Educational preparation for chemotherapy administration: A survey of Queensland nurses

Nurses caring for patients receiving chemotherapy require specialised knowledge and skills in order to ensure safety for both the patient and nurse. However, there is currently no agreed educational standard for nurses working in chemotherapy settings. The purpose of this study was to identify the educational level of nurses working in chemotherapy settings in Queensland, and to describe nurses’ opinions of educational requirements for this role. A questionnaire was distributed to all 454 financial members of the Queensland Cancer Fund’s Oncology Nurses’ Group. A total of 128 (28%) nurses responded, with over 60% of these respondents being from regional and remote areas of Queensland. While the majority of nurses involved in administration of chemotherapy had received some education for this role, findings suggest there is considerable variation in the level and type of educational preparation for nurses working in chemotherapy settings in Queensland. Moreover, nurses identified many barriers to acquiring chemotherapy education, with the majority of respondents supporting the need for standardising education programmes related to chemotherapy administration and safe handling across the state.