With this issue of Cancer Nursing(TM) we celebrate and recognize the contributions of nurses, throughout the world, to the care of the person with cancer. Cancer nursing, including the critical and essential research that supports our practice, has been an evolving field of specialization for sometime. However, if we look back at its evolution, we may be surprised to see how short a period of time it actually has been. We can be proud of all that has been accomplished.
When the first issue of Cancer Nursing was published in 1978, cancer nursing research was in its infancy. A review of research articles in that first year of publication reveals only two articles, both by American authors. One of those articles was the study done by Oberst, utilizing the Delphi technique, which was the first to identify priorities for cancer nursing research. That study laid the foundation for many of our subsequent research efforts.
Five years later, in 1983, the number of research articles had grown to 10 American-authored papers. This was the year that the journal's Editorial Board agreed that efforts should be made to widen the field of contributors and to incorporate opinion and information from nurses working within different cultural, socioeconomic, and political backgrounds. It was also the year that The International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care (ISNCC) was established.
A total of 16 research articles were published in 1988. That year we also published 6 articles from the international cancer nursing community-4 from Canada, 1 from England, and 1 from Italy. The number of articles from around the world continued to grow until by 1993, 20 research articles were published, including 12 articles from the United States, 3 from Sweden, 3 from Canada, 1 from Germany, and 1 from Italy.
In 1998, we can point with pride to this issue of Cancer Nursing, which is truly an international representation of cancer nursing research. The 10 articles from Canada, Finland, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United States demonstrate the diversity and comprehensiveness with which the international cancer nursing community is working collaboratively to address issues in cancer care. The total number of research articles for this year is projected to be 36-truly representative of a worldwide effort.
The world has experienced many changes in the past 20 years, changes that have facilitated the growth and development of this specialty. Twenty years ago fax machines were something new, E-mail wasn't in our vocabulary, and voice mail hadn't yet assumed such a prominent place in our lives. The International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care did not exist, and there were few national oncology nursing societies. It took longer to communicate with one another, and only a few could have imagined the technology explosion that would be the catalyst for the rapidly moving world we live in today.
As we approach the new millennium, we face even greater challenges in an even more rapidly changing environment in which both those with cancer and those who deliver care in any way must be ready to function. Cancer nursing research will be the foundation for our continually emerging practice as we consider what the issues and challenges will be.
We know the world's population is growing older, and with an older population will come an increase in cancer, a disease of the aging. When we look at the scientific advances that will generate the needs for patient care, we can see that the research and development pace in oncology has escalated dramatically during the past several years and will continue to do so at an even more rapid rate. The impact of genetics on everything we will do is but one example of what lies ahead.
We need to move very quickly within our own discipline, and collaboratively with all disciplines. Our approaches to research, education, practice, and management must change as the world continues to grow smaller and we are confronted by greater and greater challenges each day. Our research, which will guide us into the new century, must be accurate, provide clear outcome data, and above all, be disseminated to consumers and professionals to insure utilization.
The international cancer nursing network is established and ready to meet the new challenges of oncology nursing. The future is filled with opportunity and professional excitement, and most of all, the opportunity to help all those-touched by the disease we call cancer.
Carol Reed Ash, R.N., Ed.D., F.A.N.N.