Scoping review of oncology clinical trials nursing: Roles, competencies, and evolving practice in cancer research

Oncology clinical trials nurses (OCTNs) are central to trial delivery and balancing patient care with protocol implementation. Increasing trial complexity and precision approaches demand updated understanding of their roles, competencies, and evolving practice.

Following Arksey and O'Malley's framework and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and grey literature (2018-2025). After two-stage screening, 63 sources were included. Extracted data covered responsibilities, competencies, education models, emerging practices, and reported outcomes.

Across the 63 studies, OCTNs most frequently performed informed consent facilitation, patient enrollment, investigational product management, adverse-event monitoring, documentation, trial coordination, and patient education. Core competencies included oncology expertise, Good Clinical Practice, regulatory knowledge, research literacy, communication, and leadership. Newer demands highlight digital health proficiency and genomic literacy. Literature revealed variability in role recognition, workforce support, and competency standardization. Reported challenges included workload intensity, limited structured training, and uneven trial access.

This is the first scoping review to systematically consolidate OCTN roles, competencies, and evolving practices across global sources since 2018. Findings demonstrate that OCTNs are important for participant safety, data integrity, and trial feasibility. Future priorities include establishing standardized global competencies, investing in workforce development, and addressing digital/genomic training gaps to sustain and advance this workforce in evolving cancer research contexts.