Aims and objectives To evaluate the effectiveness of specialist nurse interventions in the care of women with breast cancer. Background Nurses perform a crucial role in physical and psychosocial support of women with breast cancer. However, only few reviews have explored and discussed the roles and interventions carried out by specialised nurses in breast cancer care. Design Systematic review based on PRISMA guidelines. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, IndMed and Shodhganga databases for articles published in English language from 1980 to 2018. Only RCTs were included. Quality assessment, data extraction and analysis were completed on all included studies. Results Sixteen papers were assessed for methodological quality. Due to methodological heterogeneity of the papers, a meta‐analysis was not performed. The reviewers categorised the main outcomes under different domains like physical problems, psychological problems, patient satisfaction, patient needs, quality of life and cost data. Discussion This review provides evidence on specialist nurses’ role in breast cancer care. The methodological aspects of studies in this review vary in different aspects. More studies with rigorous scientific methods are needed to provide robust evidence on effectiveness of specialist nurses’ role. Conclusion Even though specialist nursing interventions can contribute to health outcomes of women with breast cancer, there is limited number of studies reported from developing countries. This warrants the need for specialist nurse interventions in breast cancer care from developing countries. Relevance to clinical practice Offering a specialist nurse service helps the patients to meet their informational and educational needs, supportive care and coordination of care. Specialist breast nurse services can be integrated into hospital setting to improve patient care and treatment adherence.

This study may give evidence on the effectiveness of a Nurse Navigator Programme for women with breast cancer. If significant effects were detected, the programme could be integrated into hospital services to improve the patient care.

Background: Continued advances in technology and cancer treatment have made cancer care more complex. A wide range of healthcare professionals are involved in the care and there is a potential for poor coordination and miscommunication. Hence there is a need to integrate and coordinate care to enhance quality care and improved health outcomes patient navigation approach was introduced by Dr Harold Freeman at Harlem Hospital Centre, the USA in 1990. Some literature identified nurses as a suitable candidate to assume this role. But there is a need to further explore the effectiveness of patient/nurse navigation program for its effectiveness on health outcomes such as anxiety, psychological distress, mood states, quality of life, symptom distress (nausea, vomiting, sleep disturbances) physical well being, psychological well being, coping, support and patient satisfaction. Aim: To synthesize the best available evidence on the effectiveness of patient/nurse navigation program in the care of women with breast cancer. Methods: This review was conducted according to Cochrane guidelines. An extensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, Proquest, Cochrane Library, IndMed (Indian database of studies) and Shodhganga, a reservoir of Indian theses from January 1990-January 2017 for relevant studies published in the English language. The search criteria were limited to randomized controlled trials with patient or nurse navigation interventions compared with routine/usual care interventions without patient/nurse navigator in women with diagnosis of breast cancer aged 18 years and above, at any stage of illness undergoing any treatment in a hospital setting, including inpatient and outpatient/ambulatory care and studies. Results: Out of 238 studies assessed for eligibility only 6 studies were assessed for methodological quality. Quality assessment was done by using Delphi checklist by two independent reviewers. The risks of bias in RCTs were assessed using Cochrane risk of bias tool. Due to the methodological heterogeneity of the studies, a meta-analysis was not performed. The reviewers categorized the main outcomes as quality of life, patient satisfaction with care, anxiety, psychological distress and physical problems and other outcomes (treatment adherence, barriers to care, diagnostic interval, timely access to care, time to completion of treatment, use of health care resources) and presented it in narrative form. Conclusion: This review provides evidence that navigation programs have some benefit on breast cancer patients' health outcomes. The findings from this review show that there are a limited number of studies reporting health outcomes of breast cancer patients from inpatient settings and especially no studies from Asian countries. This warrants the need for developing navigation programs in developing countries especially in Indian setting where no navigation programs are being reported in cancer care.

The aim of the study was to assess the health promotion behaviour of type 2 diabetic patients. Background: Diabetes mellitus is the most prevalent and a key healthcare problem throughout the world. Health promotion behaviour is known to be a major component in managing type 2 diabetes. Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted among 60 samples using purposive sampling technique. Sociodemographic and clinical proforma, health promotion behaviour questionnaire were used to collect data. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16. Results: The study revealed that only 15% of samples had adequate health promotion behaviours. Health promotion behaviour is associated with occupation, duration of diabetes, and family history of diabetes. Conclusion:The practice of health promotion behaviour varies among patients, individually tailored interventions and motivation is needed.

Background: Breast cancer incidences in India are rapidly rising, amounting to a significant percentage of all cancers in women. The diagnosis and expenses for treatment make the patient to thrust on a journey that disorganizes their daily function and family roles with much fear and uncertainty. The care of the patients requires a comprehensive individualized care from a pivotal nurse to meet their informational and educational needs, support, and care coordination throughout their illness trajectory. Limited studies have been reported from developing countries on specific nursing roles in cancer care. Therefore, the researcher felt the need for developing a nurse navigation program for the care of breast cancer patients. Aim: The aim of the study was to develop, validate and assess the usefulness of the program in women with breast cancer. Methods: The content of Nurse Navigator Program was prepared by reviewing literature pertaining to nurse/patient navigation programs. The program has been validated by an expert committee consisting of experts from various fields. The program consists of preoperative education on surgery and postmastectomy care, progressive muscle relaxation training, information booklets on post mastectomy care, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, telephonic follow-up sessions and ONN visits. Readability testing of the information booklets was checked online by Flesch reading ease and Flesch Kincaid-Grade level. The educational program and information booklets were translated into Kannada and retranslated into English with help of 2 experts. Researcher had undergone training in progressive muscle relaxation. Finally the usefulness and acceptability of the program was tested in 60 breast cancer patients undergoing surgery followed by chemo/radiation therapy in surgery, chemo and radiotherapy wards of a tertiary care hospital in Karnataka. After obtaining ethical permission from institutional ethical committee written informed consent was obtained from participants before conducting study. Results: The mean ICVI, SCVI/UA and mean expert proportion of the Nurse Navigator Program was found to be −1.00 for each. Flesch reading ease was 77.3 and Flesch Kincaid-Grade level achieved was 4.8. 83.3% of women strongly agreed that information booklets were useful, 80% strongly agreed the user friendliness of this program & 70% of people reported that their emotional needs were taken care seriously and got additional emotional support. 90% strongly agreed navigation services are necessary and would recommend navigation service. Conclusion: The validated Nurse Navigator Program was found acceptable and useful for patients. The whole program may give evidence on the effectiveness of a nurse navigator program for the care of women with breast cancer. If significant effects are detected this program could be implemented in the hospital setting to improve cancer care.