Nurses play an important role in assessing and managing many of the problems experienced by

patients undergoing chemotherapy.

 Assessing fluid and electrolyte balance. Anorexia, nausea, vomiting, altered taste,

mucositis, and diarrhea put patients at risk for nutritional and fluid electrolyte
disturbances.
 , infection, and bleeding disorders.
 Administering chemotherapy. The patient is observed closely during its
administration because of the risk and consequences of extravasation, particularly of
 , and management of accidental spills or exposures.

Hair Loss
may cause hair loss from the head and all over the body, for both men and women. Some chemo
drugs are more likely than others to cause hair loss. An oncology provider should tell patients if
they might expect to see thinning or complete baldness.

To Shave or Not to Shave?

help to even it out. However, some patients will lose all their hair, so shaving may be
unnecessary. For others, shaving may make the transition from long hair to a bald head less
abrupt.
If a patient decides to shave, having an experienced barber or hairdresser do it will avoid cutting
the scalp.
Fatigue
guidelines to manage cancer fatigue. One of the best approaches is to exercise. Although
patients may feel too tired to exercise, those who do are less fatigued than those who do not.
Here are some low-impact ways to exercise while undergoing cancer treatment:
 Take short walks
 Use hand weights at home
 Stretch to keep limber
Patients should be encouraged to focus on what they can do and not what they can’t. Exercise
may also help to improve insomnia, anxiety, and depression.
NOTE
experiencing nausea and vomiting, may avoid eating altogether. This can bring on
anorexia.
Patients who are experiencing anorexia might need intravenous fluids to avoid malnutrition and
dehydration.
A nutritionist can help patients choose protein-rich foods. Protein supplements and powders can
help,
in the mouth that makes it difficult to enjoy food.
Cisplatinium and Vincristine are two drugs used in chemotherapy that are known to cause that
metallic taste. MetaQil is a mouth rinse that may alleviate metal taste as well as sour, bitter, and
other unpleasant tastes that may occur after chemo.
Mouth Sores
Chemotherapy lowers the white blood cell count, making the patient more susceptible to
infection. Patients should report any fever or chills and avoid crowds and people with colds.
Depending on the white blood cell count, the patient may need to wear a mask in public.
A drug called Neulasta is given the day after chemo to boost the white blood cells, which helps
reduce the risk of infection.

Constipation