Cancer and Approach to Care Based on the Utilization of the Nursing Process

Cancer and Approach to Care Based on the Utilization of the Nursing Process

Nursing process puts theory into practice, and by using this method of systematic problem solving, nurses are able to define the health care needs of their patients and offer more personalized care. The purpose of this paper is to describe cancer and nursing approach to care centered on the use of the nursing process. In particular, the paper describes cancer diagnosis and staging, complications, side effects of therapy, and approaches to lessen psychological and physical effects of cancer. A discussion on the factors leading to the increased mortality rates in the United States and how the American Cancer Society (ACS) can provide education and support is provided. The paper also provides an explanation of how the nursing process can be used in providing effective and safe care for patients and how undergraduate education in science and liberal studies can contribute to nursing foundation.
Diagnosis and Staging of Cancer
Staging of cancer is used by doctors to reveal the extent of spread or growth of cancer. The staging is done after a positive diagnosis has been made. Cancer diagnosis is accomplished using various diagnostic tests and imaging procedures such as MRIs, PET scans, x-rays, and ultrasound (Garrido et al., 2018). Confirmation of a cancer diagnosis through a biopsy is a critical requirement for the next stage of treatment planning. For example, a biopsy can confirm whether an unusual spot present on an imaging result represents cancer spread or not (Garrido et al., 2018). After diagnosis, cancer is staged either by clinical staging or pathological staging. In clinical staging, the extent of cancer growth is determined based on what is observed from imaging tests, vital signs/physical exams, and biopsies of tumors (Koh & Kim, 2019). Further, pathological staging can be done during surgery that is meant to give a more precise picture of cancer growth by extracting tissue samples.
Using different staging systems such as the Tumor Classification of Malignant Tumors (TNM) system, cancer is then grouped into stages using Roman numerals. At stage 0, the cancer is at the very initial stage and is found only where it first appeared. Stage I is cancer that has primary tumors of small sizes but have not affected the lymph nodes. In stage II and stage III, the sizes of the primary tumors are large, more extensive, and the cancer cells may have proliferated to the lymph nodes in nearby tissues (ASCO, 2018). Stage IV is the advanced cancer stage where the cancer has metastasized to distant tissues and organs at the time of diagnosis.
Complications of Cancer
Patients with cancer may present with a variety of complications that emanate directly from the disease. The complications include cardiac muscle compression/cardiac tamponade due to the accumulation of fluid within the pericardium. Some cancers including lung cancer, leukemia, and breast cancer present the greatest risk of this complication (Guimaraes et al., 2014). Another complication is increased intracranial pressure due to increased volume of vital components such as..