Nurse endoscopist, colorectal cancer screening,

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Indications for capsule endoscopy include polyp surveillance in Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and potentially colorectal examination and bowel cancer screening. The ability to detect and accurately size polyps associated with these conditions is critical when deciding which patients require further investigation or therapy. Inexperience may affect the ability of capsule endoscopists to perform these skills resulting in sub-optimal patient care. We assessed the performance of volunteers with different levels of endoscopy and capsule endoscopy experience using an animal-based polyp model...

BACKGROUND: The direct and indirect costs of sedation limit access to screening colonoscopy amongst United States veterans. AIM: To determine if offering the option of sedation on-demand reduces the need for sedation. Design A retrospective review of prospectively collected performance improvement data in an open access screening colonoscopy programme. SETTING: Performance improvement programme to minimize the burden of sedation at a single VA Medical Center...

AIMS: Population screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) in New Zealand is under review and would increase demand for colonoscopy. This National Screening Unit commissioned survey aimed to determine the current level of colonoscopy provision in New Zealand's public hospitals, the gap in demand and provision for diagnostic and surveillance procedures, and factors limiting colonoscopy capacity. METHOD: A survey, based on the United States SECAP study, was posted to all public endoscopy units within New Zealand in April 2005...

OBJECTIVE: To assess uptake of once-only flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) in a community sample to determine whether FS would be viable as a method of population-based screening for colorectal cancer. METHODS: All adults aged 60-64 years registered at three General Practices in North West London, UK (510 men and women) were sent a letter of invitation to attend FS screening carried out by an experienced nurse, followed by a reminder if they did not make contact to confirm or decline the invitation...

OBJECTIVES: Expanding the pool of primary care endoscopists to perform flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) has been advocated as a strategy for building colorectal cancer screening capacity. The principal aim of this study was to evaluate the availability and structure of FS training among internal medicine (IM), family practice (FP), physician assistant (PA), and nurse practitioner (NP) training programs. METHODS: A postal survey of all accredited IM (n = 445), FP (n = 471), PA (n = 118), and NP (n = 149) training programs nationwide was conducted...

AIM: To evaluate tolerability and technical feasibility of colorectal cancer screening with flexible sigmoidoscopy. METHODS: One thousand men and women aged 59-61 years, randomly selected from the population register of Uppsala, Sweden, were invited by mail. After random allocation, half of them were called up by a nurse (group 1), while the other half were asked to call themselves (group 2) to book a sigmoidoscopy. After the examination, the participants anonymously answered a questionnaire about their subjective experiences...

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OBJECTIVES: There have been several studies to date establishing the efficacy of nurse endoscopists in colorectal screening. However, no such study has ever been conducted in Hawaii. Utilizing the large sample size of our study, we hope to further support endoscopy by nurses as both a safe and cost-effective means of screening for colon cancer. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of the results of more than 5,000 flexible sigmoidoscopies done by nurse endoscopists in the colorectal screening clinic at Kaiser Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii, between November 1995 and February 2001...

PURPOSE: To describe the colorectal cancer-screening program at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, a large multispecialty medical group, in which nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) perform screening flexible sigmoidoscopies. DATA SOURCES: Scientific literature, consensus statements and guidelines, and the protocol utilized to train NPs and PAs to perform flexible sigmoidoscopy. Data from 9,500 screening procedures are presented. CONCLUSIONS: In comparison with gastroenterologists, trained NP and PA endoscopists perform screening flexible sigmoidoscopy with similar accuracy and safety but at lower cost...

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. In 2000, approximately 130,200 new cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed, and 56,300 persons will die from the disease (Greenlee, Murray, Boldan, & Wingo, 2000). A survey conducted for the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable by the Gallup Organization, found that 47% of people over 50 are not being screened. The National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, which began in March 2000, will educate Americans age 50 and older and prescribe physicians about the importance of colorectal cancer screening tests...

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common incident cancer and the second most fatal cancer in Canada. Flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) is one of the modalities under consideration for CRC screening. The present series reports on a screening program of FS performed by nonphysician endoscopists in a Canadian community setting, with video review of procedures by physicians and recommendation of follow-up colonoscopy where polyps are identified. RESULTS: Five hundred twenty-five, average-risk, asymptomatic patients were examined...

Although screening flexible sigmoidoscopy is associated with a significant decrease in colorectal cancer mortality, less than 50% of eligible Americans have had a sigmoidoscopy. As the United States population ages, over 50 million Americans will be eligible for colorectal cancer screening with flexible sigmoidoscopy. The projected increase in a population eligible for screening is expected to increase demand for this procedure and may result in overwhelming currently available endoscopic resources. Gastroenterology nurses should actively seek training to perform flexible sigmoidoscopy to accommodate this increased demand...

This article provides an overview of the incidence of colorectal cancer in the United States and describes personal and familial factors that increase a person's risk for developing colorectal cancer. Recommendations for each classification of patient risk group are outlined. An in depth review of screening justification for colorectal cancer is presented as well as the American Cancer Society's recommendations for screening. Descriptions of and recommended frequency for fecal occult blood tests, flexible sigmoidoscopy, double contrast barium enema, and colonoscopy are explained as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each test...

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The use of nurse endoscopists to perform flexible sigmoidoscopy is expanding, increasing the availability of colorectal cancer screening. However, the effectiveness of this practice has not been studied in randomized trials. The aim of this trial was to examine the miss rate of polyps, the depth of sigmoidoscope insertion, and the incidence of complications during flexible sigmoidoscopy performed by nurse endoscopists and by gastroenterologists. METHODS: Three hundred twenty-eight patients were randomized to undergo screening flexible sigmoidoscopy performed by a nurse endoscopist or by a gastroenterologist...

Although there is now solid evidence to support the efficacy of colorectal cancer screening, few health care systems have developed comprehensive screening programs. This report describes the scientific rationale, development and implementation strategies, and preliminary results of the Colon Cancer Prevention Program (CoCaP) of the Northern California Region of the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program. CoCaP is a sigmoidoscopy-based screening program that aims to provide screening to all average-risk program members once every 10 years beginning at age 50...

Screening sigmoidoscopy is associated with a 45% to 80% reduction in colorectal cancer mortality. Although less than 50% of eligible Americans have been screened with flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS), the use of this procedure is rising rapidly. By the year 2000, as many as 10 million screening FS per year could be performed. To accommodate the increased demand, many medical centers have trained paramedical personnel (i.e. physician assistants, nurses, and gastroenterology technicians) to perform FS. However, as a result of the paucity of research about this practice, only physicians receive a professional fee for performing screening FS...

With the proposed introduction of a flexible sigmoidoscopic screening programme for colorectal cancer, patient compliance is of paramount importance. Therefore, the bowel preparation providing optimum cleansing of the bowel with the least associated discomfort and inconvenience for the patient must be found. Patients were randomized to receive either Picolax the evening before the examination or self-administered Fleet enemas prior to the investigation. The endoscopist and nurse practitioner who collected data on a standard questionnaire were blinded to the preparation used...

According to the National Cancer Institute, 138,200 new cases and more than 55,000 deaths from colorectal cancer occurred in the U.S. in 1995. A high percentage of early cancers can be detected by screening asymptomatic persons older than age 50 with a digital rectal exam, fecal occult blood testing, and sigmoidoscopy. Evidence suggests that a decrease in mortality from colorectal cancer is associated with regular screening by sigmoidoscopy in an average risk population. As the population ages, more persons are eligible for colorectal cancer screening...

OBJECTIVES: Sigmoidoscopy is an effective screening test for colorectal cancer but has yet to have a major impact on mortality because, in part, of inadequate utilization by physicians. To address concerns of inefficient use of time and resources, we examined the feasibility of high volume, single-day flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) screening sessions using an innovative fiberoptic sigmoidoscope with a disposable sheath system. METHODS: All City of Boston employees over the age of 50 yr (n = 6137) were invited by mail to undergo a screening FS at Boston City Hospital (BCH)...

Colorectal cancer will account for approximately 55,300 deaths in 1995. In addition, 138,200 new cases of colorectal cancer will occur. The American Cancer Society encourages accessible, affordable sigmoidoscopy by primary care physicians or highly trained paramedical personnel for all persons, aged 50 years and older, every 3 to 5 years or as advised by their physician. As a result of these recommendations, there has been an increase in demand for the screening sigmoidoscopy. The increase in requests for this examination has overwhelmed existing resources, including physician time, space, and staff in the ambulatory care setting...