New identities: the changing profile of patients with cancer, their families, and their professional caregivers.
OBJECTIVE
To discuss and project cancer care needs and a vision of oncology nursing in the next century.


METHODS
Scholarly, professional, and governmental sources of information.


RESULTS
Projections of a changed patient/family profile, social support dilemmas, and a new "hybrid" oncology nurse.


CONCLUSIONS
Opportunities for nurses, resulting from these projections, include roles as minority needs specialist, director of new care-delivery models, facilitator of intergenerational support teams, overseer of neighborhood-based care systems, multispecialty nursing care provider, cancer care policy activist.


CONCLUSIONS
Nursing education, community models, and current care-delivery settings will all be affected by the projected changes and will all need to consider adjusting to meet the demands that will be placed on them to facilitate change.
Boyle
D M
DM
Cancer Center Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church, VA.
D000367:Age Factors; D002322:Career Mobility; D017028:Caregivers; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005544:Forecasting; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D016294:Models, Nursing; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing*; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000639:trends*; D010358:Patient Participation; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012380:Role; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D000078329:Workforce