Environmental Exposure Assessment: Considerations for Oncology Nurses

Certain patients with cancer are eligible for exposure-related cancer compensation through federal programs, class action lawsuits, or employer programs. However, clinical tools for oncology nurses often do not include prompts to assess patients’ environmental and occupational exposure history. The integration of routine environmental and occupational assessment items into existing clinical assessment tools can enhance the opportunity to link all eligible patients with cancer to resources that could affect their psychological, physical, and financial health outcomes.