Excellent Practices

Specialised Nurses Oncology

Practice Category: Treatment

Centre: Kortrijk Cancer Centre AZ Groeninge

Lisa Deprez

Head of Specialised Nurses Oncology

lisa.deprez@azgroeninge.be

Challenge addressed by the practice

Patient care is becoming increasingly comprehensive and complex. From the moment a tumour process is suspected, patients enter a fast-paced sequence of diagnostic tests and procedures, often along with prolonged waiting times for results. From the start of an oncological journey, the impact on patients is substantial. It is therefore difficult for them to process and understand the large amount of information. In addition, patients often have to make important decisions even before the start of treatment, at times that are emotionally and physically very demanding.

Throughout their oncological journey, patients come into contact with a wide range of disciplines and healthcare providers, which may lead to fragmentation of care. It is important to pay attention to the patient’s needs and choices and to actively encourage shared decision making.

Furthermore, attention must also be given to the patient’s family, immediate environment, and broader context.

Solution

The specialised nurse in oncology supports the patient as a guiding thread throughout the entire care trajectory. Tailored support is provided to both the patient and their family, adapted to their specific needs and context. 

In addition, the specialised nurse coordinates the entire care process and acts as a bridge between the oncology department and the organ-specific department, ensuring continuity and coherence of care. When necessary, patients are referred to additional supportive services.

We provide patients with the right information at key moments, enabling them to better understand their disease and treatment pathway. From the very beginning of the illness, the specialised nurse serves as the primary point of contact for patients and their families. By meeting patients shortly before or immediately after diagnosis, a trusting relationship is established. We adopt an accessible approach that encourages them to reach out whenever they have questions and to actively engage in their care process.

Impact

  • Improved treatment adherence: Patients are better informed and have a clearer understanding of the purpose and potential effects of their therapy.
  • Increased patient empowerment: Through structured education and coaching, patients are able to better recognise and manage their symptoms, and encouraged to express their needs and actively participate in decisions regarding their care.
  • Referral and coordination role: The specialised nurse ensures that the appropriate services are involved at the right time. This also promotes better collaboration among the various multidisciplinary teams and healthcare providers.
  • Reduced waiting times and proactive support: Through coordination and guidance of the care process, patients supported by a specialised nurse may experience reduced waiting times. The availability of a clear and accessible point of allows an earlier identification of emerging problems  and contributes to timely interventions.
  • Higher patient satisfaction: Patients who are supported by a specialised nurse report higher levels of satisfaction with their care.

Critical success factors

  • Perspective of other healthcare providers: Whereas the role was previously seen mainly as supportive, the specialised nurse is now recognised as a key figure in the patient pathway.
  • Specialisation by tumour type: Each specialised nurse is assigned to one or at most two tumour types, allowing for in-depth expertise and continuity of care.
  • Adequate training and continuing education
  • Integrated patient care: By embedding the specialised oncology nurse within the care pathway, fragmentation of care is reduced and coordination is improved, resulting in more integrated patient care.
  • Collaboration with treating physicians: Good and effective collaboration between the specialised nurse and treating physicians is essential to ensure alignment of care decisions, timely interventions, and direct benefits for the patient.
  • Team stability: A stable team is essential for continuity of care and for maintaining knowledge within the team.
  • The hospital’s strategic choice to financially invest in the hiring of specialised nurses.

Next steps

We continue to invest in the further professionalisation of the specialised oncology nurse within the new care ladder (level 6, +20 ECTS). For each tumour group, we cover the entire patient pathway and adapt care to new treatments. In addition, we incorporate digital tools to better inform patients about their patient journey. Furthermore, we contribute to the development of care pathways, guidelines, and procedures specific to our patient population, and initiate quality improvement projects. These efforts aim to continously advance patient-centred care, optimise outcomes, and reinforce the role of the specialised oncology nurse as a central coordinator throughout the oncological journey.

Lisa Deprez