Email this article 
Perceived roles of oncology nursing
Abstract
The Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology (CANO) Standards of Care (2001) provides a framework that delineates oncology nursing roles and responsibilities. The purpose of this study was to explore how oncology nurses perceive their roles and responsibilities compared to the CANO Standards of Care. Six focus groups were conducted and 21 registered nurses (RNs) from a community-based hospital participated in this study. Transcripts were analyzed using qualitative inductive content analysis. Three themes were identified: 1) Oncology nurses perceive a gap between their defined roles and the reality of daily practice, as cancer care becomes more complex and as they provide advanced oncology care to more patients while there is no parallel adaptation to the health care system to support them, such as safe staffing; 2) Oncology nursing, as a specialty, requires sustained professional development and leadership roles; and 3) Oncology nurses are committed to providing continuous care as a reference point in the health care team by fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and facilitating patient’s navigation through the system. Organizational support through commitment to appropriate staffing and matching scope of practice to patient needs may lead to maximize the health and well-being of nurses, quality of patient care and organizational performance.
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Bakker, D., Conlon, M., Fitch, M., et al. (2010). Canadian oncology nurse work environments part 1. Canadian Journal of Nursing Leadership, 22(4), 50–68.
Bakker D., Fitch M., Green E., Butler L., & Olson K. (2006). Oncology nursing: Finding the balance in a changing health care system. Canadian Oncology Nursing Journal, 16(2), 79–98.
Bakker, D., Strickland, J., Macdonald, C., Butler, L., Fitch, M., Olson, K., & Cummings, G. (2013). The context of oncology nursing practice: An integrative review. Cancer Nursing, 36(1), 72–88. doi:10.1097/NCC.0b013e31824afadf
Baranek, P.M. (2005). A review of scope of practice of health professions in Canada: A balancing act. Toronto: Health Council of Canada.
Berry, L., & Curry, P. (2012). Nursing workload and patient care. The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions. Retrieved from https://nursesunions.ca/sites/default/files/cfnu_workload_paper_pdf.pdf
Besner, J., Doran, D., McGillis Hall, L., Giovannetti, P., Girard, F., Hill, W., Morrison, J., & Watson, L. (2005). A systematic approach to maximizing nursing scopes of practice. The Canadian Health Services Research Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.chsrf.ca/final_research/ogc/besner_e.php
Bryant-Lukosius, D., Green, E., Fitch, M., McCartney, G., & Robb-Blenderman, L. (2007). A survey of oncology advanced practice nurses in Ontario: Profile and predictors of job satisfaction. Nursing Leadership, 20(2), 50–68.
Bryant-Lukosius, D., & DiCenso, A. (2004). A framework for the introduction and evaluation of advanced practice nursing roles. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 48(5), 530–540. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.2004.03235.x
Campbell, C.P. (2013). Positive practice change using appreciative inquiry in oncology primary care nursing. CONJ, 23(2), 117–121 doi:10.5737/1181912x232117120
Canadian Association of Nursing Oncology [CANO] (2001). The Standards of Care. Retrieved from http://www.cano-acio.ca/en/practice/standards_of_care.html
Canadian Cancer Society (2014). Cancer Statistics at a glance. Retrieved from http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-101/cancer-statistics-at-a-glance/?region=on
Chapman, K. (2008). Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology [CANO]: Elevating excellence in oncology patient care: Canadian standards and competencies for oncology nursing. Retrieved from http://www.isncc.org/files/121-Wed_208_1330.1_Chapman.pdf
College of Nursing Ontario (2002). Professional Standards. Retrieved from http://www.cno.org/Global/docs/prac/41006_ProfStds.pdf
Cummings, G., Olson, K., Hayduk, L., Bakker, D., Fitch, M., Green, E., & Conlon, M. (2008). The relationship between nursing leadership and nurses’ job satisfaction in Canadian oncology work environments. Journal of Nursing Management, 16(5), 508–518. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2834.2008.00897.x
DiCenso, A., Bryant-Lukosius, D., Martin-Misener, R., Donald, F., Abelson, J., Bourgeault, I., Kilpatrick, K., … Harbman, P. (2010). Factors enabling advanced practice nursing role integration in Canada. Canadian Journal of Nursing Leadership 23(Special Issue December), 211–238.
Elo, S., & Kyngäs, H. (2008). The qualitative content analysis process. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 62(1), 107–115. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.2007.04569.x
Gill, F., & Duffy, A. (2010). Caring for cancer patients on non-specialist wards. British Journal of Nursing, 19(12), 761–767. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.uproxy.library.dc-uoit.ca/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rzh&AN=2010702217&site=nrc-live.
Horner, K., Ludman, E.J., McCorkle, R., Canfield, E., Flaherty, L., Min, J., & Wagner, E.H. (2013). An oncology nurse navigator program designed to eliminate gaps in early cancer care. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 17(1), 43–48. doi:10.1188/13.CJON.43-48.
Ingram, R. (1991). Why does nursing need theory? Journal of Advanced Nursing, 16(3), 350–353. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.1991.tb01659.x
Institute for Healthcare Improvement (2014). Web-based training expedition for hospital. Retrieved from http://www.ihi.org/education/WebTraining/Expeditions/MultidisciplinaryRounds/Pages/default.aspx
Jacobs, L., Scarpa, R., Lester, J., & Smith, J. (2004). Leadership & professional development. Oncology nursing as a specialty: The education, scope, and standards for advanced practice nursing in oncology. Oncology Nursing Forum, 31(3), 507–509.
Leiter, M.P., Harvie, P., & Frizzell, C. (1998). The correspondence of patient satisfaction and nurse burn-out. Social Science and Medicine, 47, 1611–1617.
Lemonde, M. (2008). UOIT challenge innovates connect: Faculty of Health Sciences research practicum. Retrieved from http://research.uoit.ca/EN/main/about_research/findanexpert.html
Love, B., Green, E., & Bryant-Lukosius, D. (2004). Oncology nursing: Our past is the prologue... Can we author the future? Canadian Oncology Nursing Journal, 14(2), 96–102.
McDonnell, K. (2011). Driving forces that transformed the care of individuals with cancer from 1900–1940. Oncology Nursing Forum, 38(6), 15–20. doi:10.1188/11.S1.ONF.E15-E20
O’Brien-Pallas, L., Murphy, G.T., Shamian, J.L., & Hayes L.J. (2010). Impact and determinants of nurse turnover: A pan-Canadian study. Journal of Nursing Management, 18(8), 1073–1086. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2834.2010.01167
Oelke, N.D., White, D., Besner, J., Doran, D., McGillis Hall, L., & Giovannetti, P. (2008). Nursing workforce utilization: an examination of facilitators and barriers on scope of practice.Nursing Leadership, 21(1), 58–70.
Ontario Nursing Association (2015). Nursing shortage: What is it? How severe is it? How will it impact my career as a nurse? Retrieved from http://www.ona.org/faqs.html#f10
Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (2013). Developing and sustaining nursing leadership. Retrieved from http://rnao.ca/bpg/guidelines/developing-and-sustaining-nursing-leadership
Roe, D., & Swarbrick, M. (2007). A recovery-oriented approach to psychiatric medication: Guidelines for nurses. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing & Mental Health Services, 45(2), 35.
Schuiling, K.D., & Slager, J. (2000). Scope of practice: Freedom within limit. Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health, 45(6), 456–71.
Vaismoradi, M., Turunen, H., & Bondas, T. (2013). Content analysis and thematic analysis: Implications for conducting a qualitative descriptive study. Nursing & Health Sciences, 15(3), 398–405. doi:10.1111/nhs.1204
White, D., Oelke, N., Besner, J., Doran, D., Hall, L., & Giovannetti, P. (2008). Nursing scope of practice: Descriptions and challenges. Nursing Leadership, 21(1), 44–57.
Wiernikowski, J. (2007). Elevating excellence in oncology patient care: Canadian standards and competencies for oncology nursing. Oncology Nursing Forum, 35(3), 498.
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
