The Australian Journal of Cancer Nursing (AJCN) has produced a special issue featuring three research initiatives emerging from the VCCC Alliance Nurse-Led Research Hub.
In 2020, three nurses from VCCC Alliance member organisations were recipients of competitively awarded funding of $50,000 each to lead a multi-site nurse led research project, with a focus on improving the quality and safety of care for people affected by cancer.
Those who applied for funding were required to involve at least two clinical partner organisations within the alliance. The funding enabled them to undertake projects in areas of clinical practice in need of an evidence base.
Members of the VCCC Nurse-Led Research Hub team, supported the nurses to strengthen or develop research knowledge and skills, beginning with the design of a study through to implementation and dissemination of results.
Professor Mei Krishnasamy, VCCC Research and Education Lead, Nursing for the VCCC Alliance and author of the editorial for the special issue says, “These publications demonstrate the importance of building nursing research capability, providing clinical nurses with the skills necessary to examine, inform and articulate the contribution of our practice at patient, organisation and system levels outcomes.
"It is a significant achievement not for only for the nurses involved but for all across the alliance institutions who supported them in their research endeavours."
Diane Davey, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, now working at Albury-Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre, NSW
Improving patient preparation for implanted ports: a mixed-methods study to establish clinical utility of a novel cancer nursing patient education resource
Yvonne Panek-Hudson, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Royal Melbourne Hospital
The TransAllo study: factors influencing attendance at and experiences of a long term follow up clinic post allogeneic bone marrow transplant for patients transitioning from paediatric to adult services
Andrea Cameron, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research and Wellness Centre, Austin Health
Real-world experiences of nurses administering blood transfusions via a central venous access device (CVAD) concurrently with other intravenous (IV) medications for patients with malignant and non-malignant haematological conditions.
Observations and motivation for the research projects varied in each setting. Driven by the apparent lack of standardisation of nurse-led patient preparation for the insertion of an implanted port, Diane Davey and her colleagues set out to test the clinical utility of a novel, co-produced education resource across five different hospitals.
Yvonne Panek-Hudson’s work recommends further research to co-design a transition program for patients transitioning from paediatric to adult long-term follow-up services, building on the insights gained from the TransAllo study.
Andrea Cameron and her team demonstrated variation in nursing practice within and between organisations when running concurrent and sequential IV medications and blood transfusions. Insights from the study will help inform initiatives to standardise practice, ensuring that care is safe, efficient and effective.
All nurses who are interested in research from across the VCCC Alliance are invited to join the Nurse-led Research Hub.
A program of online research-based workshops is currently being offered for nurses who work in the cancer domain. These workshops enable nurses to build skills and increase confidence to undertake nurse-led research. See the 2021 program and register to attend.
For more information, contact Sharon De Graves, Program Manager, Nurse-led Research Hub.
