Priority ethical issues in oncology nursing: current approaches and future directions

Area of Science:

• Nursing Ethics
• Oncology Nursing Practice

Background:

• Ethical dilemmas are prevalent in oncology nursing.
• Identifying and addressing these issues is crucial for quality patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify high-priority ethical issues for oncology nurses.
• To explore strategies for the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) to address these concerns.

Main Methods:

• A survey of oncology nurses was conducted.
• Relevant nursing literature was reviewed.

Main Results:

• Nine priority ethical issues were identified among oncology nurses.
• The top three concerns include assisted suicide, end-of-life decisions, and pain management.
• Current and future ONS activities addressing these issues are discussed.

Conclusions:

• The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) should bolster activities to enhance oncology nurses' ethical knowledge, confidence, and participation in decision-making.
• Increasing ethics expertise within the ONS membership is recommended.