Background: Intravenous chemotherapy is a high-risk clinical procedure that requires nurses to integrate pharmacological knowledge, accurate patient and treatment verification, safe handling of cytotoxic agents, vascular-access assessment, monitoring, management of adverse effects, and patient education. Inconsistent knowledge or practice can compromise occupational safety and patient outcomes. This study evaluated whether a structured training protocol could improve nurses’ knowledge and clinical practice related to intravenous administration of chemotherapeutic agents.
Methods: A quantitative controlled pretest–posttest efficacy design was used. The planned sample was 168 nurses (84 per group); complete data were available for 160 nurses, with 80 participants each in the control and experimental groups. Participants were nurses involved in intravenous chemotherapy administration. Knowledge was assessed with a 20-item structured questionnaire and practice with an 86-point observational scale. The experimental group received a structured training protocol of approximately 35–45 minutes with reinforcement, while the control group continued routine practice. Assessments were undertaken at baseline, one month, and three months.
Results: Baseline scores were comparable. Mean knowledge was 9.97±2.06 in the control group and 10.16±2.11 in the experimental group (p=0.57). At one month, scores were 10.55±2.08 and 12.62±2.03, respectively (p<0.01); at three months they were 10.76±2.15 and 20.52±1.37 (p<0.01). Baseline practice scores were 14.48±2.63 and 14.35±2.36 (p=0.72). At one month, practice increased to 14.80±2.61 versus 18.83±2.71 (p<0.01), and at three months to 15.25±2.62 versus 33.10±3.23 (p<0.01). At endline, 92.5% of experimental participants were categorized as having good practice, compared with none in the control group. Knowledge and practice were positively correlated (r=0.732, p<0.01).
Conclusion: The structured training protocol produced substantial and sustained improvements in nurses’ chemotherapy-related knowledge and observed clinical practice. Periodic competency-based education, reinforcement, and standardized protocols may strengthen safe chemotherapy administration.
chemotherapy; intravenous administration; oncology nursing; training protocol; knowledge; clinical practice; nursing education.
Background: Intravenous chemotherapy is a high-risk clinical procedure that requires nurses to integrate pharmacological knowledge, accurate patient and treatment verification, safe handling of cytotoxic agents, vascular-access assessment, monitoring, management of adverse effects, and patient education. Inconsistent knowledge or practice can compromise occupational safety and patient outcomes. This study evaluated whether a structured training protocol could improve nurses’ knowledge and clinical practice related to intravenous administration of chemotherapeutic agents.
Methods: A quantitative controlled pretest–posttest efficacy design was used. The planned sample was 168 nurses (84 per group); complete data were available for 160 nurses, with 80 participants each in the control and experimental groups. Participants were nurses involved in intravenous chemotherapy administration. Knowledge was assessed with a 20-item structured questionnaire and practice with an 86-point observational scale. The experimental group received a structured training protocol of approximately 35–45 minutes with reinforcement, while the control group continued routine practice. Assessments were undertaken at baseline, one month, and three months.
Results: Baseline scores were comparable. Mean knowledge was 9.97±2.06 in the control group and 10.16±2.11 in the experimental group (p=0.57). At one month, scores were 10.55±2.08 and 12.62±2.03, respectively (p<0.01); at three months they were 10.76±2.15 and 20.52±1.37 (p<0.01). Baseline practice scores were 14.48±2.63 and 14.35±2.36 (p=0.72). At one month, practice increased to 14.80±2.61 versus 18.83±2.71 (p<0.01), and at three months to 15.25±2.62 versus 33.10±3.23 (p<0.01). At endline, 92.5% of experimental participants were categorized as having good practice, compared with none in the control group. Knowledge and practice were positively correlated (r=0.732, p<0.01).
Conclusion: The structured training protocol produced substantial and sustained improvements in nurses’ chemotherapy-related knowledge and observed clinical practice. Periodic competency-based education, reinforcement, and standardized protocols may strengthen safe chemotherapy administration.
chemotherapy; intravenous administration; oncology nursing; training protocol; knowledge; clinical practice; nursing education.