The novel coronavirus infection spread rapidly. In response, meetings were convened at the Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital, bringing together professionals from the medical, nursing, and medical technology departments. Various measures were implemented to curb the spread of the infection. Our Central Laboratory was tasked with promptly establishing a rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing scheme. They initiated operations using the manual from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases; however, problems quickly accumulated as the infection continued to spread. An increase in the number of PCR tests was requested to accommodate the growing number of patients as the infection spread.

Our laboratory aimed to establish a system for using PCR tests as a screening method for all patients prior to admission. Achieving this required increasing the number of technicians performing PCR tests, switching reagents, introducing new equipment, and extending testing to nights and holidays. Furthermore, new demands arose, such as distinguishing the virus from influenza in preparation for the winter season and detecting mutated virus strains. These demands led to further consideration of introducing additional equipment and reagents. During this time, the supply of provisions became unstable, prompting efforts to secure the necessary resources to prevent interruptions in testing. As clinical testing specialists, we are responsible for ensuring accuracy of testing and meeting clinical needs. We recognized the importance of responding appropriately by carefully analyzing information about testing reagents, monitoring trends in the spread of the novel coronavirus, and staying informed about the actions of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

Background: This study aimed to clarify the current status of interest in and learning needs for cancer nursing among nurses working at University Hospital A and to obtain suggestions for improving the cancer nursing education system.

Methods: A questionnaire survey was administered to 900 nursing professionals working at University Hospital A using Google Forms. The analysis was conducted using a chi-square test, with a statistical significance level of 5%.

Results: There were 500 valid responses (response rate: 53%). The most experienced nurses had 1-5 years of experience, accounting for half of the total respondents. Regarding cancer nursing experience, 84.8% of nurses reported having experience in the field, yet 75.6% had never attended a cancer nursing training course. Factors associated with a high participation rate in training included working in adult medicine wards or outpatient departments, having 10 or more years of experience, and being on career ladders IV and V. Conversely, the lowest participation rates were observed among nurses in intensive care units and operating rooms, those with less than 5 years of experience, and those in career ladder I. Regarding learning needs, the results were significantly high for all 21 items of the Cancer Nursing Core Curriculum. These findings suggest that years of experience and the frequency of cancer nursing practice influence interest in the field. To meet the high demand for learning, it is necessary to create a practice-oriented learning environment that considers department assignment and years of experience.

Conclusions: Interest in and learning needs related to cancer nursing were identified among those working at University Hospital A. As the number of patients with cancer is expected to continue increasing, nurses recognize that opportunities to engage in cancer nursing will inevitably extend to all nursing professionals, regardless of their specific care settings. To develop nurses with high-quality cancer nursing skills, a learning environment aligned with daily practice and individual life situations should be established, rather than relying solely on the current lecture-based system.

Here, we report a case of allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) caused by Schizophyllum commune, a rare fungus. Asthma associated with S. commune tends to be poorly controlled.

A 36-year-old woman with bronchial asthma experiencing persistent nasal congestion for several months was referred to our department. Preoperatively, the patient was diagnosed with AFRS due to elevated multi-fungal immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels on radioallergosorbent test and hyperintense lesions on sinus computed tomography (CT), suggesting the presence of eosinophilic mucins. Postoperatively, the causative fungus was identified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and measurement of serum S. commune-specific IgE antibody levels.