• Curriculum
• Post-basic
• Older people
• Breast cancer
• Lung cancer

Breast care nursing post basic curriculum

We are pleased to announce the launch of a curriculum for nurses working with people with breast cancer. A team of specialist breast cancer nurses from throughout Europe was brought together by EONS to develop this curriculum. The team was:

• Deborah Fenlon (chair) (UK)
• Saskia Claassen (Netherlands)
• Manuela Eicher (Switzerland)
• Ilana Kadmon (Israel)
• Sara Marquard (Germany)
• Emma Pennery (UK)
• Yvonne Wengstrom (UK and Sweden)

Breast cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer in Europe, with 429,900 cases in 2006, making up 13.5% all cancer cases[1]. Survival rates from breast cancer are improving with 131,900 people dying from breast cancer in Europe in 2006. This means that, not only are there very many people being diagnosed with breast cancer, but that the number of people still living that have had breast cancer is larger than any other cancer and continues to increase. Consequently, the need for nurses who are knowledgeable about breast cancer and have the skills and ability to provide comprehensive and effective nursing care is great. Breast care nursing as a specialty has been developed in a number of countries in Europe and many more countries are now recognising the need for training programmes for these nurses. This curriculum has been developed to address this need and provide a framework for EONS members to adapt as necessary to meet their own professional needs for breast cancer nursing within their own countries.

The team recognised that nurses working in the field of breast cancer come from many different backgrounds and therefore have different training needs to care for breast cancer patients. They also recognised that the need for large numbers of nurses to work in this field means that a curriculum to address the basic requirements of training for breast care nursing should be short and easily accessible. To this end they developed a single, stand alone module for nurses wishing to learn about breast cancer nursing which could complement and support other modules in the EONS Post-basic Curriculum in Cancer Nursing, 2005 as appropriate for their field of practice. EONS members are advised to adapt it as necessary to meet their professional needs within their country.

Structure of the curriculum

This stand alone module is designed for nurses working with people affected by breast cancer, to have a higher level of understanding of the needs and nursing care required by this group. In order to undertake a full curriculum to train as Specialist Breast Care Nurses or Clinical Nurse Specialists this module is designed to fit with the EONS Post-basic Curriculum in Cancer Nursing, 2005. Nurses wishing to work as Specialist Breast Care Nurses, Clinical Nurse Specialists or at a higher level of practice, should be encouraged to study appropriate parts of this curriculum according to their learning needs and the professional requirements within their country. Levels of practice and educational level required are outlined within the curriculum document. It is suggested that the work covered in this document would constitute one module of study comprising 40 hours tutor contact time and 80 hours of study and clinical practice, which would constitute 4ECTs. Learning outcomes and competencies have been identified. It is recommended that the contact hours are spread out over a semester to allow reflection in practice and time for private study.

Aims of the EONS Breast Care Nursing Post Basic Curriculum:

• To raise the awareness of the need for specially trained nurses in breast cancer care throughout Europe.
• To agree minimum standards of the role of nurses working with patients with breast cancer and their families.
• To define minimum standards for post basic education and training of breast care nurses.

Entry requirements

A nurse must have achieved first level qualification and have an existing appreciation of the specialty, gained from 6 to 12 months in breast cancer care in any practice setting. Nurses wishing to qualify as Specialist Breast Care Nurses or Clinical Nurse Specialist should have an existing appreciation of the specialty, gained from 2 years in breast cancer care in any practice setting. Experience of women's health, oncology and surgery are ideal.

Further Information

The EONS Breast Care Nursing Post Basic Curriculum was launched at the ECCO 15 - 34 ESMO Multidisciplinary Congress on 20 September 2009.

If you would like a copy of the EONS Breast Care Nursing Post Basic Curriculum please contact the EONS Secretariat at: eons.secretariat@cancernurse.eu.

1.  ECCO (2007) Cancer: the scale of the problem. http://www.ecco-org.eu/News/Cancer-statistics/Cancer-The-scale-of-the-problem/page.aspx/368 accessed 28.5.2009