Background: The National Melanoma Nurses Program (NMNP), a federally funded initiative 2023-2026, integrated 30 Specialist Melanoma Nurses (SMNs) across 37 sites nationally as embedded members of melanoma multidisciplinary teams (MDT). SMNs are advanced practice nurses providing specialised care to patients with high-risk or advanced melanoma. This study aimed to assess MDT perceptions of SMN role integration, and system and team-level impacts.
Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted (September-November 2025) as part of a broader mixed-methods program evaluation. The purpose-built survey of 8 closed-ended questions, with open-ended justification, explored nursing role integration and perceived system and team-level impacts of specialist nursing care. MDT members with a direct working relationship with a SMN were purposively sampled across 37 settings. Descriptive statistics were applied to closed-ended items; content analysis to open-ended responses.
Results: 84 MDT members responded across nursing (n=37, 44%), medical oncology (n=11, 13%), allied health (n=9, 11%), and surgery (n=8, 10%), with remaining respondents from administration, management, and other departments (n=19, 22%). 79% of participants (n=66) interacted with their site’s SMN at least weekly. Team and system-level impact was positive, with 81 (96%) participants agreeing that a service gap at their site had been addressed and that the melanoma care team functioned more effectively following integration of the SMN. Most (n=81, 96%) agreed or strongly agreed that the SMN was well integrated into the MDT. Across team and system-level outcomes, most respondents perceived improvement after SMN commencement: quality of care coordination was rated higher by 69 (82%), with improved management of neoadjuvant treatment pathways most frequently cited in open-ended responses. Timely access to care was rated higher by 62 (74%), referral to allied health by 58 (69%), adherence to treatment plans by 55 (65%) and toxicity management pathways by 52 (62%).
Conclusion: MDT members reported that SMNs enhance team and system-level functioning regarding care coordination, toxicity management, treatment adherence, and access to care. These findings demonstrate the contribution of SMN roles to effective functioning of MDT-led care amid increasingly complex treatment pathways. Future research should focus on robust evaluation of SMN roles to patient-reported experience and outcomes of care.