PSJMCOncology

  Using the Ipsilateral Arm in Patients With Breast Cancer: An Evidence-Based Practice Project and Practice Change   June 2025 • Volume 29, number 3, pages 212 - 218 • DOI: 10.1188/25.CJON.212-218   Kathryn L. Shady   Background: The ipsilateral arm is not used for blood pressure, phlebotomy, or IV access postmastectomy or post–lymph node removal or biopsy. The non–evidence-based practice of blanket forbidding of ipsilateral arm use can result in inaccurate calf blood pressure measurements, foot stick blood draw orders, and an increased need for tunneled central venous catheters.   Objectives: This project piloted a practice change and allowed for the use of the ipsilateral arm in patients with breast cancer.   Methods: The team used the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice Model to implement a practice change for hematology-oncology inpatients with breast cancer and lymph node involvement, removal, or biopsy, or mastectomy history.   Findings: T...

 Article #10 Temperature Measurements Comparison of different thermometer types for patients with cancer     Deborah Gates, RN, BSN, MSN, Victoria Horner, PhD, BSc, BSN, RN, OCN®, Lindsey Bradle y, RN, OCN®, Takeya Fogle Sheperd, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, Omena John, RN, BSN, and Melinda Higgins, PhD     BACKGROUND : Accurate temperature measure ment  in patients with cancer  is  critical. Many patients are neutropenic; therefore, fever  represents  an oncologic emergency, and, in many cases, it can be the only  indication  of a life-threatening infection. Although oral thermometers most closely rep resent  true  core temperature, patients may have barriers to oral thermometry.     OBJECTIV E S : The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of two alternative, noninvasive thermometers (tympanic and temporal artery) by comparing them to an oral thermometer.    METHODS : A method- comparison  st...