Distress experienced by lung cancer patients and their family caregivers in the first year of their cancer journey.

Objectives: Diagnosis of cancer is emotionally threatening not only for patients but also for their family caregivers (FC) who witness and share much of the illness experience. This study compares distress experienced by lung cancer patients and their FC during the year following the diagnosis.

Methods: A prospective cohort study of 206 patients recently diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer (participation rate 79.

Continuity of Cancer Care and Collaboration Between Family Physicians and Oncologists: Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Purpose: Collaboration between family physicians (FPs) and oncologists can be challenging. We present the results of a randomized clinical trial of an intervention designed to improve continuity of care and interprofessional collaboration, as perceived by patients with lung cancer and their FPs.

Methods: The intervention included (1) supplying FPs with standardized summaries related to each patient, (2) recommending that patients see their FP after receiving the cancer diagnosis, (3) supplying the oncology team with patient information resulting from FP visits, and (4) providing patients with priority access to FPs as needed.

Enhancing clinical practice in the management of distress: The Therapeutic Practices for Distress Management (TPDM) project.

Objective: The Therapeutic Practices for Distress Management (TPDM) project was carried out to support clinicians in integrating recommendations from four clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) in routine care at five Pan Canadian cancer care sites.

Methods: Using a concurrent, mixed-method study design and knowledge translation (KT) activities, this project included two phases: phase I-a baseline/preparation phase and phase II-an intervention phase plus evaluation. The intervention phase (the focus of this report) included a one-year education and supervision program (24 hours in virtual class; 12-hour group supervision).

Acceptability and feasibility of an interprofessional end-of-life/palliative care educational intervention in the intensive care unit: A mixed-methods study.

Objectives: This study aimed to describe a seven hour End-of-Life/Palliative Care educational intervention including online content related to symptom management, communication and decision-making capacity and an in-person group integration activity, from the perspective of the interprofessional team in terms of its acceptability and feasibility.

Research Design: A mixed-methods study design was used.

Setting And Sample: The study was conducted in a medical-surgical Intensive Care Unit in Montreal, Canada.

Effectiveness of an intervention to improve supportive care for family caregivers of patients with lung cancer: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Family caregivers (FC) often experience higher distress levels than their relative with cancer. Many cancer centers have implemented distress screening programs, but most of them concentrate their efforts on patients, with little attention to their FC. To fill this gap, a pragmatic intervention has been designed to improve supportive care for FC of patients with lung cancer.

Assessment of the feasibility and acceptability, and pre-test of the utility of an individualized survivorship care plan (ISCP) for women with endometrial cancers during the transition of the end of active treatment to cancer survivorship.

Unlabelled: The transition from the end of active treatment to survivorship holds many challenges for women with endometrial cancer (WEC) and for the organization of health services. The feasibility and acceptability of implementing an individualized survivorship care plan (ISCP) at the end of treatment are documented as potential solutions. The utility of an ISCP on three indicators (SUNS, FCRI, and HeiQ) was pre-tested by comparing two groups of WEC (control and exposed to the ISCP).

Development and validation of an individualized survivorship care plan (ISCP) for women with endometrial cancer during the transition of the end of active treatment to the cancer survivorship.

Unlabelled: Many cancer survivors finish their treatment without knowing the associated health risks and few are prepared to handle their health needs in the survivorship phase. Moreover, practical guides for follow- up care are not available and survivors' psychological and social needs often go unassessed. In this article, we propose the development and implementation of an individualized follow-up care plan (IFCP) after active treatment for women with endometrial cancers (WEC) to meet their needs for information and to facilitate the transition to the survivorship phase.

Measurement invariance of English and French Health Education Impact Questionnaire (heiQ) empowerment scales validated for cancer.

Purpose: If measurement invariance (MI) is demonstrated for a scale completed by respondents from two different language groups, it means that the scale measures the same construct in the same way in both groups. We assessed MI of the French- and English-language versions of the five Health Education Impact Questionnaire (heiQ) empowerment scales validated for the cancer setting.

Methods: Data came from two cross-sectional studies of Canadian cancer survivors (704 English, 520 French).

Nursing patients with chronic critical illness and their families: a qualitative study.

Background: chronic critical illness (CCI) is a complex syndrome with a high risk of dying in hospital. Intensive care unit nurses are well-positioned to lead conversations integrating palliative and end-of-life care, yet have reported limited involvement.

Aim: To generate further understanding of nurses' experiences of patients with CCI and their families.

A cognitive-existential intervention to improve existential and global quality of life in cancer patients: A pilot study.

Objective: We developed a specific cognitive-existential intervention to improve existential distress in nonmetastatic cancer patients. The present study reports the feasibility of implementing and evaluating this intervention, which involved 12 weekly sessions in both individual and group formats, and explores the efficacy of the intervention on existential and global quality of life (QoL) measures.

Method: Some 33 nonmetastatic cancer patients were randomized between the group intervention, the individual intervention, and the usual condition of care.

What to do with screening for distress scores? Integrating descriptive data into clinical practice.

Objective: Implementation of routine Screening for Distress constitutes a major change in cancer care, with the aim of achieving person-centered care.

Method: Using a cross-sectional descriptive design within a University Tertiary Care Hospital setting, 911 patients from all cancer sites were screened at the time of their first meeting with a nurse navigator who administered a paper questionnaire that included: the Distress Thermometer (DT), the Canadian Problem Checklist (CPC), and the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS).

Results: Results showed a mean score of 3.

Core areas of practice and associated competencies for nurses working as professional cancer navigators.

Unlabelled: Fillion et al. (2012) recently designed a conceptual framework for professional cancer navigators describing key functions of professional cancer navigation.

Purpose: Building on this framework, this study defines the core areas of practice and associated competencies for professional cancer navigators.

Professional navigation: a comparative study of two Canadian models.

For many cancer control programs, cancer navigation has emerged as a specific strategy to improve access to supportive care and the patients' experience of cancer care. This study contributes to a better understanding of professional navigation by comparing two Canadian models: Quebec's Pivot Nurse in Oncology (PNO) and Nova Scotia's Cancer Patient Navigator (CPN). Qualitative interviews were conducted with professional navigators, patients and family members, front-line staff, physicians and health administrators (interviews: n = 49; focus groups: n = 10).

Stressors experienced by nurses providing end-of-life palliative care in the intensive care unit.

The purpose of this study was to describe stressors experienced by nurses in providing end-of-life palliative care (EoL/PC) in intensive care units (ICUs). A descriptive qualitative design was used. A total of 42 nurses from 5 ICUs in the province of Quebec, Canada, participated in 10 focus groups.

Development of a shared theory in palliative care to enhance nursing competence.

Aim: This discussion article focuses on the theoretical development of a shared theory in the field of palliative care nursing through a process of comparison between Bandura's social cognitive theory and Orem's conceptual model.

Background: In many countries, nurses are little prepared to provide care to patients with life-limiting illness. Bandura's theory provides an appropriate framework for evaluating the impact of training programmes aimed at improving nursing competence in palliative care.

Professional navigation framework: elaboration and validation in a Canadian context.

Purpose/objectives: To elaborate, refine, and validate the professional navigation framework in a Canadian context.

Research Approach: A two-step approach consisting of a qualitative evaluative design and formal consultations.

Setting: Two applications of professional navigators in Quebec and Nova Scotia, Canada.

Meaning in bone marrow transplant nurses' work: experiences before and after a "meaning-centered" intervention.

Background: When a clinical culture emphasizes cure, as in bone marrow transplantation (BMT) services, BMT nurses commonly experience enormous stress when patients are suffering or dying. In this context, it is unclear what meanings BMT nurses experience in their work and how they find meaning and sustain hope, given conflicting responsibilities to patients.

Objective: This study aimed to explore BMT nurses' experiences of meaning and hope and the effects of a meaning-centered intervention (MCI) on these experiences using qualitative methodology.

Absenteeism screening questionnaire (ASQ): a new tool for predicting long-term absenteeism among workers with low back pain.

Introduction: Over the last decades, psychosocial factors were identified by many studies as significant predictive variables in the development of disability related to common low back disorders, which thus contributed to the development of biopsychosocial prevention interventions. Biopsychosocial interventions were supposed to be more effective than usual interventions in improving different outcomes. Unfortunately, most of these interventions show inconclusive results.

Patient, primary care physician and specialist expectations of primary care physician involvement in cancer care.

Background: In Canada, many health authorities recommend that primary care physicians (PCP) stay involved throughout their patients' cancer journey to increase continuity of care. Few studies have focused on patient and physician expectations regarding PCP involvement in cancer care.

Objective: To compare lung cancer patient, PCP and specialist expectations regarding PCP involvement in coordination of care, emotional support, information transmission and symptom relief at the different phases of cancer.

Gaining a better understanding of the support function of oncology nurse navigators from their own perspective and that of people living with cancer: Part 2.

Individuals living with cancer have a wide range of needs throughout the disease trajectory. To better meet them, the PQLC [French acronym of the Quebec Cancer Control Program] implemented the oncology nurse navigator (ONN) role. A first article presented the nature of the needs of individuals living with cancer and of the support provided by ONNs.

Gaining a better understanding of the support function of oncology nurse navigators from their own perspective and that of people living with cancer: Part 1.

Individuals living with cancer have a wide range of needs throughout the disease trajectory. To better meet them, the Quebec Cancer Control Program (PQLC) implemented the oncology nurse navigator role. While this practitioner has already been integrated into the majority of oncology teams, the role still lacks precision when it comes to its functions within care teams.

Family physician involvement in cancer care follow-up: the experience of a cohort of patients with lung cancer.

Purpose: There has been little research describing the involvement of family physicians in the follow-up of patients with cancer, especially during the primary treatment phase. We undertook a prospective longitudinal study of patients with lung cancer to assess their family physician's involvement in their follow-up at the different phases of cancer.

Methods: In 5 hospitals in the province of Quebec, Canada, patients with a recent diagnosis of lung cancer were surveyed every 3 to 6 months, whether they had metastasis or not, for a maximum of 18 months, to assess aspects of their family physician's involvement in cancer care.

La Belle Mort en Milieu Rural: a report of an ethnographic study of the good death for Quebec rural francophones.

An ethnographic study was undertaken in two rural areas of Quebec to conceptualize the good death. The findings reveal that a good quality of life for the dying person and his or her family and friends is essential for a good death. The resulting conceptual model emphasized four dimensions: physical, spiritual, social, and emotiona/psychological.