The Psychological Experience of the Nursing Staff of the Medical Oncology Department in Cameroon: Case of the YaoundéGeneral Hospital

Background: The world of cancer care is an emotional place, given the severity of the disease being treated, the heavy workload, the suffering of patients, and the high number of deaths. The nursing staff who work there may be exposed to constant stress from these factors. This study aimed to explore the psychological experience of the nursing staff of the Medical Oncology Department of the Yaoundé General Hospital. Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study, in June 2017, involving the nursing staff of the Medical Oncology Department of the Yaoundé General Hospital. Results: Sixteen out of 18 nurses were interviewed. All had worked in at least one other department prior to Oncology. The number of years of experience in Oncology ranged from less than one year to 13 years. The choice of the Oncology department was involuntary for 100% of the staff;of these, 62% had intentions of changing departments. Twenty-five percent had applied for a change of department, which was unsuccessful. Stress was expressed by 94% of the staff;93% thought that there was a solution to the stress experienced on a daily basis in the Oncology department. The main solutions proposed to manage this stress were: support for the staff, provision of work materials, and staff training. Conclusion: The nursing staff of the Medical Oncology Department of the Yaoundé General Hospital experiences a high level of stress and are in need of solutions.

Hematobiological Profile of Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia at the Diagnosis in Yaoundé: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative blood neoplasia, characterized by the presence of a translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22 leading to the formation of the Philadelphia chromosome. Data on the biological profile of patients with CML at diagnosis are still lacking in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Cameroon. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out from January 2001 to July 2016 among patients recently diagnosed with CML at the Yaounde University Teaching Hospital, the Yaoundé Central Hospital and the Yaoundé General Hospital. Analyzed variables included socio-demographic, clinical presentation, the diagnosis means, biological parameters (hematological and biochemical). Sampling was consecutive. Results: We included 132 (76 males) patients with CML with a median age of 39.2 years at diagnosis. The 31 - 45 years age group was the most represented, with 40.9% of the study population. A risk factor was found in only 5 (3.8%) of patients. Clinical manifestations were recorded in only 27 (20.45%) patients, with fatigue being the commonest (10.6%). Almost all patients (128, 96.9%) have performed the karyotype while 22 (16.7%) have performed fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and 4 (3.0%) the PCR. At diagnosis, 66% of the patients were in the chronic phase (CP), 11.3% in accelerated phase (AP), and 22.7% in blast crisis (BC). All patients presented hyperleukocytosis, with a white blood cell mean of 128,362/mm3. Anemia was common (77.3%), usually moderate (61.4%). Thrombocytopenia was rare (8.3%), as far as basophilia (1.2%). Among those patients, mean values of creatinine, Glutamic pyruvate transaminase (GPT) and glycemia were normal while activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), plasma uric acid level, gamma glutamic transferase (GGT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and inflammatory parameters (ESR and CRP) were increased. Conclusion: Patients with CML presented at their diagnosis hyperleukocytosis and anemia as hematological clues. Other biological anomalies include increased signs of cellular destruction (plasma uric acid level, LDH), coagulation perturbation and inflammatory syndrome. The chronic phase of the disease was common.