Objective
The educational role of cancer nurses is vital in preparing patients for anti-cancer therapy; however, how Australian cancer nurses approach patient education remains unclear. This study aimed to explore current practices among Australian oncology nurses when educating newly diagnosed patients prior to initial treatment.
Methods
An online survey was distributed via the Cancer Nurses Society of Australia (CNSA) database, targeting nurses routinely involved in patient education. The 61-item survey explored frequency, perceived importance, and self-rated competence of nurses across seven domains of care: diagnosis/goal of treatment, physical effects, fatigue management, employment, and emotional, financial and social components. The survey examined nurse training, use of guidelines, time allocated for education, delivery methods, and supporting resources.
Results
76 nurses responded, with an average of 15.8 years of oncology experience; 75% worked in public hospitals, and 53% were based in metropolitan areas. The most common cancer specialties were breast (31%), lung (17%) and gynecological (16%). Education was typically delivered in one-on-one, fact-to-face sessions (96%) lasting 30-60 minutes (68%), usually prior to the first treatment. Nearly half of the nurse’s delivered 1-2 sessions per week. Most nurses relied on eviQ (97%) and hospital prepared resources (50%) to guide education; 57% had no formal education training, and 95% were not required to complete annual competency assessments. Nurses reported greatest confidence in education about physical side effects. In contrast social, financial and emotional domains were less frequently addressed, with lower confidence despite being rated as important. Key concerns included the need for a consistent approach (87%), patient empowerment (77%) and enhanced nurse training and competencies (76%).
Conclusions
Findings highlight inconsistencies in patient education across domains, potentially due to unconscious bias or perceived role limitations. There is strong need for developing a structured, holistic framework to guide cancer nurses in delivering consistent and comprehensive education.