A chemotherapy and infusion therapy flow sheet for outpatient oncology settings.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To describe the development and evaluation of a documentation tool for chemotherapy and infusion therapy for an outpatient oncology setting.

DATA SOURCES

Journal articles, documentation tools, and cancer chemotherapy guidelines.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Greater demands and expansion of treatments and procedures in the outpatient setting have necessitated documentation methods that conserve time, accommodate documentation of a variety of therapies, and communicate ongoing monitoring and evaluation of care. Flow sheet documentation is an acceptable documentation method that has been used extensively to meet these objectives.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of this flow sheet has improved the quality and accommodated the scope of infusion therapy in the authors' setting. Documentation time has decreased, and standardization of documentation has occurred.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

Nurses can use the flow sheet to document concisely chemotherapy and infusion therapy administration over a period of time. It also provides for continuity in patient assessment and education through easy accessibility of this information within the patient's chart.