Evidence Based Practice Clinical Guideline Review
PEP Topic: Mucositis
Author(s): June G. Eilers, PhD APRN CNS BC; Yuki Asakura, PhD RN OCN®; Carol S. Blecher, MS RN AOCN® CBCN®; Deborah Burgoon, MS MSN RN AOCN® MSN OCN®; Rochelle Chiffelle, DNP FNP; Kathryn Ciccolini, MSN AGACNP-BC OCN® DNC; Donna Copeland, MSN RN CPON®; Yitzchak Y. David, MPH BSN RN; Gina DeGennaro, DNP CNS RN CNL AOCN®; Joanne Growney, RN MA ANP-BC OCN®; Dora Hallock, MSN RN CRNI CHPN OCN®; Karen S. Henry, MSN ARNP AOCNP® FNP-BC; Cathy Maxwell, MSN RN OCN®; Hanan Saca-Hazboun, PhD RN; Celestine Samuel-Blalock, MSNL-HCS PHN RN-BC; Anna Skripnik Lucas, MSN RN DNC; Abdel-Qader Tayyem, MSN RN; Janice Terlizzi, RN APN ACNS-BC AOCN®; and Sarah Valinski, BSN RN BMTCN®
DATE OF PUBLICATION: MAY 2017| DATE OF REVIEW: JANUARY 2018
Method of Review: The Evidence Based Practice Guideline Review Subcommittee conducted a review of the updated guideline using the Rapid Appraisal Checklist for Guidelines by Melnyk.1 Because this guideline was developed using a strict protocol by the Oncology Nursing Society, the subcommittee determined that an additional review using the AGREE criteria was not necessary.
Review Summary: This is an adult based guideline which is appropriate for use in patients under 18 years of age. Although mucositis can be more severe in children than in adults receiving the same chemotherapy regimens, most of the suggested interventions to prevent and treat mucositis can be adapted to the pediatric population. Some pharmacological interventions recommended for adults might not be directly applicable to children, considering differences in drug metabolism and different toxicity severity. Research is needed for the use of non-pharmacological interventions in pediatrics.
Recommendation for use: Recommended with some modification for pediatric oncology.
1Melnyk, B.M. & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2011). Appendix D: Rapid Critical Appraisal Checklist for Evidence Based Clinical Practice Guidelines. In Evidence-Based practice in nursing & healthcare. (2nded.). (p. 518). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.