Congress Abstracts 2004

146

IMPLEMENTATION OF A PATIENT-EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR CHEMOTHERAPY: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY GROUP PROCESS MODEL. Louise Archambault RN, BSN, OCN^®, Mary Week, RN, MSN, AOCN^®, Allata Asacria, RN, BSN, OCN^®, Regina Miller, RN, ADN, and Kelly Waters, MSW, LCSW, Moses Cone Regional Cancer Center, Greensboro, NC.

Patient and family education is an integral part of oncology nursing. Coming to a cancer center and receiving chemotherapy often overwhelm patients. To reduce anxiety and increase patient’s knowledge about receiving chemotherapy and symptom management, nurses in the medical oncology division of a community cancer center developed an educational program to facilitate patients’ transition into cancer treatment.

As patients entered the cancer center system, nurses provided one-to-one patient teaching about support services available for patients and families, chemotherapy, and side-effect management. Nurses providing the education were concerned about the increased demand on nursing time, consistency of information, and patient’s retention of the information. In addition, members of the support services disciplines identified that patients were often unaware of the services available for patients receiving treatment at the cancer center.

Patients and family or caregivers are scheduled to attend a 90-minute education class prior to beginning chemotherapy. Classes, lead by nurses from the regional cancer center, are offered 6 times each week and are scheduled during day and evening hours. Participants receive written information about support services available for patients and families and have the opportunity to meet a social worker or chaplain. A registered nurse then presents written and verbal information about chemotherapy and symptom management. Discussion about the process of chemotherapy administration and symptom management allows patients and family members to ask questions Class concludes with a tour of the infusion room.

Since February 2003, 282 patients have participated in the group education class. Each patient completes an evaluation form after the first class. Patients have expressed positive comments about their preparation for treatment both in the evaluations and when they are receiving chemotherapy. Nurses report patients are more prepared for treatment and demonstrate increased knowledge about side effect management after treatment.

From the evaluations and verbal reports, the group education process has successfully prepared patients to receive chemotherapy. Further evaluation will address patient management of specific side effects. Nurses should easily be able to adapt the information from this poster to their own clinical setting if they are considering changes in their patient education programs.