A TCM-based continuing nursing care plan for chemotherapy-induced cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients: A best practices implementation

Abstract

Objective

To implement an evidence-based transitional care program for breast cancer chemotherapy patients with cancer-related fatigue, developed based on traditional Chinese medicine principles, and to evaluate its clinical effectiveness, thereby providing high-quality nursing care guided by evidence-based practice for this patient population.

Introduction

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent malignant tumors among women globally,and chemotherapy remains one of its primary treatment modalities. Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is the most frequent and distressing adverse effect associated with chemotherapy,affecting up to 96.97% of breast cancer patients undergoing this treatment. The implementation of a CRF nursing plan grounded in traditional Chinese medicine principles holds substantial significance for broadening the clinical management strategies for CRF in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy,thereby enhancing both the quality of nursing care and the overall quality of life for these patients.

Methods

Breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in the breast surgery department of a tertiary hospital were selected as participants, and an existing transitional care program for cancer-related fatigue based on traditional Chinese medicine principles was applied in clinical practice. Following the evidence-based nursing implementation process, 15 review indicators were established. Data were collected through methods such as medical record review, on-site inspections, and interviews. A total of 20 patients were included in the baseline group, the first intervention group, and the second intervention group, respectively, to track and observe the intervention effects. The chi-square test was used to compare differences in the incidence of cancer-related fatigue among patients at different time points.

Results

Following the implementation of the TCM concept-based continuity nursing program, the compliance rates in the first and second rounds of the intervention group showed significant improvement compared to the baseline group across multiple aspects, including fatigue screening (χ²=43.636, P<0.001), symptom assessment (χ²=60.00, P<0.001), health education (χ²=47.442, P<0.001), and personalized fatigue management (χ²=33.600, P<0.001). Through two rounds of evidence-based practice, the incidence of moderate to severe cancer-related fatigue decreased from 80% in the baseline group to 30% in the second-round intervention group (χ²=11.297, P<0.005), indicating a significant improvement in the overall fatigue status of patients.

Conclusion

The application of a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)-based transitional care program for cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy into evidence-based practice can significantly improve nursing compliance rates, yield positive effects in alleviating patients' cancer-related fatigue symptoms, and enhance their overall quality of life. This evidence-based practice model provides feasible experience and empirical evidence for the application of TCM principles in the nursing care of cancer patients.