Question

A male client with cancer is admired to the oncology unit and tells the nurse that he is in the hospital for palliative care measures. The nurse notes that the client's admission prescription include radiation therapy. What action should the nurse implement?

Answer 1

The nurse should implement radiation therapy for palliative care when prescribed, as it can alleviate serious symptoms while attempting to control cancer. Radiation uses ionizing radiation to target cancer cells with the goal to spare healthy tissues and is typically part of a comprehensive treatment plan.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a male client with cancer is admitted to the oncology unit for palliative care measures, and radiation therapy is prescribed, the nurse should implement the prescribed radiation therapy despite it commonly being an aggressive treatment meant to cure or control cancer. Palliative care aims to alleviate symptoms and improve the quality of life, which may include certain curative treatments like radiation therapy when such treatments can help reduce pain or other severe symptoms caused by cancer.

It is essential to understand that radiation therapy uses ionizing radiation to target and kill cancer cells while attempting to spare surrounding healthy tissue. Done properly, therapeutic ratios are enhanced, meaning a higher ratio of cancer cells are destroyed compared to normal cells. Often part of a broader oncology treatment plan, radiation may be administered several times a week, allowing time for normal tissue to recover. This understanding helps the nurse to explain the treatment goals to the client—balance between alleviating symptoms and attempting to control the spread of cancer—with the radiation dose tailored to the patient's specific condition.