The Effect of Education on Knowledge Regarding Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema Risk Reduction and Prevention Among Nursing Personnel

Abstract

Aim The development of lymphedema post-breast-cancer surgery has been identified as a significant burden worldwide, with nurses at the forefront of prevention and risk reduction practices. Prevention is of crucial importance to avoid lymphedema formation and its complications. This study aims to assess the knowledge gained through an educational session regarding risk reduction and prevention of breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) among nursing professionals and compare the pre-test and post-test knowledge. Methods and material The research approach was quantitative in nature, and the design adopted was a pre-experimental, one-group pre-test post-test design. The study was conducted in a 400-bed multispecialty teaching hospital in Bangalore, Karnataka. After obtaining formal permission from the authorities, the participants were approached and informed about the purpose of the study. Eighty-four staff nurses working with breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) patients participated in the study. The data for the study was collected using a validated questionnaire based on the National Lymphedema Network's (NLN) breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) risk reduction and preventive guidelines. The questionnaire consisted of two sections. Section A consisted of the staff nurses' demographic data, and Section B consisted of questions on risk reduction and prevention of lymphedema. The pre-test was conducted, followed by a structured teaching session on risk reduction and prevention of lymphedema among 84 staff nurses working with BCRL patients. After the teaching session, the post-test was conducted. Results Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for analysis in this study. The t-test determined the statistical significance using the software SPSS (SPSS Inc. Released 2007. SPSS for Windows, Version 16.0. Chicago, SPSS Inc.). The result showed that the mean knowledge score was 4.286 with SD 0.97 in the pre-test, which increased to 4.452 with SD 1.511 with a significant p-value (<0.001). Conclusion According to the study's findings, nurses must get standardized lymphedema training in order to prevent lymphedema from developing in patients having breast cancer surgery. The study's outcome has implications on the focus areas for nurses in the context of the team's adoption and dissemination of breast cancer-related lymphedema preventive measures. Key messages of this study are - 1) BCRL is an irreversible, progressive complication with no cure if not diagnosed early. 2) Poor knowledge of lymphedema prevention among nurses leads to frustration for BCRL patients. 3) Risk reduction and prevention education enable the patient to reduce BCRL complications, minimize the severity of the condition, and improve the quality of life. 4) Pre-habilitation - patient education on early diagnosis and risk reduction/prevention of BCRL reduces the cost, time, and energy for the patient and health care delivery system.

Keywords: breast cancer-related lymphedema; breast-cancer; nurse's knowledge; patient education; risk reduction and prevention.