COSA Survivorship Fellow

  • GROUP Survivorship
  • PROJECT SPAN 2022
  • DATE 17/10/2022

Gemma McErlean

COSA's Survivorship Fellowship program was established in 2020 to help build capacity in survivorship research. Fellows receive mentorship, guidance and support from the Survivorship Executive Committee comprised of internationally renowned senior clinicians and researchers in cancer survivorship. A/Prof Gemma McErlean was one of four Survivorship Fellows appointed in 2022. Prof Raymond Chan and Prof Michael Jefford were her primary co-mentors.

Fellowship Project

Quality cancer survivorship care: a modified Delphi study to define nurse capabilities

Purpose 

To establish capabilities required by nurses to deliver quality cancer survivorship care in Australia. 

Methods

A two-round online modified Delphi involving Australian cancer nurses. Initial domains and capability statements were based on the Quality of Cancer Survivorship Care Framework and supplemented by national and international nursing frameworks. In Round 1 (R1), experts categorised the applicability of 53 capabilities for cancer nurses, across eight domains, in relation to Australian National Professional Development Framework for Cancer Nursing (EdCaN) groups: ‘All’, ‘Many’, ‘Some’, and ‘Few’ nurses, or not relevant. In Round 2 (R2), experts rated agreement with capabilities allocated to the nurse groups. A priori consensus was set at ≥ 80%. 

Results

Surveys were distributed to 51 experts, with a response rate of 92% (47/51) for R1 and 75% (38/51) for R2. Following R1, ten capabilities were added, resulting in 63 capabilities for R2 to establish consensus allocation to EdCaN groupings. Fifty-seven capabilities reached consensus; four capabilities were moved from ‘many’ to ‘some’ nurses; one capability was moved from ‘some’ to ‘few’ nurses; and one capability was retained in ‘all’ nurses following Delphi feedback and research team discussion. 

Conclusions

Sixty-three capabilities across eight cancer survivorship care domains were identified and allocated to different nursing groupings. This study provides important foundational work by identifying the capabilities of cancer nurses to deliver quality cancer survivorship care in Australia. 

Implications for Cancer Survivors

The identification of clearly defined capabilities may improve the quality of cancer survivorship care through the enrichment and standardisation of educational curricula and continuing professional education, and through improved workforce planning.

McErlean, G., Hui, H., Crawford-Williams, F. et al. Quality cancer survivorship care: a modified Delphi study to define nurse capabilities. J Cancer Surviv (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-025-01804-6

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