SIOP Africa Congress, Kampala, Uganda 2022: pediatric oncology nursing in Africa
Forty-five participants responded to the survey distributed during the 2022 SIOP Africa Congress, providing one sentence each giving their perspective on pediatric oncology nursing in Africa. Four major themes were identified including the general nature of pediatric oncology nursing and nurses in Africa; training and certification; contribution to improved survival; and need for more recognition and support.
Theme 1 : General nature of pediatric oncology nursing and nurses in Africa
Pediatric oncology nursing was defined as a practice that provides professional holistic care as one participant put it:
Participant 23: “Pediatric Oncology Nursing is a specialized discipline that requires knowledge about pediatric oncology care, passionate, empathetic, loving, caring and hard working. It entails holistic care, including psychosocial, emotional, physical, and spiritual. The Nurse must do their best and hope for the best. All in all, it is not ordinary nursing, so both the Nurse and the patient require psychological care.”
The nurses reported a high level of commitment and motivation to meeting the care needs of their patients.
Participant 26: “The most dedicated and caring people full of compassion for the little souls in their hands.”Participant 29: “They are determined to serve despite limited resources.”
However, the nurses lament their vulnerability to harm and discouragement in their practice and advocate for more attention to their needs.
Participant 7: ”We are giving it our all and never giving up on our kids; thus, we need all the support out there for the job.”Participant 32: ”Nurses in Africa will love to see more protective wear/equipment that can be used during chemotherapy to help protect them from too much exposure.”
Theme 2 : Training and certification
The nurses acknowledge the availability of trained colleagues
Participant 45: ”We have qualified and competent pediatric oncology nurses in Africa.”
They, however, express the need for more specialized training with certification for better outcomes.
Participant 36: “To build the capacity of specialists in pediatric oncology nursing in Africa so as to improve the cure rates for children with cancer.”Participant 1: “Pediatric oncology nurses need training and certification so that they can be recognized worldwide.”
Theme 3 : Contribution to improved survival
The nurses believe that despite the limited resources for care at their disposal, they have contributed significantly to saving the lives of children with cancer and are to be relied upon for better survival. They also mention their essential role in palliative care.
Participant 4: “African nurses are the driving force for pediatric oncology in Africa. Investing in nurses will help Africa quickly reach the 60% by 2030 (GICC).”Participant 18: “All pediatric oncology nurses should be introduced to pediatric palliative care because it makes a whole positive difference for the patients and their families.”
Theme 4 : Need for more recognition and support
The nurses feel that they are not adequately remunerated and call for more recognition of their services and resources to support training and education. Participant 11: “Pediatric oncology nursing in Africa is emotionally draining; therefore, the nurses committed to work in this department need incentives to encourage them to keep at it.”Participant 34: ”Africa nurses need the training in pediatric oncology nursing to better give quality nursing care. They also need to be members of organizations like SIOP, so they are updated regularly on new things. SIOP needs to have a deliberate policy where membership from Africa is exempted from paying membership fees so that they do not pull out. African countries need financial help to be conducting orientation to new nurses in pediatric oncology so as to meet the baseline standards.”