Oncology Nursing: Educating Advanced Practice Nurses to Provide Culturally Competent Care

More than 37 million persons or 12.4% of the U.S. population are older than 65 years. These numbers are expected to reach 71.5 million (20% of the population) by 2030. This older population is becoming more racially and ethnically diverse as the overall minority and culturally diverse populations in...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of professional nursing 2011-07, Vol.27 (4), p.245-254
Main Authors: Yeo, Theresa Pluth, Phillips, Janice, Delengowski, Anne, Griffiths, Margaret, Purnell, Larry
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Advanced practice nurses
Cancer
Cancer care
Clinical competence
Cultural competence
Cultural Competency
Cultural diversity
Diversity
Education, Nursing, Graduate
Graduate nursing education
Humans
Multiculturalism & pluralism
Nurses
Nursing
Nursing care
Oncology
Oncology nursing
Oncology Nursing - manpower
Underserved people
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:More than 37 million persons or 12.4% of the U.S. population are older than 65 years. These numbers are expected to reach 71.5 million (20% of the population) by 2030. This older population is becoming more racially and ethnically diverse as the overall minority and culturally diverse populations increase. Although the incidence and mortality rates from several major cancers have declined due to advances in cancer care, these advances have lagged among the underserved and more vulnerable racially and culturally diverse populations. Moreover, the disparity between the gender and the racial mix of nurses and the overall population continues to widen. Thus, a growing need for professional nurses and advanced practice nurses with formal educational preparation in all areas of oncology nursing exists. This article (a) highlights significant cancer disparities among diverse populations, (b) describes how cultural belief systems influence cancer care and decision making, and (c) explicates the need to prepare advanced practice nurses for careers that include cancer care of diverse and vulnerable populations through formal oncology educational programs. The “Top 10” reasons for becoming an advanced practice nurse specializing in the oncologic care of patients from diverse and underserved populations are presented.
ISSN:8755-7223
1532-8481
DOI:10.1016/j.profnurs.2011.03.004