Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) has released a new series of training modules to give nurses the skills and knowledge needed in dealing with emerging immunotherapy treatments for cancer patients.
Experts from Boston College William F. Connell School of Nursing developed the continuing nursing education (CNE) program to help nurses address the specific challenges of caring for patients with cancer who are about to receive or are receiving immunotherapy.
“SU2C is at the forefront of immuno-oncology research, and nurses are an essential part of making these cutting-edge therapies effective and safe for patients,” Sung Poblete, president and CEO of SU2C, said in a press release. “We are proud to provide complimentary, online continuing education for nurses to help them better understand this rapidly expanding field.”
The program is made of three modules, each providing three and a half to five contact hours. Besides immunology and pathophysiology, the program includes education on symptom management and nursing interventions. These are the three modules:
- Module I: Cancer and Immunotherapy – provides education on patient care and an overview of cancer and immunotherapy;
- Module II: Immunotherapies and Nursing Strategies – provides education on patient care, patient response to immunotherapy interventions, nursing strategies in symptom management and assessment approaches;
- Module III: Case Study “Patient on Immunotherapy” – presents a case study on a cancer patient undergoing immunotherapy and gives participants a dedicated space to integrate what they learned in the two previous models into an informed management plan.
The modules are available now. Eligible participants can register here.
“The Connell School of Nursing is proud to partner with Stand Up to Cancer to offer this suite of complimentary online continuing education courses,” said Susan Gennaro, dean of the William F. Connell School of Nursing. “We are excited by the great enthusiasm for the oncology immunotherapy courses since their launch in January and look forward to their continued growth and success.”
Added Dr. Alan Lotvin, executive vice-president of CVS Health, which since 2014 has donated more than $15 million to help SU2C’s cancer research efforts: “Immunotherapies are quickly becoming an important part of oncology care for many patients, but these therapies can be complex requiring additional patient support to help ensure appropriate use, and oncology nurses are often on the front lines of care for patients undergoing immunotherapies.”
SU2C is a nonprofit established in 2008 that works to raise funds and accelerate cancer research. Immunotherapy drugs are promising new options in treating bladder, brain, breast, cervical, colorectal, head and neck, kidney, pancreatic, prostate and stomach cancers, as well as lymphomas. As these therapies continue to develop, support from well-trained nurses is necessary to continue to push the research forward.
