BEST NURSING PRACTICES IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH BREAST CANCER

Abstract

Purpose:The purpose of this thesis is to develop best-practice recommendations for nurses and providers to use when caring for patients who are identified as being at risk for having orwhodo have the BRCA gene mutations.Background: The BRCA gene mutations greatly increase a woman’s risk of developing cancer in her lifetime and particularly increase her cancer risk at a young age. Preventative measures for these women differ from the standard recommendations. Therefore, early identification of these women is important to improve patient outcomes. Method: A literature review was conducted through a search on PubMed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar using keywords such as “BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes”, “breast neoplasms”, “breast genomes”, and “directive counseling.” Parameters for the search included “past 5 years” or “since 2014”, “free full text online”, and “peer-reviewed”. A total of elevenarticles were selected to be included in this thesis.Outcome: Women undergoing genetic testing for BRCAgene mutations experience high levels of anxiety and emotional distress. Embedding information within the EMRcan help ensure that nurses and providers care for these patients in an optimal and compassionate way. Conclusion: Implementing these best-practice recommendations can help improve patient outcomes. As further research regarding patients with BRCA genes is conducted, these recommendations can be adapted to meet additional needsof patients and the emotional stressors they experience.