Patient assessment of a combined medical and nursing preparation to cytotoxic chemotherapy.

At Auckland hospital there is a combined medical and nursing preparation for patients receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy. The aim of the current study was to assess whether patients felt that this combined approach had prepared them adequately for chemotherapy. Patients were asked to complete three questionnaires anonymously at different times in their treatment programme: immediately prior to chemotherapy, after three cycles of chemotherapy and 2 months after completion of chemotherapy. A high level of satisfaction with the programme was demonstrated: 68% of patients thought the orientation programme had prepared them "very well", 32% "adequately" and none "poorly" for their chemotherapy. Separate interviews with medical and nursing staff were thought a "good idea" by 86% of patients and only 1 of 100 medical and 100 nursing interviews was assessed as "not worthwhile". This study suggests that a combined medical and nursing preparation is a worthwhile practice in preparing patients for cytotoxic chemotherapy.