Ch. 3

• How does the information from an assessment help us?

  1.Determine the nature of the problem

  2. Select an intervention for that prob

  3. Evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention
• What is a therapeutic relationship is based on?


  verbal and nonverbal communication
• verbal messages are comprised of


  cognitive and affective content
• Are verbal or nonverbal messages clearer?

  verbal
• How much of communication is nonverbal?

  two thirds
• affective communication


  involves feelings of anger, sadness, fear, and happiness
• reflective listening involves


  responding with empathy
• empathy definition


  identifying with feelings, thoughts, or experiences of another person
• General Health Assessment 


  AKA self-report, can be replaced with interview by nurse or rad onc, Hx is taken to collect past and present medical info
• Nutritional assessment: nurse role vs RT(T)

  nurse does initial assessment and referrals to dietitian or nutritional specialist if needed. RT(T) monitors patients under Tx and make appropriate referral when needed.
• anorexia


  loss of appetite is a major cause of cancer cachexia
• cachexia


  state of general ill health and malnutrition with early satiety
• cachexia affects 


  1/2 to 2/3 of cancer patients
• what are 2 main causes of protein-calorie malnutrition

  anorexia and taste alterations
• most pain is a combination of

  physiologic and psychogenic factors
• What are the 6 dimensions when assessing pain

  1. physiologic
  2. sensory
  3. affective
  4. cognitive
  5. behavioral
  6. sociocultural
• physiologic


  organic cause of pain
• sensory 


  intensity, location, and quality
• affective


  depression and anxiety
• cognitive


  influence on thought processes
• behavioral


  observable behavior (verbal, nonverbal)
• sociocultural


  factor that influences response to pain
• Karnofsky Performance Status is used for

  measuring pain behavior (physical exercise, time spent in bed, ability to do chores)
• sociocultural factors that influence pain


  ethnic, cultural, demographic, spiritual, and related factors such as age, gender, and race
• sociocultural assessment tools


  McGill Pain Questionnaire,

  Brief Pain Inventory,

  Memorial Pain Assessment Card
• myelosuppression


  reduction in bone marrow function
• Psychosocial assessment should include

  physical, psychological, and social factors
• Tools to assess the family

  Family Functioning Index

  Family APGAR Questionnaire,

  Family Inventory of Resources for Management
• values


  most difficult-established in early childhood through an unconscious process of socialization
• beliefs


  include knowledge, opinions, and faith about life are build on an individual's values
• customs


  result of values and beliefs are the most observable
• spiritual dimension 


  gives meaning to life, death, and illness
• 4 areas related to meaning and spirituality in patient's life

  1. Patient's concepts of God or deity
  2. Their source of hope and strength
  3. the significance of their religious practices
  4. the relationship b/w their spiritual beliefs and states of health
• hope


  the key concept and an essential ingredient in the religious and spiritual aspects of care and a major component in the healing process
• tools to assess hope

  Nowotny Hope Scale,

  Herth Hope Index

  Miller Hope Scale
• thrombocytopenia


  reduction in number of circulating platelets
• the most common affective responses among cancer patients

  anxiety and depression
• what are the 10 most commonly used and helpful verbal responses?

  1. Minimal verbal response
  2. Reflecting
  3. Paraphrasing
  4. Probing
  5. Clarifying
  6. Interpreting
  7. Checking out
  8. Informing
  9. Confronting
  10. Summarizing
• What are various skin reactions?

  moist desquamation, dry desquamation, erythema, faint erythema,
• Cultural assessment looks at factors including one's

  cultural values, beliefs, and practices (of an individuals and communities)