Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Rangan, Kasey
• Bira, Kimberly
• Bryant, Lauren
• Waters, Kaaren

Titel

NURS-01. Development and Implementation of a MEK Inhibitor Targeted Therapy Standardized Educational Curriculum for Pediatric Oncology Patients, Caregivers, and Clinical Staff

Ist Teil von

• Neuro-oncology (Charlottesville, Va.), 2022-06, Vol.24 (Supplement_1), p.i145-i146

Erscheinungsjahr

2022

Quelle

Oxford Journals 2020 Medicine

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Abstract Molecular targeted therapies have become a fundamental treatment regimen within pediatric oncology practice, yet these medications are not without side effects, which often require interruption, dose reduction, or early discontinuation of treatment. Existing chemotherapy education curriculums focus on the side effect profile of traditional chemotherapy regimens and do not include standardized instruction on toxicities related to targeted therapies, resulting in a knowledge gap for caregivers and the clinical team. The purpose of this project was to development and implement a standardized teaching curriculum to educate patients, caregivers and clinical staff on common toxicities related to MEK inhibitors including anticipated side effects, symptom management, and toxicity surveillance. The education was presented to patients and families by a neuro-oncology nurse or nurse practitioner at the initiation of MEK inhibitor therapy. The cohort consisted of 11 patients over a 12-month period with a diagnosis of plexiform neurofibromas and neurofibromatosis type 1. Additionally, the education curriculum was presented to clinical staff during an in-service and included a pre-post intervention survey to assess effectiveness of the education curriculum. The results demonstrated that increasing patient and family knowledge at initiation of MEK inhibitor therapy likely leads to fewer dose reductions, drug interruptions, and early therapy discontinuations. Greater than 90% of the patient cohort were able to complete the treatment regimen without early termination due to toxicity, with only 18% requiring dose reduction and 9% requiring interruption of therapy. Surveys evaluating the effectiveness of the staff educational curriculum demonstrated an increased knowledge in the identification and treatment of MEK inhibitor side effects with a 26% improvement in survey results post-intervention. This project is a feasible educational approach for preventing and treating toxicities associated with MEK inhibitors and can be initiated at pediatric oncology practices to standardize MEK inhibitor education to clinicians, patients, and caregivers.