According to NPCanada.ca, a site for advanced practice nursing and nurse practitioners, in the last 10 years legislation has allowed nurses who have a high level of education (Masters of Nursing in Advanced Practice) to become nurse practitioners in a variety of settings. Nurse practitioners are able to diagnose and manage many conditions, prescribe medications, order tests and refer patients to specialists.
In the cancer continuum, they are involved at all points, from prevention to care. For example, an NP could be involved in cancer screening or healthy lifestyle prevention efforts, or she might be involved in end-of-life care, working in concert with an oncologist to order tests and administer advanced treatment. An NP can have responsibilities for improving the delivery of cancer care through education, research, patient management and case leadership. As cancer care becomes more complicated and patients more numerous, many people in the health care field expect the role of the NP in cancer care to grow.
