- 163,000+ Australians are now living with or beyond bowel cancer.
- Access to a nurse specialist identified by more than 8 in 10 bowel cancer patients as an important resource to improve their care coordination.
Tuesday, 10 March, Sydney: Committed to providing excellence in person-centred supportive care, Bowel Cancer Australia today launched its Bowel Cancer Care with Confidence CPD Series which reflects the latest evidence and optimal care for people living with bowel cancer.
Co-developed with clinical experts including Specialist Bowel Care Nurses, Counsellors, Exercise Physiologists and Clinical Nutritionists and those with lived experience, the CPD Series spans the care continuum from prevention, diagnosis through treatment, survivorship, and end of life care.
The Bowel Cancer Care with Confidence CPD Series comprise six interactive, self-paced learning modules totalling 20 CPD hours, providing comprehensive, evidence-based learning to enhance knowledge, confidence, and clinical competence in bowel cancer care.
The CPD Series is for Registered Nurses working with surgical, oncology and general practice settings who provide care for patients diagnosed with bowel cancer, as well as nurses seeking to expand their oncology knowledge and scope of practice. Allied Health professionals will also be able to benefit from the CPD Series.
"The physical and mental challenges of living with bowel cancer are significant and ongoing, and the complementary services such as nursing, exercise physiology and psychological support have made a huge improvement to my quality of life," said bowel cancer advocate, Jon Reidy.
"Bowel Cancer Australia's supportive care guidance has complemented the rest of my care team perfectly and made such a material difference. It's been like an upgrade from economy to business class in my cancer journey, making is significantly easier to bear," he added.
Bowel cancer is the fourth most diagnosed and second deadliest cancer in Australia, yet people
diagnosed with bowel cancer don't receive the same level of support as those with other common
cancers.
This is despite access to a nurse specialist by phone or in-person was identified by more than 8 in 10 (83%) bowel cancer patients as an important resource to improve their care coordination.[i]
"The pathway of a bowel cancer patient is often stressful and challenging, resulting in feelings of
Isolation, fear and anxiety. It is common for patients to see four to six different health professionals. Care coordination from a specialist nurse underpins the importance of the Nursing CPD Series to ensure optimal care throughout the continuum," Manager of Bowel Care Services, Lisa Nicholson said.
"Nurses and allied healthcare professionals play a central role in assisting patients with personalised and tailored support to enable them to live well. Bowel Cancer Australia is committed to delivering impactful resources that make a real and meaningful difference," she added.
Cancer nurses have a positive impact on patient outcomes, including but not limited to[ii]:
- Improved experience of care through the provision of emotional and psychological support.
