Cancer Care Team Functioning during COVID-19: A Narrative Literature Review and Synthesis

Amid pandemics, health care teams face unprecedented challenges, requiring significant efforts to sustain optimal functioning and navigate rapid practice changes. It is therefore crucial to identify factors affecting team functioning in these contexts. The present narrative review more specifically summarizes the literature on key elements of cancer teams' functioning during COVID-19. The search strategy involved four main databases (i.e., Medline OVID, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL), as well as Google Scholar, from January 2000 to September 2022. Twenty-three publications were found to be relevant. Each was read thoroughly, and its content summarized. Across publications, three key themes emerged: (1) swiftly adopting virtual technology for communication and interprofessional collaboration, (2) promoting team resilience, and (3) encouraging self-care and optimizing team support. Our findings underscore key team functioning elements to address in future pandemics. More research is needed to document the perspectives of broader-based team members (such as patients and lay carers) to inform more comprehensive evidence-based team functioning guidelines.

L’ACOP et l’ACIO joignent leurs forces pour faire valoir l’oncologie psychosociale à l’échelle nationale

La défense des intérêts des patients demeure une grande priorité de l’Association canadienne d’oncologie psychosociale (ACOP) et de l’Association canadienne des infirmières en oncologie (ACIO). À l’ère où nous accordons de plus en plus d’importance à la voix des patients et de leurs proches aidants, il devient crucial d’optimiser la collaboration entre les organismes de défense des intérêts, les établissements de santé et les autres parties concernées. Le présent article décrit les efforts en cours de défense des intérêts, un terme qui, en gros, désigne les processus et les comportements relatifs au soutien proactif d’une cause (dans ce cas-ci, les soins oncologiques). Grâce à leurs partenariats actifs avec tous les acteurs concernés, les deux associations sont bien placées pour revendiquer un programme national d’oncologie psychosociale à la fois inclusif et représentatif.

CAPO and CANO joining forces to advance a national psychosocial oncology advocacy agenda

Patient advocacy remains a key priority within the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology (CAPO) and the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology (CANO). Optimizing collaboration across advocacy organizations, institutions, and other stakeholders is timely as we enter an era where patients and their caregivers' voices are front and centre. In this paper, we report on ongoing efforts to advance patient advocacy - broadly defined as processes and behaviours related to proactively supporting a cause - herein specific to cancer care. Through active partnering, both organizations are well positioned to push for a representative and inclusive national psychosocial oncology advocacy agenda.

Perceptions and Usability of PREVENTION: A Breast Cancer Risk Assessment e-Platform

BACKGROUND

The PREVENTION e-platform was developed to provide accessible and evidence-based health information tailored to different Breast Cancer (BC) risk levels. The demonstration study objectives were to (1) assess the usability and perceived impact of PREVENTION on women with assigned hypothetical BC risk levels (i.e., near population, intermediate or high) and (2) explore perceptions and recommendations for e-platform improvement.

METHODS

Thirty women with no history of cancer were recruited through social media, commercial centers, health clinics, and community settings in Montreal, Qc, Canada. Participants accessed e-platform content tailored to their assigned hypothetical BC risk level, and then completed study e-questionnaires including the user Mobile Application Rating Scale (uMARS), an e-platform quality scale (i.e., in terms of engagement, functionality, aesthetics, and information). A subsample (n = 18) was randomly selected for an individual follow-up semi-structured interview.

RESULTS

The e-platform overall quality was high, with mean M = 4.01 (out of 5) and SD = 0.50. A total of 87% (n = 26) agreed or strongly agreed that PREVENTION increased their knowledge and awareness of BC risk, and 80% would recommend it to others while reporting likelihood of following lifestyle recommendations to decrease their BC risk. Follow up interviews indicated that participants perceived the e-platform as a trusted source of BC information and a promising means to connect with peers. They also reported that while the e-platform was easy to navigate, improvements were needed for connectivity, visuals, and the organization of scientific resources.

CONCLUSION

Preliminary findings support PREVENTION as a promising means to provide personalized BC information and support. Efforts are underway to further refine the platform, assess its impact in larger samples and gather feedback from BC specialists.

L'infirmière pivot associée à une expérience de soins oncologiques positive et à une satisfaction accrue des patients

Contexte et objectifs

Un nombre croissant de résultats probants indique que l'infirmière pivot en oncologie (IPO) joue un rôle de premier plan dans l'optimisation des processus et des résultats de soins. Il faudra toutefois mener des études d'envergure pour comparer les perceptions de l'expérience de soins liés au cancer des patients traités par des infirmières pivots et de ceux qui n'ont pas bénéficié de ce type de suivi.

Méthodologie

Des participants (N = 2 858) traités au cours des six derniers mois dans un centre de traitement du cancer situé à Montréal, au Québec, et affilié à une université ont répondu au sondage sur la satisfaction des patients en traitement anticancéreux ambulatoire, c'est-à-dire le Ambulatory Oncology Patient Satisfaction Survey (AOPSS).

Résultats

L'expérience des soins oncologiques était significativement plus positives et la satisfaction plus élevée dans le groupe suivi par une infirmière pivot (n = 2 003) pour les six domaines de soins (différences moyennes de 3,32 à 8,95) et les quatre fonctions infirmières (différences moyennes de 5,64 à 10,39), comparativement au groupe sans IPO (n = 855).

Discussion

L'infirmière pivot joue un rôle important dans l'amélioration de l'expérience de soins et la satisfaction des patients. Les recherches futures devront explorer les potentielles relations de cause à effet entre les infirmières pivots, les processus de soins et les résultats des patients.

The nurse pivot-navigator associated with more positive cancer care experiences and higher patient satisfaction

Background and objectives

Growing evidence indicates that the nurse navigator-pivot (NN), is key to optimizing care processes and outcomes. However, large scale studies are needed to examine how patients exposed to NNs (as opposed to non-NN) differentially perceived their cancer care experiences.

Method

Participants (N = 2,858) treated for cancer in the last six months at university-affiliated cancer centres in Montréal, Québec, completed the Ambulatory Oncology Patient Satisfaction Survey (AOPSS).

Results

Cancer care experiences and satisfaction were significantly higher in the NN group (n = 2,003) for all six care domains (Ds from 3.32 to 8.95) and all four nursing functions (Ds from 5.64 to 10.39) when compared to the non-NN group (n = 855).

Discussion

The NN role is significantly related to enhanced cancer care experiences and higher patient satisfaction. Future research should explore potential causal effects between NNs and care processes, as well as patient outcomes.