Technology in an outpatient chemotherapy center and advanced practice nursing: observational study

Background. Advanced practice nursing (APN) requires nurses to support their knowledge and clinical experience in a nursing care model that delivers holistic and comprehensive care adjusted to the needs of each patient. Objetives. To identify the technological tools available to nurses in a chemotherapy unit, to select one of the specific technologies used and to generate a proposal that can be used in advanced practice. Methods. Data was collected using non-participant observation in an adult outpatient chemotherapy unit. Results. It was observed that nurses properly used hard technologies in their unit. In so far as hard-soft technologies, although there is a specialized knowledge in oncology, there is no theoretical framework associated to the nursing care provided. With regards to the use of soft technologies, their use seems to be related more with personal characteristics that a structured and conscious intervention. Conclusions. Technologies are tools that, coupled with nursing expertise, allow nurses to provide safe and effective care. The chemotherapy unit is a center where APN could be conducted. This study proposes enhancing patient-oriented care based on the knowledge of the discipline as expressed in three different models that are suggested, thus making it possible to state that advanced practice nursing is being provided to patients undergoing ambulatory chemotherapy.