Patient-Reported Pain in Patients with Breast Cancer Who Receive Radiotherapy.

Background: Patients who receive radiation treatment (RT) for breast cancer often report pain, which contributes negatively to quality of life (QoL).

Aims: To identify demographic, treatment, and disease characteristics associated with pain and changes in pain before and after RT using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS).

Design: Retrospective study.

A Feasibility Study of Mepitel Film for the Prevention of Breast Radiation Dermatitis in a Canadian Center.

Purpose: Severe radiation dermatitis (RD) is distressing and may have adverse long-term effects including fibrosis and telangiectasia. Treatment interruptions due to severe RD may increase the risk of recurrence. Two randomized trials of Mepitel film demonstrated efficacy in preventing severe RD in breast cancer, but this product has not been widely adopted in North America.

Psychological morbidity in women diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ compared with women with early breast cancer receiving radiotherapy.

Purpose: Despite having an excellent prognosis, patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) report significant anxiety and depression following diagnosis. This study evaluated psychological morbidity using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) in patients with DCIS compared with women with early-stage invasive breast cancer (EIBC) receiving radiotherapy (RT).

Methods: We identified patients diagnosed with DCIS or EIBC (stage I or II breast cancer) from 2011 to 2017 who had at least one ESAS completed pre- and post-RT.

Symptom clusters in patients with breast cancer receiving radiation therapy.

Purpose: Symptoms experienced by breast cancer patients often cluster together in groups known as "symptom clusters". The aim was to determine the symptom clusters in women with non-metastatic breast cancer treated by radiation therapy (RT).

Methods: Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) scores were taken from breast cancer patients receiving RT before, at completion of RT, and after RT.

Seasonal fluctuations in psychological distress amongst women diagnosed with early breast cancer receiving radiotherapy.

Objective: Seasonal effects on patients diagnosed with depression/anxiety-related psychological disorders have varying impacts on symptom severity. Seasonal changes in psychological distress may be due to decreased daylight exposure during the fall/winter seasons. Patients receiving radiation therapy (RT) for early-stage invasive breast cancer (EIBC) are at high risk for developing depressive symptoms.

Patient-reported fatigue in breast cancer patients receiving radiation therapy.

Purpose: Fatigue or tiredness is one of the most commonly reported symptoms in breast cancer patients treated with radiation therapy (RT). This study aimed to identify characteristics associated with fatigue in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant RT.

Methods: Patients with non-metastatic breast cancer receiving RT at the Odette Cancer Centre from 2011 to 2017 were included in our study if they completed at least one ESAS pre- and post-RT.

Symptoms Predictive of Overall Quality of Life Using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Radiotherapy.

Background: Breast cancer patients often experience multiple symptoms that negatively affect quality of life (QOL). Patient-reported scores on symptom screening tools are used by health care professionals to manage QOL. We aimed to examine which symptoms from the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) were most predictive of overall well-being (QOL) in breast cancer patients over the course of radiotherapy (RT).

Virtually Certified: Development of an Online Oral Examination Phase for a National Advanced Practice Certification Model for Radiation Therapists in Canada.

Following development of a framework to establish the scope of advanced practice for radiation therapists (APRTs), a Canadian certification process was built. This involved three independently-assessed phases: professional portfolio, case submission, and oral examination. The oral examination was to test the candidate's knowledge and capacity for decision-making.

Consensus Recommendations for Developing IQ Script Enabled Radiation Oncology Care Plans in the MOSAIQ Oncology Information System.

Background: IQ script enabled radiation oncology (RO) Care Plans are a unique functionality of the MOSAIQ oncology information system and enables standardization of clinical workflow via predefined order sets, strategic launching of assessment forms, and automated forwarding of clinical tasks. However, the development of RO Care Plans is center-specific and must be adapted to each center's clinical workflow. To our knowledge, little to no guidelines exist for RO Care Plan implementation.

Letter in response to 'The role of research for advanced practitioners'.

This letter to the Editor is in response to the paper 'Conceptualisation of the characteristics advanced practitioners in the medical radiation professions' by Smith et al. and the subsequent letter from Jenny Sim. The writers agree that research should be explicitly listed in the conceptual model of advanced practice, and provide some evidence and viewpoints from over a decade of advanced practice work in Canada.

Identifying older people at high risk of future falls: development and validation of a screening tool for use in emergency departments.

Background: Hospital emergency departments (EDs) treat a high proportion of older people, many as a direct consequence of falling.

Objective: To develop and externally validate a fall risk screening tool for use in hospital EDs and to compare the tool's predictive ability to existing screening tools.

Methods: This prospective cohort study involved two hospital EDs in Sydney, Australia.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nasal carriage in residents of Veterans Affairs long-term care facilities: role of antimicrobial exposure and MRSA acquisition.

Objective: To identify risk factors associated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) acquisition in long-term care facility (LTCF) residents.

Design: Multicenter, prospective cohort followed over 6 months.

Setting: Three Veterans Affairs (VA) LTCFs.

Nursing staff perceptions of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and infection control in a long-term care facility.

Objectives: To assess perceptions of nursing staff regarding methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), infection control (IC) and prevention strategies, barriers to IC, and IC resources.

Design: Cross-sectional mixed methods study.

Setting: Atlanta Veterans Affairs (VA) long-term care facility (LTCF).

Importance of bacterial burden among methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carriers in a long-term care facility.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nasal colonization, as well as risk factors associated with MRSA carriage, among residents of a long-term care facility (LTCF).

Design: Prospective, longitudinal cohort study.

Setting: A 100-bed Veterans Administration LTCF.