{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]],"date-time":"2026-03-19T10:40:13Z","timestamp":1773916813069,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,17]],"date-time":"2026-03-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1773705600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100003196","name":"Italian Ministry of Health","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100003196","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nursing Reports"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Oral mucositis (OM) is a common complication in onco-hematological patients undergoing chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, negatively affecting comfort, nutrition, and quality of life. Despite existing assessment tools and recommendations, OM management\u2014particularly non-pharmacological approaches\u2014remains inconsistent, and evidence on nurses\u2019 perspectives and contextual factors is limited. This study explored nurses\u2019 perceptions and experiences regarding non-pharmacological treatments for OM, including educational needs and barriers and facilitators to implementation in clinical practice. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study using inductive content analysis was conducted. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with nurses working in onco-hematological settings in Italy. Data were analysed according to the Elo and Kyng\u00e4s framework. Results: Twelve nurses with extensive experience in onco-hematology and transplant care participated in the study. Five main themes emerged: (1) education and training pathways; (2) approaches to mucositis management; (3) nursing competence in OM care; (4) interprofessional collaboration; and (5) governance of practice, including protocols and guidelines. Findings highlighted strong experiential competence, high levels of nursing autonomy in assessment and patient education, and effective interprofessional collaboration, particularly in specialised settings. However, training pathways were predominantly informal, and the availability and use of protocols varied widely across clinical contexts. Conclusions: Non-pharmacological management of OM appears to be sustained primarily by advanced nursing competence and a specialised clinical culture rather than by structured education and standardised governance. Addressing educational gaps and promoting shared protocols may enhance the consistency, quality, and equity of supportive care while ensuring that the findings are clearly reflective of nurses\u2019 experiences.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nursrep16030100","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,17]],"date-time":"2026-03-17T12:42:16Z","timestamp":1773751336000},"page":"100","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Nurses\u2019 Perspectives on the Non-Pharmacological Management of Oral Mucositis in Onco-Hematological Care: A Qualitative Content Analysis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0276-1925","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Orejeta","family":"Diamanti","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Scientific Direction, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, 35128 Padua, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Giovanna","family":"Artioli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Life Health Sciences and Health Professions, Link Unicampus University, 00165 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-6813-7253","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Paolo","family":"Pellegrino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Azienda ULSS 2 Marca Trevigiana\u2013Ospedale di Conegliano, 31100 Conegliano, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Francesca","family":"Bonadies","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Healthcare Professions, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, 35128 Padua, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Matteo","family":"Bernardi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Healthcare Professions, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, 35128 Padua, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1372-9653","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alberto","family":"Camuccio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Immunology and Molecular Oncology Diagnostics Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, 35128 Padua, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mirsad","family":"Pasalic","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Inpatient Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, 35128 Padua, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-3936-7786","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Donato Antonio","family":"Rotondo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Nursing and Public Health Sciences, University of Rome \u201cTor Vergata\u201d, 00133 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8220-8347","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Federica","family":"Dellafiore","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Life Health Sciences and Health Professions, Link Unicampus University, 00165 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e1263","DOI":"10.1002\/osi2.1263","article-title":"Association of Leukopenia in the Development of Cancer Chemotherapy-induced Oral Mucositis and Its Severity","volume":"22","author":"Yoshida","year":"2025","journal-title":"Oral. 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