What are the recommended staffing ratios (inpatient and outpatient) for oncology nurses?
Currently no published standards for nurse-patient ratios in oncology settings are available. In fact, ONS has made a conscious decision not to recommend staffing standards because of significant variations in institutions, patient populations, care settings, and individual patient needs. ONS conducted a staffing survey in 2000, funded by the ONS Foundation Center for Leadership, Information and Research (Lamkin et al., 2001). Survey participants included RNs specializing in the care of patients with cancer, oncologists, and nurse executives in both inpatient and outpatients settings as well as free-standing ambulatory settings (2001). The results are summarized in two parts by Lamkin et al. (2001, 2002) in the Oncology Nursing Forum (ONF). Part I of the survey addressed perceptions on the part of those surveyed related to work environment and staffing in the oncology setting. Part II of the survey specifically addressed the issue of staffing ratios and why ONS did not make specific re
