title: Current practice patterns for oral chemotherapy: results of a national survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe current nursing practices in the United States regarding care and safety of patients taking oral chemotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This three-phase study consisted of development, validation, and implementation of a national online survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey of oncology nurses in outpatient settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  577 oncology nurses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surveys were emailed to 5,000 members of the Oncology Nursing Society. The survey included 17 forced-choice items and one free-text item. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were obtained.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patient care practices, nursing resources, and barriers to medication adherence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-one percent of the respondents worked in practices that had developed specific policies, procedures, and resources for patients on oral chemotherapy. Barriers to treatment adherence included cost (81%) and adverse effects (72%). Practices with specific policies differed in clinical and statistical significance from practices without policies on almost every survey item. Free-text responses revealed that many practices have erratic procedures and inadequate interdisciplinary communication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Systematic reliable policies and procedures for patient education, documentation, and interdisciplinary communication are urgently needed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses should provide education and repeated teaching to improve patient safety, adherence to the medication, and self-monitoring for adverse effects.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.
authors.forename: Janna C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Roop
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.
authors.forename: Horng-Shiuann
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D019538:Health Care Surveys / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing*; D009859:Oncology Nursing; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: ambulatory care; chemotherapy; clinical practice; oral chemotherapy; patient education