BREAST CARE NURSES

Breast Care Nurses

Breast care nurses

Background

An increased awareness among nurses about breast cancer prevention would most likely result in a higher number of better educated women about breast cancer and also motivate adherence to screening recommendations.

Literature Review

Everyone affected by breast cancer should be able to access support from a breast care nurse.* In the UK, breast care nurses are experienced in all aspects of breast cancer and its treatment. They are specialist nurses trained to provide patients, their families and carers with information, care and support throughout - and after - treatment. Many people who have been diagnosed with breast cancer point to their breast care nurse as the most important contact they have within the health service. Breast care nurses represent best practice in cancer care and we must ensure that this role is continued and developed with appropriate resources, support and career development. At present, breast care nurses across the UK are working hard to ensure that they give everyone diagnosed with breast cancer the attention and support that they need. However, the Breast Care Nursing Society at the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and Breast Cancer Care have mounting concerns about how much longer breast care nurses will be able to ensure that this is the case. These concerns are reinforced by the results of a recent survey, which found that many breast care nurses are worried about how best to cope in the face of increasing demands on their time - for example, new roles and responsibilities such as the introduction of nurse-led clinics (Madanat & Merrill, 2002, 276-282). This, combined with the increase in the number of breast cancer patients - as well as in the complexity of treatment - is making it increasingly difficult for breast care nurses to find the time to give patients the information and support that they need. It is also apparent that breast care nurses are not always given proper support, including professional supervision, to help them carry out their role. In addition to direct patient care, many breast care nurses are concerned about not having the time they need to dedicate to developing and improving services. They also lack time for other key aspects of the clinical nurse specialist role including education, research, audit, teaching and development. Valuable nursing time that could be better spent on patient care is also taken up by administrative duties because of a lack of administrative support.

Challenges facing breast care nursing

In January 2004, Breast Cancer Care carried out a survey of 653 breast care nurses from across the UK, which was completed by 272 nurses (42 per cent). Part of this survey investigated the current challenges facing breast care nurses. The facts that emerge from the survey demonstrate not only the increasing pressure and demands faced by breast care nurses, but also the problems and challenges they encounter in providing information and support.

Key challenges

Breast care nurses identified the following as the key challenges they face in their ...