Implementing a primary healthcare framework: the importance of nursing leadership in developing and maintaining a brain tumor support group

Background: Although brain tumor support groups have been available internationally for many years, Liverpool Hospital in Australia has not traditionally provided this service. As a leadership initiative, the development of a brain tumor support group that incorporates a primary healthcare framework is a sustainable approach that showcases the role of nursing leaders in changing attitudes and improving outcomes.

Objectives: The purpose of this review of the literature and reflection of clinical experience is to explore nursing leadership within brain tumor–specific support groups.

Methods: This article will showcase a nurse-led group that incorporated a coordinated approach to delivering patient-centered care.

Findings: The initiation of activities and interventions that reflected the five tenets of primary health care resulted in improved outcomes for individuals and their family caregivers throughout the trajectory of their illness. Vital to the success of this project was moving from a standalone leader to building collective and collaborative leadership more conducive to facilitating change. The support group successfully demonstrated that individuals and family caregivers may see ongoing and long-term improvements during and following treatment.