1451 From consultation to innovation. The development of nursing consultancy in the utrecht comprehensive cancer centre area, The Netherlands

Abstract

To promote the quality of nursing care for cancer patients 7 out of 9 comprehensive cancer centres (CCC) have established a system of nursing consultancy. The CCC Utrecht initiated this in 1985 to be able to answer questions from nurses working with cancer patients. Lack of structure prevented an efficient use of the consultants. In the course of the years the number of specialized oncology nurses has increased greatly. The institutions wanted quality improvement in patient care from this investment in training. The CCC Utrecht took the initiative to create a structure in which all the institutions of health care in the area are represented. At a regional level a steering committee of nursing managers works alongside a permanent working party of oncology nurses. At a local level each hospital has its own nursing network which is represented in the regional working party. Nursing consultants have been added to all these groups as advisers and they are responsible for coordination. Guidelines are developed in the regional working party, implementation takes place at the local level. This joining of forces has produced nursing handbooks, standard nursing care plans, guidelines for patient information, mouth care, mamma care, continuity of care and pain management. Recently a nationwide working party of CCC nursing consultants has been added to this organization which, together with the Dutch Oncology Nursing Society, is to develop standards of oncology nursing care. The CCC nursing consultants will see to the implementation of these standards by means of quality projects.