Radiation oncology nurses: staffing patterns and role development.

A national survey that recently was conducted by the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) shows an alarmingly low level of budgeted staff nurse positions in radiation oncology departments. This report, coupled with persistent comments from radiation oncology nurses nationwide who say that they often are expected to spend more time on "clinic care" than on patient care, raises grave concerns for patients. Patients receiving radiation therapy must deal with the actual and potential side effects of therapy as well as the anxiety caused by therapy and the cancer diagnosis. Managing symptoms and assisting patients with coping are just two of the many patient-care functions that nurses perform, yet role ambiguity may be the major reason for the low number of budgeted staff nurse positions reported in the ONS survey. This article describes two recent publications that offer definitive role development and staffing pattern guidelines for radiation oncology nurses. These guidelines may help to elicit support from the hospital administration to budget for adequate staff and to use that staff appropriately.