Leveraging Non-Oncology Observation Nurses to Monitor Bispecific T-Cell Engager Therapy: A Survey-Based Study
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
2-2025
Publication Title
Transplantation and Cellular Therapy
Abstract
Topic Significance & Study Purpose/Backgroung/Rationale Bispecific T-cell Engager therapies represent a promising approach in oncology, but the monitoring for side effects, particularly cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurotoxicity, can be complex. Patients receiving bispecific therapy, during the critical post ramp-up dosing phase, require close monitoring for early signs of these potentially life-threatening side effects. Due to high demand for beds on expensive oncology and bone marrow transplant (BMT) units, non-oncology observation nurses—who are typically not accustomed to managing acute patients—were trained to monitor patients post bispecific ramp-up doses. This study evaluates the non-oncology nurses’ comfort and confidence to identify side effects post training and post experience monitoring bispecific therapy patients.
Methods, Intervention, & Analysis Thirteen non-oncology observation nurses, all of which have cared for bispecific patients post training, were invited to participate in a survey, with 7 responding. The survey explored pre- and post-training confidence in managing oncology-specific side effects, identification of CRS and neurotoxicity, and overall care experiences. Findings & Interpretation •Before training, 71% of the nurses reported feeling “somewhat not confident” or “extremely not confident” in identifying CRS or neurotoxicity. • Post-training, 100% of nurses indicated they felt "somewhat confident" or "extremely confident" in identifying CRS and neurotoxicity, reflecting a substantial improvement in confidence. • The most helpful educational materials reported were the Bispecific Therapy Tip Sheets, Bispecific Therapy Binder, and Patient Educational materials, with one nurse also noting the importance of having access to Nurse Practitioners (NPs) for guidance. • 86% of nurses rate the overall experience of training and caring for bispecific patients to be good. • Feedback highlighted the need for additional hands-on training and educational resources.
Discussion & Implications Training non-oncology observation nurses to monitor bispecific therapy patients has both clinical and financial benefits. These nurses, despite their lack of acute care experience, adapted well to monitoring side effects. Financially, using observation units for bispecific therapy reduces the need for costly oncology/BMT beds, providing significant cost savings for hospitals while maintaining high-quality patient care. Continued education and support will be critical to sustaining these benefits and optimizing resource allocation.
Volume
31
Issue
2 Suppl
First Page
S444
Recommended Citation
Waldrup K, McWhirter L, Pirkola M, Thayer K, van Lier A. Leveraging non-oncology observation nurses to monitor bispecfici T-cell engager therapy: a survey-based study. Transplant Cell Ther. 2025 Feb;31(2 Suppl):S444. doi: 10.1016/j.jtct.2025.01.681
DOI
10.1016/j.jtct.2025.01.681
Comments
2025 Tandem Meetings of ASTCT (American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy) and CIBMTR (Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research), February 12-15, 2025, Honolulu, HI