Gynecologic Brachytherapy: Fundamentals of Nursing Care-Recording

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The webinar, led by experts Anne Mellon and Chrissy Donovan, focuses on the fundamentals of nursing care specific to gynaecologic brachytherapy. Anne Mellon, a Gynae-oncology Clinical Nurse Consultant from Australia, introduces the session, acknowledging the critical work of cancer nurses and recognizing Cancer Nurses Day. Chrissy Donovan, an oncology RN from Long Island, New York, also extends her greetings and introduces the presenters: Kayla Kafka-Peterson and Dr. Pooja Venkat, both from UCLA.<br /><br />Dr. Venkat and Kayla cover the comprehensive aspects of brachytherapy—a potent treatment for gynecologic cancers. Dr. Venkat delves into the technical side, explaining the different types of brachytherapy (HDR and LDR, intracavitary vs. interstitial implants) and illustrating treatment planning through various patient case studies. For instance, she mentions the cases of a woman with cervical cancer treated successfully with interstitial implants and a patient with vulvar cancer who had a significant tumor reduction due to brachytherapy.<br /><br />Kayla Kafka-Peterson details the extensive nursing roles and preparations involved before, during, and after brachytherapy procedures. She underscores the significance of care coordination, including pre-procedure consultation, coordinating with chemotherapy and external beam schedules, and pre-anesthesia screening. Attention is given to specific nursing tasks such as pain management, handling hematuria, and patient positioning, particularly when patients require flat bedrest to maintain implant positioning.<br /><br />The webinar emphasizes the necessity of thorough patient and family education throughout the process, ensuring patients are well-informed and supported. It also highlights the critical role nurses play in training not only other healthcare professionals but also ensuring comprehensive and ongoing support for patients undergoing such invasive and specialized treatments.<br /><br />The session concludes by acknowledging additional resources for ongoing education in gynecologic oncology and brachytherapy, urging participants to leverage these resources for better patient care outcomes.

Keywords

nursing care

gynaecologic brachytherapy

Anne Mellon

Chrissy Donovan

Kayla Kafka-Peterson

Dr. Pooja Venkat

oncology

HDR brachytherapy

LDR brachytherapy

patient education

pain management

care coordination

gynecologic cancers