No abstract

Background: Cancer nurses have an important role in advocating both for nurses and for patients. They are of great importance in advocating for patients, being their voice and educating them. However, nurses also have a significant role in advocating for nurses on the level of education and policymaking. Cancer nurses can be leaders in different facets within their profession. In caring for patients, they have a vital role in prevention, education, raising awareness and caring for patients and their significant others. Furthermore, cancer nurses show an increasing need to have a role in influencing policy, legislation and in lobbying. One of the aims of the European Oncology Nursing Society's (EONS) advocacy working group is to create a toolkit for nurses to use in their advocacy activities.Methods: A semi structured literary review was conducted. Also, other toolkits were assessed and other models of advocacy were identified.Results: So far have shown different definitions for nursing advocacy. Research has shown that it is mostly clear what is meant with advocating for patients. However nurses have different definitions for advocating as a whole. A guide will be developed that improves cancer nursing status and recognition in Europe containing 2 parts. 1) Introduction to Advocacy/ understanding and 2) advocacy tools. Part 1 will contain a definition, models of advocacy suited for cancer nurses, barriers, the why and when to advocate and targets for advocating. Part 2 of the toolkit will go into tools on how to influence policy, providing of information and training, good practices, public education and involvement and development of an advocacy strategy.Conclusions: At EONS14, further results will be presented on development of this advocacy toolkit for cancer nurses.Legal entity responsible for the study: EONS.

European Union (EU) has defined the process and norms of nursing education. As a source of data, Directive 2005/36/EC and Directive 2013/55/EU was used together with Croatian laws and regulations which are related to nursing education. Nursing education in Croatia is carried out through high school education and also at the university level. The situation is similar or the same in many other Eastern European countries. Experience in nursing education in different European countries can be useful in improving nursing education in Croatia. Cancer nursing specialization in the Republic of Croatia, as in many Eastern European countries, exists only on paper, unlike in Western Europe, the USA or Australia. Eastern European cancer nurses can be trained with the assistance of EONS (European Oncology Nursing Society) which is an umbrella organisation providing leadership in all areas of cancer nursing, research, practice, continuing education, communications and advocacy for better recognition of cancer nursing across Europe.