Radiation Therapy

In this lesson, we will review what radiation therapy is, introduce some types of radiation therapy, and assess how they are used to treat tumors and some types of cancer.  We will also discuss potential complications and side effects of radiation therapy that nurses will assess for along with nursing interventions to help manage side effects and symptoms.  Finally, we will go over nursing interventions  regarding radiation treatments aimed at minimizing side effects, preventing complications, and supporting client comfort after radiation therapy.

Learning Objectives:

Upon the completion of this lesson, learners will be able to:

1. Understand the purposes of radiation therapy
2. State types of radiation therapy
3. Describe priority nursing assessments and interventions for before and after radiation therapy
4. Discuss client education topics related to preventing complications after radiation therapy