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The Institute of Medicine identifies evidence-based practice (EBP) as a core competency for health care providers. Barriers to EBP among non-physician providers include lack of knowledge, lack of time, and lack of organizational support/ awareness. EBP is supported at the institutional level through a central Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Council, as a component of the professional advancement Model and as a requirement of the nurse residency program. As a way to invigorate EBP in the Cancer Center: a committee is formed, under the guidance of the central council, to provide support and guidance to Oncology EBP. The purpose of this project is to describe the committee's mission and goals, its early achievements, and its effect on EBP culture, as evidenced by scholarly work from the Cancer Center. Interventions included recruiting interdisciplinary staff interested in EBP for patients with cancer, creating a charter with a mission; activities, membership, reporting, and delegation of authorities. Monthly meetings with agendas and minutes are held to facilitate EBP projects, review scholarly work, create and provide EBP education, provide organizational support for EBP, and practice EBP together. The committee started in August of 2020, has 23 members, with an average of 15 members attending each meeting. The committee reviewed and approved eleven posters at the hospital's Clinical Practice Summit in 2021. The Cancer Center submitted 65% more posters than in 2019representing an increase in scholarly work within the department. Education was also developed and disseminated to the staff. There was one session on literature search strategies and PICO question development. A second education topic demonstrated literature and guideline resources available to oncology staff and subsequently, the committee created an oncology-specific search portal highlighting important oncology-related journals and links to evidence-based national and international guidelines. The committee is currently working on an EBP project. The committee continues to provide organizational support, staff education, expert reviews of scholarly work, and a place to learn EBP as a group. This methodology can be repeated in other organizations to improve oncology nursing competency and culture for EBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on physical, mental, and emotional health worldwide. The first COVID-19 vaccine approved for Emergency Use Authorization in December 2020 offered a glimpse of pandemic defeat. Access to vaccines is complicated for patients with cancer due to their immunocompromised state, complex treatments requiring oncologist consultation and frequent appointments. A single location for patients to receive coordinated outpatient and preventative care in a familiar setting is beneficial for the overall patient experience. The purpose of this project was to create a COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic in an NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center through a collaborative, interdisciplinary partnership. Our goal was not only to vaccinate and boost immunity for oncology patients, but also for the general public. On March 9, 2021 oncology leadership received approval for a COVID-19 vaccination clinic. Executives, leadership from nursing, operations and ambulatory, IT, and pharmacy met daily for one hour between March 11 and March 19 to create infrastructure and develop an implementation plan. Through collaborative planning efforts an electronic health record department and vaccine clinic schedule were created, new work-flows developed, oncology resources reallocated to support operations, exam rooms and waiting areas modified, staff educated to new processes, patients identified for scheduling, and a data tracking Smartsheet © developed. A 34-page handbook outlined steps of the process and resource for clinical staff. Severely immunocompromised patients were approved by their oncologists, nurses called patients to screen for vaccine eligibility and schedule appointments, pharmacists managed preparation and distribution of vaccines to minimize waste, and medical assistants administered vaccines and monitored patients post injection. Between March 22 and July 9, there were 507 vaccines administered, 46 cancellations, 24 same day add-ons, and one vaccine wasted due to expiration. Smartsheet© data collected the first week showed a total of 242 telephone calls in which 40% declined or deferred vaccination, 23% already vaccinated, 22% did not answer, and 15% scheduled. No adverse reactions were identified during post monitoring period in the clinic. The success of the COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic can be attributed to the collaborative partnership between the interdisciplinary group. Expertise from members led to a rapid, efficient and organized implementation of the clinic. Immunocompromised oncology patients have received benefit from vaccination services in a familiar location during their already scheduled oncology appointments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]