A qualitative evaluation of community and acute hospital nursing oncology services in Ireland.

Purpose: Cancer patients are a particularly vulnerable population group, facing an increase in physical, mental, logistical and financial difficulties. This, as well as Ireland's increased focus on primary care with the Sláintecare health plan, led to the development of the Community Oncology Nursing Programme, where community nurses are trained to provide cancer care in the community. This paper sought to explore the lived experiences of the patients and nurses involved in this programme in order to examine its impact as well as determine facilitators and roadblocks for future development.

A cost comparison study to review community versus acute hospital models of nursing care delivered to oncology patients.

Purpose: Ireland's Sláintecare health plan is placing an increased focus on primary care. A community oncology nursing programme was developed to train community nurses to deliver care in the community. While the initial pilot was proven to be clinically safe, no cost evaluation was carried out.

Think lean.

'Lean thinking' is a philosophy that requires the continuous elimination of waste or non-value-added elements from processes so that customers or patients are given ever greater value.