Resources for nurses
Nurses' network
CNSs are the cornerstone of good ovarian cancer care. They're uniquely placed at the heart of a woman's experience and should play a central role in ensuring that all women get the high-quality care and support they need.
Our nurses' network offers the latest news, resources and tools to support all nurses in improving the experience, outcomes and care of women living with ovarian cancer, including the ovarian cancer care standard.
This free, members-only area provides support and resources for nurses with an interest in ovarian cancer.
What's new in the nurses network?
- Introduction to the Target Ovarian Cancer nurse-led support line
- PARP inhibitors
- Ovarian cancer care standard
Register or log in to the nurses' network
- Resources for primary care nurses
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Over 40 per cent of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer visit their GP three times or more before being referred for diagnostic tests. And almost half of women are initially referred for tests for something other than ovarian cancer.
Primary care services play a pivotal role in ensuring that women are put on the right path for diagnosis as soon as possible. It's vital that primary care health professionals are knowledgeable of ovarian cancer and vigilant of the symptoms that are commonly associated with it.
Patients are increasingly finding that general practice nurses are the most accessible health professional in the practice, often being offered an appointment with a nurse in the first instance rather than a GP. We believe it's essential that primary care nurses have access to high-quality information about ovarian cancer.
We've taken a three-pronged approach to significantly improve GP nurses' knowledge of ovarian cancer; guide them on how to help women who may be showing symptoms; and explore opportunities to proactively talk to women about ovarian cancer symptoms.
- Our general practice nurse leaflet [PDF] helps nurses update their knowledge of ovarian cancer symptoms and risk factors, and gives simple suggestions for discussing ovarian cancer with patients.
- We published an article in the journal 'Practice Nursing' that takes an in-depth look at ovarian cancer, the challenges of diagnosis in primary care and also the opportunities for earlier diagnosis. (A subscription is required to read the full article.)
- Our Royal College of Nursing-accredited e-learning module on ovarian cancer takes general practice nurses through a series of clinical scenarios, helping them to explore how patients might present with ovarian cancer symptoms in general practice.
Help to raise awareness of ovarian cancer in your local surgery:
- Order copies of our general practice nurse leaflet
- Order our symptoms awareness materials including leaflets, posters and symptoms diaries
Events and training for nurses
See all our information on events and training opportunities relevant to ovarian cancer.
We run free events and courses across the UK and online to support women with ovarian cancer, which may be useful for you to refer women to.
Support from Target Ovarian Cancer
Support line
We offer a confidential contact service for anyone affected by ovarian cancer. This service provides support, information and signposting from nurse advisers with extensive gynaecological oncology experience. You can order copies of our support line cards to give to your patients.
Our guides
Our guides are an invaluable tool for supporting women at all stages of ovarian cancer.
You can order printed copies of the guides to give to the women you work with.
As more of your work is carried out remotely by telephone or virtual consultations, you can send our quick links to your patients by copying and pasting the information for the guide that's suitable for them.
All quick links to ovarian cancer guides [PDF]
- Quick links to information guides
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- What Happens Next
Answers your questions following an ovarian cancer diagnosis, providing advice on everything from treatment to taking care of yourself, and where to find support in the months ahead.
targetovariancancer.org.uk/NewlyDiagnosedGuide - Back Here Again
Offers practical advice and information to help you cope with an ovarian cancer recurrence.
targetovariancancer.org.uk/RecurrenceGuide - My Care, My Future
Aims to help you get the most from every day, while living with incurable ovarian cancer. It offers insights into looking after yourself, understanding symptoms you may have, your relationships with others, and more.
targetovariancancer.org.uk/IncurableGuide - A Younger Woman’s Guide to Ovarian Cancer
Provides crucial information, advice and signposting to help younger women through the emotional, physical and psychological impact of a cancer diagnosis.
targetovariancancer.org.uk/YoungerWomanGuide - Genetic Testing and Hereditary Ovarian Cancer
Answers your questions about whether your ovarian cancer could be hereditary, what a genetic test involves, and the potential implications of the results for you and your family.
targetovariancancer.org.uk/GeneticsGuide
- What Happens Next
- Quick links to wellbeing guides
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- Diet and Nutrition
Answers your questions about what to eat and drink when you have ovarian cancer. It looks at the evidence for different diet and nutrition advice and offers practical suggestions for getting all of the nourishment you need, even when eating is hard.
targetovariancancer.org.uk/DietGuide - Finances
Answers your questions about the impact of an ovarian cancer diagnosis on your finances, providing information on insurance, benefits and pensions, and advice on where to find support and specialist guidance.
targetovariancancer.org.uk/FinancesGuide - Complementary Therapies
Answers your questions about the use of complementary therapies, including what complementary therapies are, the difference between complementary and alternative therapies, and how and where you can find out more.
targetovariancancer.org.uk/TherapiesGuide - Sex and Intimacy
Answers your questions about the impact of an ovarian cancer diagnosis on your sexuality, sex life and relationships, including what physical and emotional issues you may face and how you can seek help and support.
targetovariancancer.org.uk/IntimacyGuide -
Stomas
Is for you if you have a stoma or may get one after ovarian cancer surgery. This guide explores what a stoma is and does and offers practical tips for overcoming common concerns.
targetovariancancer.org.uk/StomaGuide
- Diet and Nutrition
Additional resources for nurses
- Ovarian cancer: recognition and initial management (NICE guidance)
- Macmillan's Consequences of Cancer toolkit helps nurses to support patients living with and beyond a cancer diagnosis
- Cancer Care Review recovery package
- Macmillan's Social prescribing for cancer patients: A guide for primary care networks
- National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service cancer hub This provides data and intelligence on the gynaecological cancers in England. The hub is aimed at a wide range of professionals working in the field, including NHS providers, commissioners, strategic clinical networks, charities, gynaecologists, nurse specialists and other clinicians.
- British Gynaecological Cancer Society A society of professionals dedicated to improving the care provided to patients with gynaecological cancers. Members include medical practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and other allied professionals, including scientists who have an interest in gynaecological cancers.
- UKONS (United Kingdom Oncology Nursing Society) An organisation that aims to ‘promote excellence in the nursing management and care of all those directly and indirectly affected by cancer in all four countries of the UK’.