Art Making/Art Therapy
Art therapy encourages participants to express emotions through drawing and is aimed at triggering thoughts and feelings for communication. Trained art therapists assist participants to reflect on and explore the thoughts and feelings exposed in the creative expression. This activity is seen to promote the participant's understanding of him- or herself and the situation encountered.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is the use of fragrant essential oils distilled from plants to alter mood or improve health. Aromatherapy was studied in patients with cancer in the management of lymphedema and depression.
Aquaphor®
Aquaphor is an over-the-counter ointment that has been used, with infants in particular, as a barrier to maintain skin moisture and protect against irritants. Aquaphor has been studied for its effectiveness in the prevention and management of radiodermatitis.
Aqua Lymphatic Therapy
Aqua lymphatic therapy is performed in a hydrotherapy pool and uses the physical properties of water to enable women to perform self-massage and exercises. Aquatic physical therapy uses the resistance of water during exercise instead of weight or other approaches for resistance.
Anxiolytics
Anxiolytics are anti-anxiety agents, or minor tranquilizers, used for the treatment of anxiety and its related physical and psychological symptoms. Various anti-anxiety medications have been evaluated for effects on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, dyspnea, pain, peripheral neuropathy, and hot flashes, as well as anxiety. In many cases, individual drugs, rather than the class of drugs, may be identified as a specific intervention for Putting Evidence Into Practice classification.
Antiviral Prophylaxis for Select at Risk Patients
Antiviral prophylaxis involved the administration of antiviral agents such as acyclcovir, gancylcovir, and valacyclovir to patients at risk for certain viral infections or reactivation of viral infection. A variety of antiviral agents have been studied. Antiviral prophylaxis has been evaluated in patients with cancer and those undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation for prevention of infection from viral agents.
Antimicrobial Coated CVC Catheters in Pediatric Patients
IV catheters that are coated or impregnated with agents such as chlorhexidine, rifampin, silver sulfadiazine, or other antimicrobial agents have been examined for effectiveness in preventing central line-associated infections. This approach has been used with nontunneled, short-term catheters in adults and children, and in the general and HCT patient populations. Findings differ between use in adults and children.
Antimicrobial Coated CVC Catheters in Adults
IV catheters that are coated or impregnated with agents such as chlorhexidine, rifampin, silver sulfadiazine, or other antimicrobial agents have been examined for effectiveness in preventing central line-associated infections. This approach has been used with nontunneled, short-term catheters in adults and children, and in the general and HCT patient populations. Findings differ between use in adults and children.
Antimicrobial Coated CVC Catheters
IV catheters that are coated or impregnated with agents such as chlorhexidine, rifampin, silver sulfadiazine, or other antimicrobial agents have been examined for effectiveness in preventing central line-associated infections. This approach has been used with nontunneled, short-term catheters in adults and children and in the general patient population and patients undergoing stem cell transplantation. Findings differ between use in adults and use in children.
Antimicrobial Catheter Lock Solutions
Solutions for central venous catheter lock use that contain antibiotics or other antimicrobial agents, such as ethanol, have been examined for their effects on the development of central line–associated infections in patients with cancer. A few different antibiotics, like vancomycin, and antiinfective agents, like edetic acid, have been studied.