A comprehensive interdisciplinary chemotherapy teaching documentation flowsheet

Abstract

Purpose/objectives: To describe the development and implementation of one approach to standardize and document interdisciplinary chemotherapy education for patients and families.

Data sources: Cancer center interdisciplinary team. Oncology Nursing Society standards of care, clinical experience, and published literature.

Data synthesis: Because chart reviews of patient records demonstrated inconsistent chemotherapy education, a comprehensive chemotherapy curriculum pain was designed as a template for patient education. A flowsheet was developed to document use of the patient curriculum as well as other chemotherapy-related education materials. Patient chemotherapy curriculum included information regarding cancer and its treatment, adverse effects, and self-care measures and material about psychosocial and spiritual care.

Conclusions: A standardized approach dramatically improved chemotherapy-related patient education as well as interdisciplinary documentation of patient education. The curriculum and the flowsheet are interdisciplinary and consistent with the patient and family education standards required by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations.

Implications for nursing practice: The combination of a patient chemotherapy curriculum and a documentation flowsheet saves time and standardizes content. Patient information is comprehensive and consistent, yet open to individual interpretation. Use of the flowsheet also has increased interdisciplinary collaboration, and the standardized curriculum has decreased redundancy between providers because all members of the interdisciplinary team know what is required and what information has been taught by whom.