Priority ethical issues in oncology nursing: current approaches and future directions.
OBJECTIVE
To describe ethical issues determined to be highly important to oncology nurses and to discuss strategies by which the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) can address these priority concerns.


METHODS
Survey on oncology nurses regarding ethical issues; nursing literature.


RESULTS
Nine priority ethical issues of oncology nurses are identified. Past, current, and future ONS activities that address these priority issues are discussed.


CONCLUSIONS
ONS must support activities to increase the knowledge, confidence, and involvement of oncology nurses in discussions and decision making related to the ethical issues.


CONCLUSIONS
The top three priority ethical issues for oncology nurses are assisted suicide, end-of-life decisions, and pain management. Efforts should be made to increase ethics expertise among the ONS membership.
Ersek
M
M
Seattle University School of Nursing, WA, USA.
Scanlon
C
C
Glass
E
E
Ferrell
B R
BR
Steeves
R
R
D026688:Bioethical Issues; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004993:Ethics, Nursing; D028601:Euthanasia, Active; D006292:Health Priorities / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000639:trends*; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D012956:Societies, Nursing; D014481:United States