Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Access Control

Open Access

Degree Program

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Degree Track

Post Master's DNP Completion

Year Degree Awarded

2019

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7275/14313196

Month Degree Awarded

May

Keywords

De Novo Cancer Monitoring, Heart Transplantation, Telephone Follow-up, Malignancy, Chronic Immunosuppression

Advisor

Dr. Jeungok Choi, RN, PhD

DNP Project Chair

Dr. Jeungok Choi, RN, PhD

DNP Project Outside Member Name

Dr. Paolo C. Colombo

Abstract

“De Novo Cancer Monitoring for Adult Heart Transplant Patients to Improve Early

Detection and Intervention”

Abstract

Background. The surgical advancements in orthotopic heart transplantation along with improvements in immunosuppressive drugs increase the survival rate and quality of life of heart transplant recipients. However, the prolonged use of immunosuppressive medications increases the risk of infection and related cancer. Solid organ transplant recipients have approximately two to three-fold higher risk of developing de novo cancers. Thus, modulation of immunosuppression regimen and cancer screening appear as key factors in preventing and treating de novo cancer among solid organ transplant recipients.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to examine the effectiveness of multiple follow-up phone calls after clinic visits as an intervention to enhance compliance with cancer surveillance in adult heart transplant recipients.

Methods: The convenience sample of consenting participants (n= 41) was randomly divided into intervention (n = 21) and control (n=20) groups. The intervention group received multiple follow-up phone calls at designated time intervals after a clinic visit to reinforce compliance with cancer screening. The control group continued to receive routine care.

Results: The intervention resulted in a significant statistical difference (χ2 (1) = 4.062, p=0.044<.05) between the control and the intervention groups for timely cancer screening. The intervention group had a 50% follow-up with a specialist compared to the 15% follow up-rate of the control group.

Conclusion: A nurse practitioner-led multiple follow-up phone calls was effective in increasing de novo cancer screening among adult heart transplant recipients.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

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