Current Status of Pediatric Oncology Nursing in Africa: Perspective of African nurses of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP Africa)

Abstract

As African countries adopt the global goal of improving childhood cancer survival to 60% by the year 2030, intentional actions are required to improve nursing. This paper provides the perspective and amplifies the voice of African pediatric oncology nurses. It illuminates the room for improvement and provides a reference point for future comparison. First, we document findings from a survey of the perceived strengths and weaknesses conducted in 2017. The main strength was the humanization of care, while the major weakness was lack of training follow up and insufficient evidence to guide practice. Next, we report on nursing-related aspects of a survey to map pediatric oncology services in Africa. Only 21% of respondents in the mapping survey reported having nurses who care for children with cancer at least 75% of their time. Many centres do not have allied health workers like dieticians, play therapists, and psychologists. Furthermore, we share African pediatric oncology nurses’ research priorities identified in a 2019 survey. The top research priorities focused on professional practice and psychosocial support. In a Delphi survey to identify topics for a foundational curriculum for nurses new to pediatric oncology, 57 topics areas were identified and grouped into 12 modules. Finally, we report a single-question survey from 2022 to obtain the perspective of African nurses about the state of pediatric oncology nursing across the continent. The African nurses affirm their dedication to providing compassionate care, however, noting their vulnerability to harm and calling for certified training and better specialization recognition and remuneration.