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.