Changing Practice Through Nursing Leadership: A Pediatric Oncology Unit in Delhi, India

Abstract

The pediatric oncology unit at the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Center (RGCI & RC), a nonprofit medical facility and research institute based in Delhi, India, sought to improve clinical nursing practice through nurse leadership training supported by international nursing mentorship. A nursing team leadership program with a goal to strengthen practice was designed in collaboration with the RGCI & RC nurse education department and pediatric oncology physicians on the unit. Two expert oncology nurses from the United States made multiple visits from 2017 to 2019 to support the development of the leadership program and the resulting practice changes. Specific areas of nursing addressed through these efforts included attention to education, practice, and leadership. Selected processes were improved by the following: (a) development of a pediatric oncology nursing orientation program to follow general onboarding by the nursing education department, (b) strengthening and updating standard operating procedures for nursing, and (c) development of a nursing Team Leads program. Four team leads completed training, and staff nurses are now active members in the care of patients and opining themselves when decision-making occurs during rounds. RGCI & RC nurses have written abstracts and posters accepted at national and international conferences, which further strengthens their profile in the larger pediatric oncology professional community.