Enhancement of oncology nursing education in low- and middle-income countries: Challenges and strategies

Cancer prevalence is estimated to increase in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in the coming years, imposing a significant burden on these countries. Therefore, an effective oncology nursing workforce will become increasingly important. Previous studies have suggested that advances in oncology nursing education may contribute to both a reduction of the current cancer burden and improved patient outcomes. However, such education in LMICs is comparatively underdeveloped. Contributing to this phenomenon are the lack of educational pathways and legislation for mandatory training of nurses to specialize in oncology, insufficient opportunities for continuing education and inadequate time for nurses to undertake training. Therefore, strategies need to be developed and implemented to enhance oncology nursing education in LMICs. We discuss the challenges currently faced by LMICs in implementing effective oncology nursing training, and suggests recommended strategies to address these challenges.