Advanced practice in oncology nursing: a role delineation study.

PURPOSE

To identify the elements that comprise the role of the advanced practice oncology nurse.

DESIGN

Survey.

SETTING

National.

SAMPLE

637 master's-prepared nurses in oncology clinical practice and 619 baccalaureate nurses who were in their first four years of certification as oncology nurses.

METHODS

Using a 190-item survey composed of five subscales (Direct Caregiver, Consultant, Administrator/Coordinator, Researcher, and Educator) listing advanced practice behaviors, respondents were asked to indicate the frequency with which they performed each behavior and the importance of each behavior to their practice.

MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES

The elements of the advanced practice role differentiated from those elements of the role of the nurse who is practicing at the generalist level (i.e., non-master's-prepared).

FINDINGS

The majority of items showed a significant difference between the the two groups with the greatest similarities in the area of Direct Caregiver and the greatest differences in the areas of Consultant and Researcher. Advanced practice nurses indicated that they performed the behaviors on the Direct Caregiver and Educator subscales most frequently and believed these behaviors to be most important to their practice.

CONCLUSION

Significant differences exist between the roles of nurses in basic and advanced oncology nursing practice.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

The results of the role delineation study have been used to design the blueprint for the Advanced Oncology Nursing Certification Test, to be administered for the first time in April 1995.