H., Ferrell, B.R., Haberman, M.R., & Eaton, L. (1999). The meaning of quality of life in cancer survivorship. Oncology Nursing Forum, 26, 519-528.

    Dow, K.H., Ferrell, B.R., Leigh, S., Ly, J., & Gulasekaram, P. (1996). An evaluation of the quality of life among long-term survivors of breast cancer. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 39, 261-273.

    Fayers, P.M., & Bottomley, A. (2002). The EORTC Quality of Life Group and the Quality of Life Unit. Quality of life research within the EORTC—The EORTC QLQ-C30. European Journal of Cancer, 38, S125-S133.

    Ferrans, C.E., & Powers, M.J. (1985). Quality of life index: Development and psychometric properties. Advances in Nursing Science, 8(1), 15-24.

    Ferrell, B.R., & Dow, K.H. (1996). Portraits of cancer survivorship: A glimpse through the lens of survivors' eyes. Cancer Practice, 4, 76-80.

    Ferrell, B.R., Dow, K.H., & Grant, M. (1995). Measurement of the quality of life in cancer survivors. Quality of Life Research, 4, 523-531.

    Ferrell, B.R., Dow, K.H., Leigh, S., Ly, J., & Gulasekaram, P. (1995). Quality of life in long-term cancer survivors. Oncology Nursing Forum, 22, 915-922.

    Fitch, M.I. (1998). The 1997 Schering Lecture. Quality of life in oncology: Nurses' perceptions, values, and behaviours. Canadian Oncology Nursing Journal, 8, 24-39.

    Fossa, S.D., Aaronson, N.K., Newling, D., van Cangh, P.J., Denis, L., Kurth, K.H., et al. (1990). Quality of life and treatment of hormone resistant metastatic prostate cancer. European Journal of Cancer, 26, 1133-1136.

    Fossa, S.D., Woehre, H., Kurth, K.H., Hetherington, J., Bakke, H., Rustad, D.A., et al. (1997). Influence of urological morbidity on quality of life in patients with prostate cancer. European Urology, 31(Suppl. 3), 3-8.

    Galbraith, M.E., Ramirez, J.M., & Pedro, L.W. (2001). Quality of life, health outcomes, and identity for patients with prostate cancer in five different treatment groups. Oncology Nursing Forum, 28, 551-560.

    Gunnars, B., Nygren, P., & Glimelius, B. (2001). Assessment of quality of life during chemotherapy. Acta Oncologica, 40, 175-184.

    Herd, R.M., Tidman, M.J., Ruta, D.A., & Hunter, J.A. (1997). Measurement of quality of life in atopic dermatitis: Correlation and validation of two different methods. British Journal of Dermatology, 136, 502-507.

    Hickey, A.M., Bury, G., O'Boyle, C.A., Bradley, F., O'Kelly, F.D., & Shannon, W. (1996). A new short form individual quality of life measure (SEIQoL-DW): Application in a cohort of individuals with HIV/AIDS. BMJ, 313, 29-33.

    Hinds, P.S., & Varricchio, C.G. (1996). QOL: The nursing perspective. In B. Spilker (Ed.), Quality of life and pharmacoeconomics in clinical trials (2nd ed., pp. 529-533). Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven.

    Howell, D., Fitch, M., & Caldwell, B. (2002). The impact of interlink community cancer nurses on the experience of living with cancer. Oncology Nursing Forum, 29, 715-723.

    Jenkinson, C., Stradling, J., & Petersen, S. (1998). How should we evaluate health status? A comparison of three methods in patients presenting with obstructive sleep apnea. Quality of Life Research, 7, 95-100.

    Johnston, M. (1982). Recognition of patients' worries by nurses and by other patients. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 21(Pt. 4), 255-261.

    Kaasa, S., & Loge, J.H. (2003). Quality of life in palliative care: Principles and practice. Palliative Medicine, 17, 11-20.

    King, C.R. (2001). The dance of life. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 5, 29-33.

    King, C.R. (2003a). Clinical implications of quality of life. In C.R. King & P.S. Hinds (Eds.), Quality of life from nursing and patient perspectives: Theory, research, practice (pp. 261-272). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

    King, C.R. (2003b). Overview of quality of life and controversial issues. In C.R. King & P.S. Hinds (Eds.), Quality of life: From nursing and patient perspectives: Theory, research, practice (2nd ed., pp. 29-42). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

    King, C.R., Ferrell, B.R., Grant, M., & Sakurai, C. (1995). Nurses' perceptions of the meaning of quality of life for bone marrow transplant survivors. Cancer Nursing, 18, 118-129.

    King, C.R., Haberman, M., Berry, D.L., Bush, N., Butler, L., Dow, K.H., et al. (1997). Quality of life and the cancer experience: The state of the knowledge. Oncology Nursing Forum, 24, 27-41.

    King, C.R., Hinds, P., Dow, K.H., Schum, L., & Lee, C. (2002). The nurse's relationship-based perceptions of patient quality of life. Oncology Nursing Forum, 29, E118-E126.

    King, C.R., & Hinds, P.S. (Eds.). (2003). Quality of life from nursing and patient perspectives: Theory, research, practice (2nd ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

    Larson, P.J. (1984). Important nurse caring behaviors perceived by patients with cancer. Oncology Nursing Forum, 11(6), 46-50.

    Larson, P.J. (1986). Cancer nurses' perceptions of caring. Cancer Nursing, 9, 86-91.

    Levine, M.N., & Ganz, P.A. (2002). Beyond the development of quality-of-life instruments: Where do we go from here? Journal of Clinical Oncology, 20, 2215-2216.

    Liehr, P.R. (1989). The core of true presence: A loving center. Nursing Science Quarterly, 2(1), 7-8.

    Lindblad, A.K., Ring, L., Glimelius, B., & Hansson, M.G. (2002). Focus on the individual—Quality of life assessments in oncology. Acta Oncologica, 41, 507-516.

    Lindley, C.M., & Hirsch, J.D. (1994). Oncology nurses' attitudes, perceptions, and knowledge of quality-of-life assessment in patients with cancer. Oncology Nursing Forum, 21, 103-108.

    Litwin, M.S., Hays, R.D., Fink, A., Ganz, P.A., Leake, B., Leach, G.E., et al. (1995). Quality of life outcomes in men treated for localized prostate cancer. JAMA, 273, 129-135.

    Macduff, C., & Russell, E. (1998). The problem of measuring change in individual health-related quality of life by postal questionnaire: Use of the patient-generated index in a disabled population. Quality of Life Research, 7, 761-769.

    Matza, L.S., Swensen, A., Flood, E.M., Secnik, K., & Leidy, N.K. (2004). Assessment of health-related quality of life in children: A review of conceptual, methodological, and regulatory issues. Value in Health, 7, 79-92.

    Maughan, K., & Clarke, C. (2001). The effect of a clinical nurse specialist in gynaecological oncology on quality of life and sexuality. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 10, 221-229.

    Mayer, D.K. (1987). Oncology nurses' versus cancer patients' perceptions of nurse caring behaviors: A replication study. Oncology Nursing Forum, 14, 48-52.

    McCabe, C. (2004). Nurse-patient communication: An exploration of patients' experiences. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 13, 41-49.

    McGee, H.M., O'Boyle, C.A., Hickey, A., O'Malley, K., & Joyce, C.R. (1991). Assessing the quality of life of the individual: The SEIQoL with a healthy and a gastroenterology unit population. Psychological Medicine, 21, 749-759.

    Melnechenko, K.L. (2003). To make a difference: Nursing presence. Nursing Forum, 38(2), 18-24.

    Mullen, K.H., Berry, D.L., & Zierler, B.K. (2004). Computerized symptom and quality-of-life assessment for patients with cancer part II: Acceptability and usability. Oncology Nursing Forum, 31, E84-E89.

    Pettigrew, J. (1990). Intensive nursing care: The ministry of presence. Critical Care Nursing Clinics of North America, 2, 503-508.

    Ruta, D.A., Garratt, A.M., Leng, M., Russell, I.T., & MacDonald, L.M. (1994). A new approach to the measurement of quality of life: The patientgenerated index. Medical Care, 32, 1109-1126.

    Ruta, D.A., Garratt, A.M., & Russell, I.T. (1999). Patient-centred assessment of quality of life for patients with four common conditions. Quality Health Care, 8, 22-29.

    Schipper, H., Clinch, J., & Powell, V. (1990). Definitions and conceptual issues. In B. Spilker (Ed.), Quality-of-life assessments in clinical trials (pp. 11-24). New York: Raven Press.

    Schipper, H., & Levitt, M. (1985). Measuring quality of life: Risks and benefits. Cancer Treatment Reports, 69, 1115-1123.

    Sneeuw, K.C., Aaronson, N.K., Sprangers, M.A., Detmar, S.B., Wever, L.D., & Schornagel, J.H. (1999). Evaluating the quality of life of cancer patients: Assessments by patients, significant others, physicians, and nurses. British Journal of Cancer, 81, 87-94.

    Steiner, M.S., Morton, R.A., & Walsh, P.C. (1991). Impact of anatomical radical prostatectomy on urinary continence. Journal of Urology, 145, 512-515.

    Taenzer, P., Bultz, B.D., Carlson, L.E., Speca, M., DeGagne, T., Olson, K., et al. (2000). Impact of computerized quality of life screening on physician behaviour and patient satisfaction in lung cancer outpatients. Psycho-Oncology, 9, 203-213.

    Talcott, J.A., Rieker, P., Clark, J.A., Propert, K.J., Weeks, J.C., Beard, C.J., et al. (1998). Patient-reported symptoms after primary therapy for early prostate cancer: Results of a prospective cohort study. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 16, 275-283.

    Velikova, G., Brown, J.M., Smith, A.B., & Selby, P.J. (2002). Computer-based quality of life questionnaires may contribute to doctor-patient interactions in oncology. British Journal of Cancer, 86, 51-59.

    von Essen, L., & Sjoden, P.O. (1991). Patient and staff perceptions of caring. Review and replication. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 16, 1363-1374.

    Waldron, D., O'Boyle, C.A., Kearney, M., Moriarty, M., & Carney, D. (1999). Quality-of-life measurement in advanced cancer: Assessing the individual. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 17, 3603-3611.

    Wallace, M. (2003). Uncertainty and quality of life of older men who undergo watchful waiting for prostate cancer. Oncology Nursing Forum, 30, 303-309.

    Ward-Smith, P., Wittkopp, D., & Sheldon, J.M. (2004). Quality of life among men treated with brachytherapy for prostate cancer. Urologic Nursing, 24, 95-99.

    Watkins-Bruner, D., Scott, C., Lawson, C., DelRowe, J., Rotman, M., Buswell, L., et al. (1995). RTOG's first quality of life study—RTOG 90-20: A phase II trial of external beam radiation with etanidazole for locally advanced prostate cancer. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics, 33, 901-906.

    Wilson, K.A., Dowling, A.J., Abdolell, M., & Tannock, I.F. (2000). Perceptions of quality of life by patients, partners, and treating physicians. Quality of Life Research, 9, 1041-1052.

    Zinreich, E.S., Derogatis, L.R., Herpst, J., Auvil, G., Piantadosi, S., & Order, S.E. (1990). Pre and posttreatment evaluation of sexual function in patients with adenocarcinoma of the prostate. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics, 19, 729-732.