Best Practices in Nursing Management of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

STATEMENT OF NEED

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a complication of cancer treatment that may impair quality of life and lead to dose reductions or discontinuation of treatment. In one study, among 105 patients receiving paclitaxel for breast cancer, 36.2% needed dose reductions due to CIPN (Timmins et al, 2021). Whereas in some patients the symptoms improve with time, in others, there is progression with permanent nerve damage (Zajączkowska et al, 2019). At present, there is a profound lack of knowledge on how best to manage CIPN. The pathophysiology of CIPN is poorly understood, leading to a lack of clinically improved prophylactic and therapeutic interventions despite extensive clinical trials. This activity will explore best practices in the nursing management of CIPN.

TARGET AUDIENCE

Oncology nurses, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and other healthcare professionals involved in the treatment of patients with cancer.

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to: 

• Appraise chemotherapeutic agents that cause chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN)
• Assess the signs and symptoms of CIPN
• Evaluate the current guidelines on the management of CIPN
• Counsel patients on strategies to minimize the effects of CIPN

DISCLOSURE OF RELEVANT FINANCIAL INFORMATION WITH INELIGIBLE COMPANIES

i3 Health endorses the standards of the ACCME, ANCC, and ACPE that require everyone in a position to control the content of a NCPD activity to disclose all financial relationships with ineligible companies that are related to the content of the NCPD activity. NCPD activities must be balanced, independent of commercial bias, and promote improvements or quality in healthcare. All recommendations involving clinical medicine must be based on evidence accepted within the medical profession. A conflict of interest is created when an individual has an opportunity to affect CME/NCPD content about products or services of an ineligible company with which he/she has a financial relationship, which therefore may bias their opinions and teaching. This may include receiving a salary, royalty, intellectual property rights, consulting fee, honoraria, stocks, or other financial benefits.

i3 Health will identify, review, and mitigate all relevant financial relationships that speakers, authors, or planners disclose prior to an educational activity being delivered to learners. Disclosure of a relationship is not intended to suggest or condone bias in any presentation but is made to provide participants with information that might be of potential importance to their evaluation of a presentation. i3 Health does not endorse any products or services.

Relevant financial relationships exist between the following individuals and ineligible companies:

• Keira Smith, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
• Eden E. D. Maack, PhD, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
• Steve Bhimji, MD, MSc, PhD, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. 
• i3 Health staff members and the peer/content reviewer for this activity have no relevant financial relationships to disclose

i3 Health has mitigated all relevant financial relationships.

UNAPPROVED USE DISCLOSURE

i3 Health requires NCPD faculty to disclose to participants when products or procedures being discussed are off-label, unlabeled, experimental, and/or investigational (not FDA approved), as well as any limitations on the information that is presented, such as data that are preliminary or that represent ongoing research, interim analyses, and/or unsupported opinion. Faculty will not discuss information about pharmaceutical agents that is outside of FDA approved labeling. This information is intended solely for educational purposes and is not intended to promote off-label use of these medications. If you have questions, contact the medical affairs department of the manufacturer for the most recent prescribing information.

DISCLAIMER

The information provided in this NCPD activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical/clinical judgment of a healthcare provider relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient’s medical condition.