Rapport between nurses and adult patients in ambulatory oncology care settings: a scoping review protocol

The primary objective of this scoping review is to explore what is known about cultivating rapport between nurses and adult patients in ambulatory oncology care. A bibliometric analysis will be performed to explore whether this method enhances mapping of the literature.

Research demonstrates that patients with cancer value nurses not only for their skillful delivery of treatment but also for their support and guidance. Rapport, or nurse-patient bonding, is associated with patient satisfaction. Although the importance of the nurse-patient relationship in oncology nursing is established, less is known about the process of nurturing rapport, especially in ambulatory care where most treatment is delivered.

This scoping review will consider studies pertaining to nurses working with adult patients undergoing treatment for any form of cancer within ambulatory oncology. It will include experimental, quasi-experimental, descriptive observational, and qualitative designs, as well as systematic reviews and dissertations.

Researchers will search multiple databases including MEDLINE (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCO), ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global database, PapersFirst, and EThOS. Two independent researchers will screen the title/abstract of all retrieved citations, after which the study researchers will review the full text of selected studies for inclusion. Eligible studies will be extracted using the data extraction instrument. No time limit will be placed on the search. While studies of all languages will be included in the search, only those in English will be reviewed. Non-English studies with abstracts in English will be listed in an appendix at the end of the manuscript.