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

EONS Curriculum in Lung Cancer Nursing

Lung cancer is the commonest cancer worldwide where it accounts for an estimated 1.4 million new diagnoses and a little under 1.2 million deaths per year. Over 400,000 new cases are diagnosed annually within Europe, but in spite of recent improvements in treatment, the overall prognosis for lung cancer patients has improved very little and it retains one of the lowest 5-year survival rates for any malignant disease. As a consequence of this, the needs of lung cancer patients may be more complex, acute and extensive than many other patient groups, but very few nurses have the skills required to meet these needs effectively. The EONS Curriculum in Lung Cancer Nursing was developed by an international panel of subject experts in response to a training needs analysis which showed that many nurses lack the confidence to care for lung cancer patients and their families. The analysis demonstrated that nurses caring for lung cancer patients would value more training in respect of symptom management, patients' psychosocial and spiritual care needs, self-management strategies, and end-of-life care in addition to more information about the disease process and its treatment.

Structure and mode of delivery of the curriculum

The curriculum follows a modular framework and is comprised of one foundational module, The Basic Science and Treatment of Respiratory Cancers followed by three specialist modules chosen from the following:

• Specialist module 1: Acute Lung Cancer Symptoms and their Management
• Specialist module 2: Chronic Lung Cancer Symptoms and their Management
• Specialist module 3: Social Care and Self-Management in Lung Cancer
• Specialist module 4: End-of-Life Care in Lung Cancer
• Specialist module 5: Comorbidity and Risk Factors in Lung Cancer
• Specialist module 6: Psychosocial Interventions for Patients with Lung Cancer

The foundational module is delivered as a series of taught study days and is assessed by means of a multiple choice questionnaire. The specialist modules are delivered using a variety of distance learning methods including videos, case-studies, problem-based learning and other web-based resources. Successful completion of the curriculum results in the award of 15 European Credit Transfer points (ECTs).

Aims of the EONS Curriculum in Lung Cancer Nursing

The strategic aims of the EONS Curriculum in Lung Cancer Nursing are twofold. These are:

• To improve the nursing care and management of patients diagnosed with malignant lung disease within Europe.
• To foster the development of strategic capacity and capability within the European nursing workforce for the care of patients with lung cancer and their family members.

The educational objectives of curriculum are therefore to:

• Provide a practice-based educational framework for educators, managers and national cancer nursing societies of what is required from a post-basic or post-registration educational programme for nurses caring for lung cancer patients.
• Enhance nurses' knowledge, understanding and practice skills in order to improve the nursing care and management of people with lung cancer.
• Empower nurses to provide input into the multiprofessional management of lung cancer including clinical research, practice, service delivery and policy development.

Individual learning outcomes are provided in the curriculum document in respect of each module.

Entry requirements

In order to undertake the EONS Curriculum in Lung Cancer Nursing, a practitioner must have achieved the first-level qualification for a nurse as specified by EC Directive 77/452/EEC and subsequently amended by Council Directive 89/595/EEC (or its equivalent in other countries). Practitioners should also have completed at least one year's post-basic (post-registration) experience in an appropriate care setting in which they have gained experience in caring for patients who have been diagnosed with lung cancer or are at risk of developing the disease. Nurses involved in screening or health promotion programmes, the delivery of curative treatments, or the provision of supportive, palliative or end-of-life care are especially welcome to do the course, as are those working in general, thoracic and palliative care settings.

Further Information

The EONS Curriculum in Lung Cancer Nursing was launched at the ECCO 15 - 34 ESMO Multidisciplinary Congress on 20 September 2009.

If you would like a copy of the EONS Curriculum in Lung Cancer Nursing please contact the EONS Secretariat at: eons.secretariat@cancernurse.eu.