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Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs) play a significant role in enhancing healthcare services at Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) at National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR).
Cancer care is one of the health care services that have been expanding in the last few years, leading to Qatar National Cancer Strategy and it mandates all cancer patients should have access to a CNS with specialised knowledge in a specific type of cancer, according to Wafa Alsaadi advanced clinical nurse specialist working with gynecology oncology team at NCCCR.
To designate Qatar’s cancer services at the forefront of international best practices, HMC established the CNS development programme.
“Although the evolution of CNS was a journey full of challenges, it is worth mentioning that the achievements which have been accomplished in a short period are impressive. We could only achieve these by supporting each other, and through the support, we received from our nursing and medical administration at NCCCR. We value what we do, are proud of our successes, and believe our role is essential. In the forthcoming issues of this journal, we plan to update you regularly with our progress and future strategies,” Alsaadi said in the latest edition of NCCCR’s newsletter.
A group of 32 CNSs graduated from the University of Calgary-Qatar from were placed in different specialities at NCCCR to provide specific services to patients and their families to ensure that they receive optimum care and support.
“CNSs work across various practices or domains, such as clinical practice, leadership, education, and research. In clinical practice, CNSs play a vital role in improving the patient’s experience and health care outcomes,” says Alsaadi.
A survey conducted at NCCCR on CNS’s experience among 101 cancer patients reported more positive experiences than those who have had access to CNS. The studies to assess the patient’s experiences and satisfaction are in progress. CNSs have come a long way to demonstrate their achievements in the education domain across the facility at different levels.
In research, CNSs are uniquely positioned to lead and participate in numerous successful research, audits, and quality improvement projects to assess patient outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and patient as well as family satisfaction. A total of 24 studies were conducted and published, and CNSs led 33 ongoing researches in NCCCR.
“The success that CNSs showcased in these domains reflects their outstanding leadership skills,” says Alsaadi.
