Caring for the Older Adult With Cancer in the Ambulatory Setting

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Preface

The inspiration for this book came from the Oncology Nursing Society's (ONS's) forethought and recognition of the projected increase in the aging population and the need for specialization of geriatric oncology nursing in the future. In order to execute this vision, the ONS Gero-Oncology Think Tank Task Force met in December 2008, with the overall goal to create an organization-wide dedication to the special needs of older adults with cancer. Some of the task force's recommendations to support gero-oncology within ONS are as follows. The majority of these recommendations have been executed.

• Develop train-the-trainer gero-oncology regional workshops
• Develop a geriatric online course
• Ensure geriatric oncology content at future ONS conferences, including the ONS Advance Oncology Nursing Conference and ONS Annual Congress
• Dedicate the December 2009 ONS Connect issue to geriatrics
• Increase overall geriatric content on the ONS Web site
• Adapt oncology care competencies and the Statement on the Scope and Standards of Oncology Practice and the Statement on the Scope and Standards of Advanced Practice Nursing in Oncology Nursing to include geriatric-oncology perspectives
• Review ONS position statements for inclusion of gero-oncology perspectives
• Ensure that geriatric perspectives are included in existing and future educational materials and ONS Putting Evidence Into Practice resources
• Encourage geriatric-focused articles in the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing and Oncology Nursing Forum
• Support the development of an ONS Excellence in the Care of the Older Adult with Cancer Award in 2009.

Based on the work and recommendations of the Gero-Oncology Think Tank, the ONS Steering Committee continued discussions in an effort to identify additional areas for geriatric content and continue the development of ONS as a leader in geriatric oncology. From the work of both the Gero-Oncology Think Tank and the ONS Steering Committee, the development of evidence-based guidelines for ambulatory geriatric-oncology nursing was proposed.

This book opens with an introduction of the projected increase in our aging population and cancer incidence in the older adult over the next two decades, and the increasing trends of healthcare delivery and oncology care in the ambulatory setting. Subsequent chapters provide detailed geriatric content, including physiology of aging, assessment, management of common symptoms related to oncologic therapy, hospice and palliative care, survivorship issues, and psychosocial issues. The book concludes with a chapter focused on the future of oncology nursing as it relates to the care of the older adult with cancer. In the future, oncology nurses will not only need to specialize in the field of oncology, but will also need to specialize in the field of gerontology. This book is envisioned as a textbook presenting geriatric content, a resource for the ambulatory oncology nurse to meet the special needs of the older adult with cancer, and an additional source of geriatric oncology educational material that supports the ONS's mission to bring the care of older adults to the forefront of oncology nursing practice. Oncology nurses are in the key position to become leaders in the novel field of gerontology/oncology, surrounded by the music of the future.

Diane G. Cope, PhD, ARNP-BC, AOCNP^®