Purpose: This paper used the Delphi technique to establish an expert consensus on the nursing competencies required for general nurses caring for patients with breast cancer and to evaluate their appropriateness. Methods: This descriptive study employed the Delphi technique. Breast cancer nursing clinical competency items were derived through three Delphi rounds with 21 experts, followed by an appropriateness evaluation in the fourth round with 100 general nurses. Results: A total of 133 items were derived from the Delphi survey and classified into three categories across eight subject areas and 20 subthemes: knowledge (42 items), skills (39 items), and attitudes (52 items). The evaluation in the fourth round showed high knowledge scores for general breast cancer characteristics, early detection, and imaging, whereas scores for pregnancy and fertility preservation were low. In the skills category, high scores were observed for privacy and information protection, as well as the six rights of chemotherapy administration, whereas scores for pregnancy and fertility preservation were low. All attitude items showed high mean scores (>= 3.30), and significant differences between skills and attitudes were identified in 34 of the 39 items (p<.05). Conclusion: The 133 items derived from this research provide a basis for developing a tool to objectively assess the clinical competence of nurses caring for patients with breast cancer.
Purpose: This study aimed to investigate nurses' knowledge regarding cancer pain management, empathy, and communication skills, as well as to examine factors influencing their competence regarding cancer pain management. Methods: A total of 166 nurses participated in this study, and all participants had more than three months' clinical experience working in wards and intensive care units where cancer patients were admitted. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed by an independent t-test, a one-way ANOVA, a Mann-Whitney U test, a Kruskal-Wallis test, a Pearson correlation coefficient, and hierarchical regression analysis using SPSS/WIN 27.0. Results: Significant differences were found in competence for cancer pain management among the participants based on gender (z=-5.36, p<.001) and education level (F=3.87, p=.023). The results of the regression analysis revealed that the factors affecting nurses' competence in cancer pain management included knowledge of cancer pain management (beta=.29, p<.001) and empathy (beta=.20, p=.031). Communication skills (beta=-.03, p=.773) had no significant effect on competence in cancer patient management. The total explanatory power was 31%. Conclusion: Nurses' competence in cancer pain management was significantly influenced by knowledge and empathy. Programs focusing on education regarding cancer pain and empathy enhancement are needed to improve nursing competence for cancer pain management.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the levels of professional autonomy, role conflict, nursing work environment, and clinical decision-making ability among nurses working in hematologic cancer wards, as well as to examine factors associated with nurses' clinical decision-making ability. Methods: Data were collected from 141 hematologic cancer ward nurses at a general hospital and a general cancer-specialized hospital in City B from May 14 to September 4, 2025. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 29 with Pearson's correlations and multiple regression analyses. Results: Clinical decision-making ability in hematologic cancer ward nurses was found to be positively correlated with nursing work environment (r=.32, p<.001) and professional autonomy (r=.31, p<.001). According to the regression analysis of this research, nursing education level (beta=.25, p=.015), nursing work environment (beta=.21, p=.017), and professional autonomy (beta=.18, p=.040) were the factors that influenced clinical decision-making ability, with an explanatory power of 17% (F=5.70, p<.001). Conclusion: To develop clinical decision-making ability, it is essential to strengthen educational preparation, improve the nursing work environment, and enhance professional autonomy. Given the complexity of care in hematologic cancer wards, high level of clinical decision-making ability is required among nurses. Identifying factors associated with clinical decision-making ability can provide a foundation for developing targeted educational and organizational strategies.
Purpose: This study aimed to identify the incidence and related factors of delirium among cancer patients admitted to the general wards of a tertiary hospital. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 9,749 adult cancer patients. Patients who screened positive for delirium were assessed using the Korean version of the Nursing Delirium Screening Scale (NuDESC). Data were analyzed using chi 2 tests, t-tests, and multiple logistic regression. Results: The incidence of delirium was 2.5% (n=243) based on screening results. Significant predictors included older age, longer hospital stays, emergency room admission, 90-day readmission, completion of life-sustaining treatment decisions, surgical department admission, altered consciousness (the strongest predictor), elevated white blood cell and blood urea nitrogen levels, and low albumin levels (p<.050). These 10 factors showed high discriminatory power for delirium (AUC=.91, 95% CI: 0.90 similar to 0.93). Conclusion: The Nu-DESC should be actively utilized in clinical practice for early delirium detection. Nursing interventions must prioritize managing modifiable factors such as nutritional status, infection, and dehydration. Furthermore, case-sharing systems and regular education are essential to enhance nursing expertise and ensure patient safety.
