Handbook of Oncology Social Work Psychosocial Care for People with Cancer

The development of this inaugural Handbook of Oncology Social Work: Psychosocial Care for People With Cancer provides a repository of the scope of oncology social workers' clinical practice, education, research, policy and program leadership in the psychosocial care of people with cancer and their families. It focuses on the unique synergy of social work perspectives, values, knowledge, and skills with the psychosocial needs of cancer patients, their families, and the health care systems in which they are treated. It addresses both the science and art of psychosocial care and identifies the increasing specialization of oncology social work related to its unique knowledge base, skills, role, and the progressive complexity of psychosocial challenges for patients with cancer.

This Handbook equips the reader with all that we know today in oncology social work about patient and family centered care, distress screening, genetics, survivorship, care coordination, sociocultural and economic diversity, legal and ethical matters, clinical work with adults living with cancer, cancer across the lifespan, their caregivers and families, pediatrics, loss and grief, professional career development, leadership, and innovation. Our hope is that in reading this Handbook you will identify new areas where each of you can leave your mark as innovators and change agents in our evolving field of practice.

Grace Christ, PhD, MA, is Professor of Social Work at Columbia University.

Carolyn Messner, PhD, MSW, is Director of Education, Cancer Care, Inc.

Lynn Behar, PhD, MSW, is a Board Member of the Association of Oncology Social Work.

Section 1: Overview of Oncology Social Work
Carolyn Messner

1. Cancer in Contemporary Society: Grounding in Oncology and Psychosocial Care
Stewart B. Fleishman and Carolyn Messner

2. Oncology Social Work: Past, Present, and Future
Susan Hedlund

3. Integrating Research and Evidence-Based Practice with Clinical Knowledge
Julianne S. Oktay

4. Oncology and Health Care Disparities
Anjanette Wells, Darrell Hudson, Lorena Estrada-Martinez, and Sarah Gehlert

5. Meeting Psychosocial Health Needs: An Institute of Medicine Report Comes to Life
Kim Day

Section 2: Cancer across a Continuum of Care: Clinical Practice, Opportunities, and Challenges
Brad Zebrack

6. Oncology Social Work Interventions throughout the Continuum of Cancer Care
Brad Zebrack, Barbara L. Jones, and Kathryn M. Smolinski

7. Diagnosis and Initiation of Cancer Treatment
Karen Kell Hartman

8. Sense Making in Living with Cancer as a Chronic Illness
Paul G. Clark and Sage Bolte

9. Cancer Survivorship: Concepts, Interventions, and Research
Penny Damaskos and Carly Parry

10. Transition to End-of-Life Care in Oncology
Deborah Waldrop and Sherri Weisenfluh

Section 3: Psychosocial Challenges of Site-Specific Cancers
Carolyn Messner

11. The Biopsychosocial Implications of the Site of the Cancer
Carolyn Messner, Caroline Kornhauser, and Rosalie Canosa

12. Living with a Rare Cancer Diagnosis: A Survivor's Perspective
Patrick Garbe

13. Working with Men Challenged by Prostate Cancer
Les Gallo-Silver

14.The Many Dimensions of Breast Cancer: Determining the Scope of Needed Services
Roz Kleban and Susan Glaser

15.Hematologic Cancers: Patients' Needs for Specialized Care
Kate Pederson, Brian Tomlinson, and Lisa O'Brien

16. When the Shoe Drops Twice: Unique Fears and Challenges of Recurrent Disease
Elizabeth Ezra and Maria Chi

Section 4. Implementing Distress Screening Initiatives in Oncology
Grace Christ

17. Distress Screening Guidelines for Oncology Social Workers
James R. Zabora

18. Development of a National Canadian Program for Oncology Stress as the 6th Vital Sign
Barry D. Bultz, Matthew Loscalzo, and Shannon Groff

19. Touch-Screen Technology: Using a Problem Checklist for Psychosocial Oncology Screening
Karen Clark, Matthew Loscalzo, and Barry D. Bultz

20. Distress Screening and Responding in an Ambulatory Cancer Center
Jill Taylor-Brown and Heather Campbell-Enns

21. Screening and Assessment of Suicide Risk in Oncology
Mark E. Anderson, Margrett R. Myhre, Donna Suckow, and Angela McCabe

22. Using Telemedicine to Respond to Distress in Rural and Remote Chemotherapy Clinics
Carole Mayer and Sheila Damore-Petingola

23. Next Steps for Psychosocial Screening in Oncology
Lynne E. Padgett, Carly Parry, and Stephen Taplin

Section 5: Social Work Research: Challenges and Opportunities
Karen Kayser

24. An Agenda for Oncology Social Work Research: From Bench to Bedside to Trench
Karen Kayser

25. Practice Relevant Research in Oncology: Science Is What You Do When You Don't Know What to Do
Taryn Lindhorst

26. Finding Funding for Oncology Social Work Research
Mary Ann Burg

27. Writing Proposals for Foundations and Governmental Agencies
Guadalupe R. Palos

28. Opportunities for Social Work Research in Oncology
Carly Parry and G. Stephane Philogene

Section 6. Complex Issues Affecting Quality of Life and Quality of Care
Shirley Otis-Green

29. The Convergence of Oncology and Palliative Social Work
Terry Altilio and Bridget Sumser

30. Treatment Adherence in Oncology
Brian Giddens

31. The Impact of Comorbidities on Cancer Care
Barbara Head

32. Social Work Practice with Families Affected by Hereditary Cancer
Allison Werner-Lin

33. Pain and Symptom Management
Terry Altilio and Laurel Eskra Tropeano

34. Sexuality and Cancer
Sage Bolte and Christopher Anrig

35. The Oncology Social Worker and Genomics
Allison Werner-Lin

Section 7. Sociocultural and Economic Diversity: Improving Access and Health Outcomes
Yvette Colón

36. Working with Sociocultural and Economic Diversity
Yvette Colón

37. Support for Immigrants, Political Refugees, and Patients Seeking Asylum Who Have Cancer
Amanda Amodio and Upal Basu Roy

38. Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Individuals Diagnosed with Cancer
Kathryn M. Smolinski and William Goeren

39. Transgender Individuals and Families Affected by Cancer
Max Rorty

40. Alaska Native, Native American, and First Nation People: Outreach, Screening, and Assessment
Karina L. Walters, Teresa Evans-Campbell, Matthew A. Town, Katie Schultz, Jessica H. L. Elm, and Ramona E. Beltrán

41. Access to Medical Treatment for African Americans Diagnosed with Cancer: The Current Evidence Base
Karen Bullock and Hannah Allison

42. Hispanic/Latino Individuals and Families Affected by Cancer: Outreach, Screening, and Assessment
Guadalupe R. Palos

43. Working with Chinese Families Impacted by Cancer: An Integrative Body-Mind-Spirit Approach
Pamela Pui-Yu Leung and Cecilia L. W. Chan

Section 8: Assessment and Interventions with Adults Living with Cancer
Hester Hill Schnipper

44. Interventions and Ongoing Assessment with People Living with Cancer
Hester Hill Schnipper and Ashley Varner

45. Time Enough to Make a Difference: Helping Our Patients Live Well with Advanced Cancer
Hester Hill Schnipper

46. Integrating Spirituality in Oncology Care
Shirley Otis-Green and Terry Irish

47. Clinical Group Work: Embracing Opportunities, Navigating Challenges
Erin Columbus and Kate Wakelin

48. Assessing and Intervening with the Spectrum of Depression and Anxiety in Cancer
Carole F. Seddon and Hester Hill Schnipper

49. Using Cognitive and Behavioral Approaches throughout the Cancer Experience
John G. Cagle and Matthew Loscalzo

50. Meaning-making Approaches to Social Work Practice in Oncology
Carrie Lethborg and Lou Harms

51. Schema Therapy with Oncology Patients and Families
Lissa Parsonnet

52. Practice Issues in Social Work and Psychosocial Oncology in Israel
Shlomit Perry

53. Oncology Social Work Practice in Integrative Medicine
Cecilia L. W. Chan and Richard R. Dickens

Section 9: Interventions with Families and Caregivers in Oncology
Susan Hedlund

54. Introduction to Working with Families in Oncology
Susan Hedlund

55. Caregivers of Cancer Patients
Ashley Varner

56. Psychosocial Interventions with Couples Affected by Cancer
Karen Kayser and Jennifer L. Scott

57. Managing Family Conflict: Providing Responsive Family Care at the End of Life
Betty J. Kramer and Amy Z. Boelk

58. Family and Team Conferencing in Oncology
Iris Cohen Fineberg

Section 10: Interventions with Parental Cancer, Dependent Children, and Adolescents
Lynn Behar

59. Parental Cancer: Developmentally Informed Practice Guidelines for Family Consultation and Communication
Grace Christ

60. Single Parents Coping with Cancer and Children
Lynn Behar and Frances Marcus Lewis

61. A Parallel Group Program for Parents and Children: Using Expressive Techniques and Activities to Facilitate Communication
Krista Nelson

Section 11: Pediatrics: Assessment and Interventions with Children and Adolescent Cancer Patients-The Unique Challenges of Pediatric Oncology
Barbara L. Jones

62. Interventions for Children under Age 15 Living with Cancer
Lori Wiener and Ursula M. Sansom-Daly

63. Interventions for Adolescents Living with Cancer
Rebecca G. Block

64. The Family Experience in Pediatric Oncology
Nancy F. Cincotta

65. Helping Siblings of Pediatric Cancer Patients
Nancy F. Cincotta

66. Reaching Out to Culturally Diverse Populations in Pediatric Oncology
Nancy Contro and Analisa Trott

67. Pediatric Cancer Survivors
Kate Shafer and Constance Connor

68. Pediatric Palliative Care
Stacy S. Remke

Section 12: Impact of a Cancer Diagnosis across the Adult Life Span
Tara Schapmire

69. Young Adults (20 to 39) with Cancer
Sage Bolte

70. Parents of Younger Adults with Cancer
Susan Hedlund

71. Cancer and Middle-Aged Adults (40 to 64)
Cindy Davis and Connie Rust

72. Cancer and Older Adults (65 Plus)
Tara Schapmire and Anna Faul

73. Working with Families of Older Adults with Cancer
Daniel S. Gardner

Section 13: Loss, Grief, and Bereavement
Mary Sormanti

74. Understanding Bereavement: How Theory, Research, and Practice Inform What We Do
Mary Sormanti

75. Spousal/Intimate Partner Loss and Bereavement
Deborah Carr

76. Mourning the Death of a Child
Nancy F. Cincotta

77. Developing Culturally Informed Research on Bereavement Interventions
Amy Yin Man Chow

78. Leading Bereavement Groups
Richard T. Hara and Rachel Odo

Section 14: Patient- And Family-Centered Care: Social Work Role and Organizational Models for Psychosocial Services
Nancy W. Newman

79. Patient- and Family-Centered Care: A National Mandate and Social Work Goal
Nancy W. Newman and Cynthia Medeiros

80. Integrated Interdisciplinary Staff Leadership Model of Patient-Centered Care
Matthew Loscalzo, Karen Clark, and Barry D. Bultz

81. Directing Stand-Alone Social Work Department Models
Margaret Weld Meyer and Wendy J. Evans

82. Creating Innovative Cancer Support Programs in Community Cancer Centers
Alison Mayer Sachs and Kerry Irish

83. Managing Volunteer Services in Oncology
Catherine Credeur and Christine Healy

Section 15: U.S. Health Care Advocacy: Legal and Ethical Issues in Oncology
Gary L. Stein

84. Historic and Current Perspectives on Health Care Reform
Gunnar Almgren

85. Bioethical Issues in Oncology and the Social Work Response
Gary L. Stein and Jeanne Kerwin

86. Improving Pain Care Policy: Implications for Social Work Advocacy
Mary Beth Morrissey

Section 16: Care Coordination, Managing Transitions, Providing Resources
Carol P. Marcusen

87. Transitions during Cancer Care
Carol P. Marcusen

88. Patient Navigation in Oncology
Melissa Sileo Stewart and Rian Rodriguez

89. Bridging Increasing Financial Gaps and Challenges in Service Delivery
Jane Levy and Michele McCourt

90. The Importance of Patient Education
Julie Keany Hodorowski, Carolyn Messner, and Caroline Kornhauser

91. Legal Issues that Affect Quality of Life for Oncology Patients and Their Caregivers
Kathryn M. Smolinski and Debra Wolf

Section 17. Practice Settings: Where Oncology Social Workers Work
Victoria Kennedy

92. Oncology Social Work across Sites of Care
Victoria Kennedy

93. Oncology Social Work Practice in Hospitals and Cancer Centers
Louise Knight

94. Veterans and Cancer
Louisa Daratsos

95. The Evolving Role for Oncology Social Workers in Business
Jennifer Mills

Section 18: Professional Development and Education
Katherine Walsh

96. An Integrated Model of Supervision, Education, and Career Development
Annamma Abraham Kaba and Penny Damaskos

97. Career Planning in Oncology Social Work: From Practice to Academia
Katherine Walsh

98. Grant-Funded Educational Programs in Psychosocial Oncology
Shirley Otis-Green and Sheila L. Hammer

99. Vicarious Resilience: Sustaining a Career over the Long Haul
Debra Mattison

100. The American Cancer Society's Contributions to Oncology Social Work
Virginia Krawiec and Greta Greer

101. APOSW and AOSW: Education and Development of Professional Networks
Ann Fairchild, Christa G. Burke, Paula G. McCarthy, Stacy Stickney Ferguson, and Katherine Walsh

102. OSW-C: The Importance of Certification for Oncology Social Workers
Virginia Vaitones, Johanna Schutte, and Debra Mattison

103. NASW and Oncology Social Work
Elizabeth J. Clark and Stacy Collins

Section 19: Building Resilience in Interprofessional Practice
Penny Damaskos

104. Building Resilience: A Multifaceted Support Program for Professional and Support Staff in a Cancer Center
Jane Bowling and Penny Damaskos

105. How Oncology Professionals Manage the Emotional Intensity of Their Work
Elizabeth A. Rohan

106. Developing Core Competencies for Interprofessional Teams: A Script-Reading Approach
Patricia McGillicuddy, Karen Gold, and Mandy Lowe

107. Schwartz Rounds: Process, Outcomes, and Opportunities for Improving Interprofessional Practice
Margaret S. Wool

108. Maintaining Competent Teams in Pediatric Oncology
Sima Zadeh, Jayne Phillips, Jeasmine E. Aizvera, and Lori Wiener

Section 20
109: Moving Forward: Leading the Way with Psychosocial
Grace Christ