NURSING IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ONCOLOGICAL EMERGENCIES AND URGENCIES: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Oncological emergencies include complications that may arise during the treatment of cancer patients, increasing the risks of morbidity, sequelae, or even death. This requires that nurses caring for these patients possess comprehensive and specialized knowledge. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the nursing role in managing oncological emergencies and urgencies through a literature review. METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS: This study was an integrative literature review, guided by the question: “How does nursing act in the management of oncological emergencies and urgencies?” The research was conducted in the Virtual Health Library (VHL), using the databases MEDLINE, LILACS, and BDENF. The Health Sciences Descriptors (DeCS) used included: (emergencies) OR (urgencies) AND (Oncological Nursing) AND (Nursing Care) OR (nursing care), combined with the Boolean operators AND and OR. For article selection, the inclusion criteria were full-text availability online, in Portuguese, English, or Spanish, published within the last five years in the selected databases, and addressing the nurse’s role in oncological emergency situations. Studies outside the scope, abstracts only, monographs, dissertations, and theses were excluded. After identifying relevant articles, abstracts were read for careful selection of the studies. The findings were presented in tables and analyzed in light of the relevant literature. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The complexity of cancer presents significant challenges to the public health system, demanding not only investment in research but also patient-centered care based on the humanization of healthcare. Oncological emergencies are potentially severe events requiring immediate response and may occur at different stages of the disease, taking various clinical forms. For care to be effective, teamwork and ongoing education for nursing professionals are essential. However, many nurses still lack specific training or consolidated skills to manage these situations, highlighting the need for continuous education and deeper knowledge of potential oncological complications. CONCLUSION: Caring for oncology patients requires a comprehensive and humanized approach, taking into account the inherent complexity of the disease. In this context, the theoretical and practical expertise of healthcare professionals is crucial to enable prompt intervention in oncological emergencies. Therefore, continuous education for nurses and the strengthening of public health services are emphasized as fundamental pillars to ensure safe, effective, and high-quality care.