The quality of cancer care may be compromised in the near future because of\nwork force issues. Several factors will impact the oncology health provider work\nforce: an aging population, an increase in the number of cancer survivors, and\nexpansion of health care coverage for the previously uninsured. Between October\n2014 and March 2015, an electronic literature search of English language articles\nwas conducted using PubMedÃ?®, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied\nHealth Sciences (CINAHLÃ?®), Web of Science, Journal Storage (JSTORÃ?®), Google\nScholar, and SCOPUSÃ?®. Using the scoping review criteria, the research question\nwas identified ââ?¬Å?How much care in oncology is provided by nurse practitioners\n(NPs)?ââ?¬Â Key search terms were kept broad and included: ââ?¬Å?NPââ?¬Â AND ââ?¬Å?oncologyââ?¬Â\nAND ââ?¬Å?workforceââ?¬Â. The literature was searched between 2005 and 2015, using\nthe inclusion and exclusion criteria, 29 studies were identified, further review\nresulted in 10 relevant studies that met all criteria. Results demonstrated that\nNPs are utilized in both inpatient and outpatient settings, across all malignancy\ntypes and in a variety of roles. Academic institutions were strongly represented\nin all relevant studies, a finding that may reflect the Accreditation Council for\nGraduate Medical Education (ACGME) duty work hour limitations. There was\nno pattern associated with state scope of practice and NP representation in this\nscoping review. Many of the studies reviewed relied on subjective information,\nor represented a very small number of NPs. There is an obvious need for an\nobjective analysis of the amount of care provided by oncology NPs.
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