Oral chemotherapy medications: the need for a nurse's touch.

Since 2005, many oral chemotherapy agents have been released. Nurses often are not directly involved with patients who receive oral agents. Difficulties with adherence, safety, patient teaching, and access to oral agents can hinder treatment. Nurses can increase adherence and keep patients safe by developing standardized written prescriptions, encouraging the use of patient diaries, offering dosage calendars, and supplying contact information for an office pharmacist.