BCN Group as a learning organization
Senge developed the concept of learning organization in
general, but he did not relate it to the healthcare system
and nursing. Rishel[5] dealt with the same field of ongoing
learning related to oncology nursing. She states that in 2012,
the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) published a position
paper on lifelong learning for oncology nurses in the
Oncology Nursing Forum (ONF) embracing the institute of
medicine ([IOM], 2010) report. The ONS stated that nurses
must engage in “continuous professional development,
advanced nursing education and the development of
interpersonal models of care.”[6] The ONS recognized that
although the basic principles of oncology nursing remain
unchanged, new and improved trends in models of care
delivery, the rapid changing science and technology of
cancer care and published data from nursing research and
clinical trials created knowledge domains that demanded
that oncology nurses remain current to provide patient
care.[5,6]
As a learning organization, the BCN group has the
following goals:
• To provide patients with the most updated and relevant
information.
• To belong to a multidisciplinary team that promotes
equality among members.
• To attain knowledge that empowers the working group.
• To enable BCNs to teach students, mainly nursing
students, and help them in basic and further education.
• To help BCNs continue and develop a new generation
of nurses.
Formal education
In Israel, all BCNs have attained an academic degree. Most
BCNs have also obtained a certificate in post-basic course
in general oncology nursing. This post-basic curriculum
includes a module focusing on chronic diseases and another
specifically focusing on oncology care, which mostly
includes topics related to breast cancer. The oncology
module consists of many hours of theoretical study and
as many hours of clinical practice. This curriculum has
contents related to breast cancer, such as pathology, types
of treatments, genetics, breast reconstruction, lymphedema
and psychosocial issues.