Let’s showcase the contributions of the cancer nursing community

Guy’s and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust chemotherapy nurse consultant Catherine Oakley will start 2025 as consultant editor of Cancer Nursing Practice

I am delighted to start the New Year as consultant editor of Cancer Nursing Practice; succeeding Carole Farrell, a respected former UK Oncology Nursing Society (UKONS) board colleague. It is an honour to work in cancer nursing and to have spent so many years in this field; a profession which places patients at the heart of all it does.

• RELATED: Benefits of group sessions for healthcare staff who support young people with cancer

Cancer Nursing Practice is my favourite nursing journal given its thought-provoking, accessible and clinically relevant research and guidance. It addresses critical issues, such as in our article Systemic anticancer therapy service redesign, which offers advice about redesigning systemic anticancer therapy (SACT) services – a national priority as we tackle capacity challenges.

Helping people with cancer manage side effects and maintain normal lives

During my PhD research, I discovered that fear often prevents patients from reporting neutropenic sepsis. This insight drives my work on interventions that empower and engage patients in their SACT care – helping people with cancer manage side effects and maintain normal lives. I am pleased that our article Delivering a pre-systemic anticancer therapy patient education session highlights SACT prehabilitation and rehabilitation, showcasing the intricate knowledge and communication skills required to support patients in managing side effects like fatigue – the most common challenge for many.

• RELATED: Diagnosis of sepsis in people receiving anticancer treatment

Additionally, many patients need help with depression, sexual function, and body image; sensitive topics, which are not always easy for us to talk about. Our article on pain management, Cancer pain: how improved nurse-patient communication can help, highlights the importance of effective communication – listening, understanding patients' perspectives, and recognising how symptoms uniquely impact their lives.

Make 2025 the year you are published in Cancer Nursing Practice

Nurse burnout busters: a staff retention to-do list for managers also emphasises an essential yet simple solution: prioritising the well-being of nurses to retain our workforce.

• RELATED: The digital systemic anticancer therapy competency passport: a guide to completion, marking and assessment

Attending the UKONS annual conference at the end of 2024 was inspiring. The innovation, energy, and encouragement in our cancer nursing community is truly remarkable. As your new consultant editor, I aspire to see more of your UKONS oral and poster presentations published in Cancer Nursing Practice. Our approachable team is here to support you in transforming your work into publishable articles. Let’s showcase the outstanding contributions of our community together.

Catherine Oakley is incoming consultant editor of Cancer Nursing Practice and chemotherapy nurse consultant at Guy’s and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust