Abstracts of Annual Education Meeting on 25-Nov-2002
Multiple Myeloma: Nursing Aspects
Sue Blair & Tracy Howe, Myeloma Nurse Specialists, Christie Hospital NHS Trust
In this presentation we will be looking at the nursing care and management of patients with Multiple Myeloma.
We firstly look at the background to the creation of the Myeloma Nurse Specialist post at the Christie Hospital in May of 2001, identifying the reasons that this role was developed for both patients and staff alike.
We then will set the scene for our discussion, by outlying the differing aspects of this condition that put together, create a picture of the challenging needs of this patient group. Specifically that this is a complex chronic condition that has no known cure. That it has both acute and chronic stages with periods of stable and aggressive disease, and that it predominantly affects a vulnerable patient group.
The physical, psychological and social needs of myeloma patients is given and the key components of the nursing role identified, that of delivery of care; assessment and continuous monitoring; co-ordination; support and education.
We will focus on the clinical features of Myeloma, that of skeletal problems, renal impairment and bone marrow related symptoms. We will concentrate on the specific nursing management of these by looking at pain and the differing stratergies for dealing with pain, preventing spinal cord compression and hypercalcaemia, as well as preventing renal complications, infection and managing anaemia.
Of importance we will address the emotional impact of this condition on patient and carer alike, and identify what we feel, are the important guidelines for nurses to consider.
We discuss the measures that we have in place at the Christie Hospital that address these needs, which takes the form of new patient clinics, comprehensive written information as well as the development of the role of the Myeloma CNS itself, and all that it can provide and offer.
To conclude we pull together the main focus of the nursing care, that of maintaining quality of life and offer suggestions to be considered in caring for this challenging patient group.