Updates from GITMO Nurses Group

by Stefano Botti, EBMT Italian National Chair

Since the late 1980s, the Gruppo Italiano Trapianto di Midollo Osseo (GITMO) has served as the multidisciplinary scientific society overseeing both the national transplant program network and the Italian section of the EBMT transplant registry.

The GITMO Nurses Group (NG) is a permanent commission within the scientific society, with the mission of promoting and advancing the role of nurses in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy. Our main areas of focus include training, research, standardization of nursing practices, and national networking. The GITMO NG represents actually more than one third of the GITMO Society as number of registered participants (~400 nurses registered).

The GITMO NG Chair, an elected member of the GITMO Board, leads the NG Steering Committee. This committee includes a national coordinator and nine area-specific representatives: two for research, two for training, two for networking, one for paediatrics, one for apheresis, and one for transplant-related complications. The Steering Committee refers to the GITMO Nurses’ Commission, which includes one nursing representative for each Italian transplant programme (96 centres). The role of the EBMT National Chair can be delegated by the GITMO NG Chair to a member of the steering committee, who represents GITMO NG within EBMT in line with the principles of both groups. The role is currently held by Dr. Stefano Botti.

Great opportunities by the EBMT

The past year has been an exciting and eventful period for the Italian Nurses Group. Collaboration within the EBMT network has fostered significant cultural growth and professional development. A major highlight was the 16th Educational Meeting of the EBMT Nurses Group, held in Naples in September 2024, which welcomed approximately 120 nurses and was a resounding success in terms of scientific content, engagement, and organizational quality. This event held special meaning for the Italian group, taking place in one of the most scenic settings in the world, the Gulf of Naples. A greater challenge was embraced with the 51st Annual Meeting of the EBMT, hosted in Florence from March 30th to April 2nd, 2025, which brought together over 5,500 professionals. It was a period of intense commitment and immense satisfaction for the Italian group. Notably, Chiara Visintini (Udine) received the Best Oral Presentation Award, and Stefano Botti (Reggio Emilia) was honoured with the 17th Distinguished Merit Award. The GITMO Nurses Group extends heartfelt thanks to the entire EBMT Nurses Group for these invaluable educational and scientific opportunities. A special note of appreciation goes to Dr. Claudia Boglione, Local Nurse for the Annual Meeting, for her outstanding dedication and work both before and during the event.

A new Chair 

GITMO Nurses Group doesn’t know the meaning of “rest.”
During the most recent GITMO National Meeting, held in Turin on May 5–6, Dr. Valentina De Cecco, Head Nurse of the Bone Marrow Transplant Center at Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital in Rome, was elected as the new Chair of the GITMO Nurses Group.

Valentina brings over 30 years of experience in pediatric onco-hematology and has been actively involved in both GITMO and the Italian Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Association (AIEOP) for more than 15 years. She succeeds Dr. Marco Cioce, who has recently concluded his two-year term as Chair of the GITMO Nurses Group.

The main priorities of Valentina’s programme are: 

1. Implementation of an online learning program for nurses newly assigned to stem cell transplantation programmes. This initiative aims to provide a standardized, high-quality, GITMO-certified tool for foundational nursing training.
2. Development of a multimedia educational program designed for patients and their caregivers.
3. Optimization of the “GITMO 1000 Miles” project, a travelling training initiative for nurses tailored to address the specific educational needs for each transplant center.
4. Strengthening collaboration with national and international scientific societies, with the goal of developing new, shared research projects.
5. Promotion of nursing research, particularly by supporting and mentoring young nurse researchers.
6. Expansion of social media initiatives to increase visibility and engagement with GITMO activities.

By electing Valentina, the GITMO community has chosen to uphold the values and continuity established by past leadership, whole also embracing new challenges and opportunities for growth in the field of nursing within transplantation and cellular therapy.  

GITMO NG: 2024 main outcomes

Networking

• GITMO App web releasing: the App is linked to the online contents of the GITMO Handbook vol.III, and a series of tools for patient assessment.
• Social Media: InReTE (Facebook) 1891 followers; GITMO (Facebook) 492 followers (started in 2024); GITMOTwitting (X) 2000 visitors per month

Education

• GITMO 1000 Miles: 8 events (Dec 2023 – Jan 2025) in Rome, Pescara, Tricase (LE), Bologna, Reggio Calabria, Torino, Milan, Potenza. Total participants: 640 (mean 80 per event)
• GITMO National Meeting: 13-14 May 2024. Participants: 210.
• EBMT Textbook for Nurses Italian language translation

Research (Publications)

• Conte L, De Nunzio G, Lupo R, Cascio D, Cioce M, Vitale E, Ianne C, Rubbi I, Martino M, Lombardini L, Vassanelli A, Pupella S, Pollichieni S, Sacchi N, Ciceri F, Botti S. Raising awareness may increase the likelihood of hematopoietic stem cell donation: a nationwide survey using artificial intelligence. Int J Hematol. 2025 Apr;121(4):511-525. doi: 10.1007/s12185-024-03894-x. Epub 2024 Dec 12. Erratum in: Int J Hematol. 2025 Apr;121(4):563. doi: 10.1007/s12185-025-03932-2.
• Visintini C, Lucchetta C, Venturini M, Mansutti I, Chiappinotto S, Patriarca F, Palese A. Perspective on oral medication adherence among patients with acute graft-versus-host disease: a qualitative descriptive study. Support Care Cancer. 2024 Sep 4;32(10):633. doi: 10.1007/s00520-024-08825-4.
• Chiara Visintini, Irene Mansutti, Alvisa Palese. What Are the Perceptions of Recipients of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant About Medication Adherence?: A Synthesis of Qualitative Studies. Cancer Nurs. 2024 Mar 18. doi: 10.1097/NCC.0000000000001344.

Research (on-going studies)

• NurSe_Outcome - Nursing sensitive outcomes in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and CAR-T Therapy.
• Work_In – Impact on working ability of the allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a multicentre cross sectional study by the GITMO
• Donor Study - Italians’ knowledge of, and perceptions and feelings about stem cell donation: a GITMO-IBMDR nationwide survey
• Bad News – Communicating Bad News in Oncology settings: a survey on behalf of GITMO NG.