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Implementing Immune Effector Cell Education for Nursing Staff

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Topic Significance & Study Purpose/Background/Rationale Immune effector cell therapy (IECT) has recently emerged as a revolutionary treatment approach for several hematologic malignancies but is associated with unique administration and management… Click to show full abstract

Topic Significance & Study Purpose/Background/Rationale Immune effector cell therapy (IECT) has recently emerged as a revolutionary treatment approach for several hematologic malignancies but is associated with unique administration and management considerations. With the growing number of IECT products commercially available and in clinical trials, there is an educational need for staff caring for patients receiving these therapies. Oncology nurses play a crucial role in IECT toxicity assessment/management and patient education, and thus require immunotherapy-specific training. In order to meet this need in a National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, a nursing specific IECT class was designed to train nurses and meet regulatory requirements. Methods, Intervention, & Analysis Class materials were created using resources from the National Cancer Institute, Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, the Food and Drug Administration, Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy, and package inserts. Topics reviewed included scientific underpinnings of immunology and IECT, cellular therapy products, toxicity assessment and management for cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity, administration considerations, regulatory standards, and future directions. Nurses also completed mandatory Risk Evaluation Mitigation Strategy programs for commercially available IECTs. Hematology/HCT nurse educators and a clinical nurse specialist delivered the content over two hours. Teaching methods included lecture, printed material, video, and case studies. Nurses who administer IECT or provide patient care post-therapy were required to attend the training. Upon completion of a class evaluation, attendees received continuing education credits. Findings & Interpretation Thirty sessions were offered over a three month period. Over 100 inpatient, outpatient, and triage nurses attended the training. Class evaluations revealed the content and materials met the participants’ educational needs. Many nurses stated the class increased their knowledge of IECT treatment principles and nursing specific considerations, and commonly cited toxicity management strategies as the topic most useful to their practice. Discussion & Implications Due to the rapid changing landscape of cancer care, education must focus on the current and future state of immuno-oncology. Because IECT differs significantly from traditional cancer treatments, even experienced oncology nurses will require education and training specific to these new therapies. Understanding principles of immunotherapies and side effect profiles is fundamental to establishing a solid knowledge base for oncology nurses in this new age of cancer treatment.

Keywords: cancer; education; immune effector; class; effector cell; oncology

Journal Title: Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation
Year Published: 2019

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