Nursing-led interventions significantly improve clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, symptom management and quality of life for bladder cancer patients and their families, an analysis of 20 studies showed.
The scoping review, published in Medicina in January, defined nursing interventions as those conducted by nurses specially trained to work with bladder cancer patients.
“The 20 included studies provide evidence that nursing-led interventions significantly improve clinical outcomes, patient-reported outcomes (PRO), and caregiver well-being across the bladder cancer care continuum,” the authors wrote.
Among the most significant findings:
- Specially trained nurses for bladder cancer care are much more efficacious and cost-effective compared with usual care due to reduction in intervention, length of stay in hospitals (from 17 to 11 days) and complications (18.31% vs. 31.13%).
- All the studies that reported quality-of-life measures showed significant improvement in physical, cognitive, emotional, and social function with nursing intervention.
- Due to possible prescription of drugs with nephrotoxicity, strict evaluation of renal function can avoid other complications such as dialysis.
- Clinical and assistive care for bladder cancer focuses on early detection, symptom management, and holistic support through nursing interventions.
The survey highlighted these nurse interventions and their impact:
- Perioperative enhanced recovery after surgery protocols.
- Integrated nursing support during intravesical therapy improves patient satisfaction, treatment compliance and anxiety/depression.
- Extended nursing services with systemic therapy: Renal function preservation; quality of life enhancement; and caregiver burden reduction.
- Digital health platforms: Continuous support delivery; caregiver burden reduction; disease knowledge improvement; feasible implementation during COVID-19 pandemic.
- Comprehensive stoma education: Improved stoma knowledge, self-efficacy and quality of life.
- Structured psychosocial interventions: Improve anxiety, depression and fear of recurrence.
