Caring for the Cancer Patient and Family

Caring for the Cancer Patient and Family

The Meaning of Providing a Multidimensional Approach

A multidimensional approach to nursing care means providing a care plan developed from multiple professional perspectives that helps meet the patients’ and families’ psychological, social, physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. In cancer care, a multidimensional team approach involves combining various specialized healthcare professionals with the main goal of improving the efficiency of treating and caring for the cancer patient (Taberna et al., 2020). Besides the use of interdisciplinary teams and other standards of professional patient care to support care for cancer patients, a multidimensional approach also includes the integration of various elements of evidence-based practice (EBP) to ensure the patient the highest quality of care that touches on all aspects of their well-being.

Examples of How a Care Team Can Meet Patient and Family Needs

Cancer is related to the development of financial and other hardships, such as mental and physical health, that have a negative impact on the patient and their family (Robin Yabroff et al., 2020). There are various strategies that the care team can utilize to meet patient and family needs. For instance, the care team can educate the patient and family on coping with cancer as well as available and affordable therapies to support informed decisions. The care team can also assist with transportation and ensure that the patient and family have insurance and other forms of financial support (Robin Yabroff et al., 2020). Additionally, the care team can continuously screen the patient and family for their physical and mental well-being related to the cancer diagnosis and provide the right intervention for both physical and mental health strains.

Members of the Care Team and Their Involvement in Providing Multidimensional Care

Providing care to a cancer patient requires input from various professionals. The multidimensional care team for a cancer patient includes a medical oncologist, a surgical oncologist, a radiation oncologist, a nurse oncologist, and a therapist. The medical oncologist diagnoses the patient and provides the available therapies, while the radiation oncologist can diagnose the patient, but they are specialized in providing radiation therapy. The surgical oncologist uses surgery to diagnose and treat the cancer. The nurse oncologist assesses the patient, administers medication, as well communicates with the patient and their family, while the therapist supports the mental health of the patient and their family.

References

Robin Yabroff, K., Bradley, C., & Tina Shih, Y. C. (2020). Understanding Financial Hardship Among Cancer Survivors in the United States: Strategies for Prevention and Mitigation. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 38(4), 292. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.19.01564

Taberna, M., Gil Moncayo, F., Jané-Salas, E., Antonio, M., Arribas, L., Vilajosana, E., Peralvez Torres, E., & Mesía, R. (2020). The Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) Approach and Quality of Care. Frontiers in Oncology, 10, 85. https://doi.org/10.3389/FONC.2020.00085/

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DIRECTION:
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in both men and women. Caring for the cancer patient and family requires a multidimensional approach.

Caring for the Cancer Patient and Family

What does it mean to provide a multidimensional approach? What are some examples of how the care team can meet the patients’ and the families’ needs? Who are the members of the care team, and how are they involved in providing multidimensional care?