Dr. Courtney Sullivan, Assistant Professor at MSU’s College of Nursing and a Global Health Studies faculty member, was a guest on an episode of "Global Health Dialogues with Princess Dina" to discuss the critical yet often overlooked role nurses play in improving cancer survival rates worldwide.
In the 14th episode of the series, titled "Oncology Nursing," Dr. Sullivan emphasized that pediatric cancer care benefits immensely from a care team that includes nurses with multi-disciplinary backgrounds. She states that the roles and scopes of practice within diverse nursing teams can create a more comprehensive care structure for patients.
“I think what’s most important for us as that multi-disciplinary care team is to be educated about one another’s roles and scope of practice,” says Sullivan. “That way, we can actually leverage and synergize the care that’s provided for the patient and their family, without limiting or excluding expertise that should be rightfully brought to the decision-making table.”
Sullivan notes that an encouraging step towards this multi-disciplinary approach is the continued adoption of interprofessional education in nursing, which has been gaining traction in United States universities and worldwide institutions.
“I think it’s essential for respect for one another’s roles, for understanding, so that when [nursing students] move into the clinical environment, they can be a part of a well-respected team who looks to each other.”
To achieve this team-based structure, however, Sullivan notes that nurses need to be encouraged and feel more empowered in clinical settings to not only create more impactful contributions but also increase the quality of care for the patient.
Dr. Sullivan’s own experience shows how impactful nursing perspectives can be in leadership positions. As the current chair of the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) Nursing Network, she became the second chair to be a part of SIOP’s Board of Directors, which has given her the opportunity to elevate nursing voices and perspectives in a global health organization.
“I think that’s where it starts, having a nurse who has a seat at the table,” said Sullivan.
Later in the podcast, Dr. Sullivan discusses some of the challenges facing nurses in high-income countries such as the United States, such as high turnover rates due to high workload, burnout and compassion fatigue.
“If you look at the work environment, burnout is really the output of a work environment that’s not supportive for nurses,” says Sullivan. “The United States has more nurses than any country in the world, and they’re still getting burnt out. It’s again with the cognitive and complex patient workload they have.”
To hear the full discussion on the future of pediatric oncology and the global nursing crisis, listen to the full episode of Global Health Dialogues with Princess Dina on YouTube.