ANP TOPIC 5/2

You are a 2-year graduate of an accredited AGACNP master's program. You are now a certified AGACNP practicing on a very busy inpatient oncology unit.

Your patient is s 45-year-old male with head/neck cancer. This is a new diagnosis, but the patient has lost over 60 pounds in the past 4 months due to dysphagia, malnutrition, and intractable pain. He is currently NPO due to risk of aspiration.

Explore the types of head and neck carcinomas that you will encounter as an AGACNP on this oncology unit. Describe the following and support your answer with two or three peer-reviewed resources.

1. Malignancy, cytology results, and type of cancer markers, if available.
2. How this is cancer diagnosed.
3. The key complications for which you must be watchful.
4. How you will manage this unique and very difficult patient with regard to pain management, airway, cosmetics, and psychological concerns.
5. Which nutritional interventions would be important for this patient?