Management of Nutritional Problems in Oncology Patients and the Role of the Nurse

Abstract

Nutritional problems develop in cancer patients due to the type of tumor, type of treatment applied, and side effects related to treatment. If nutritional problems are not diagnosed and treated in the early period, they cause serious problems such as refractory cachexia and negatively affect the patient's quality of life. For this reason, it is important to regularly screen and evaluate patients for malnutrition risk from the moment of diagnosis in terms of nutritional problems. In the management of nutritional problems of patients with malnutrition, nutritional counseling, additional food supplements, physical activity, pharmacological treatment and enteral or parenteral nutrition steps are included in cases where oral intake is insufficient. Providing nutritional support in cancer treatment is very important for the effective continuation of cancer treatment without interruption. For this reason, oncology nurses, who have important roles and responsibilities in the treatment team, have a key role in providing nutritional support. In providing nutritional support, oncology nurses play a role in the evaluation of the patient's nutritional status and risk screening, management of symptoms that adversely affect nutrition due to antineoplastic treatment, administration of enteral and parenteral nutrition, prevention of complications and patient education. Oncology nurses should be supported to participate in training programs on the management of nutritional problems in order to develop their knowledge and skills on nutritional support and management and to take a more active role.

Keywords

• Oncology
• cancer
• nutrition
• malnutrition
• oncology nursing

Onkoloji Hastalarında Beslenme Sorunlarının Yönetimi ve Hemşirenin Rolü

Abstract

Kanser hastalarında tümörün tipi, uygulanan tedavi türü, tedaviye bağlı gelişen yan etkiler nedeniyle beslenme sorunları gelişmektedir. Beslenme sorunları erken dönemde tanılanıp tedavi edilmezse refrakter kaşeksi gibi ciddi sorunlara neden olmakta ve hastanın yaşam kalitesini olumsuz etkilemektedir. Bu nedenle hastaların beslenme sorunları açısından tanı anından itibaren düzenli olarak malnütrisyon riski açısından tarama ve değerlendirmesinin yapılması önemlidir. Malnütrisyon gelişen hastaların beslenme sorunlarının yönetiminde ise beslenme danışmanlığı, ek gıda takviyeleri, fiziksel aktivite, farmakolojik tedavi ve oral alımın yetersiz olduğu durumlarda enteral veya parenteral beslenme adımları yer almaktadır. Kanser tedavisinde beslenme desteğinin sağlanması kanser tedavisinin ara vermeden etkin şekilde sürdürülmesinde oldukça önemlidir. Bu nedenle tedavi ekibinde önemli rol ve sorumlulukları bulunan onkoloji hemşireleri beslenme desteğinin sağlanmasında da anahtar role sahiptirler. Beslenme desteğinin sağlanmasında onkoloji hemşireleri, hastanın beslenme durumunun değerlendirilmesi ve risk taramasının yapılması, antineoplastik tedavi nedeniyle beslenmeyi olumsuz etkileyen semptomların yönetimi, enteral ve parenteral beslenmenin uygulanması, komplikasyonların önlenmesi ve hasta eğitimi adımlarında rol almaktadırlar. Onkoloji hemşirelerinin beslenme desteği ve yönetimi konusunda bilgi ve becerilerinin geliştirilmesi ve daha etkin rol almaları için beslenme sorunlarının yönetimine ilişkin eğitim programlarına katılmaları desteklenmelidir.

Keywords

• Onkoloji
• kanser
• beslenme
• malnütrisyon
• onkoloji hemşireliği

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