Abstract

Introduction Clinical practice guidelines based on best available evidence and national safety and quality standards promote high quality and safe care.

Aim To review and standardise systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT) forms in a 20-chair cancer centre to reflect Australian and international clinical practice guidelines.

Method A pre–post audit design based on Clinical Oncological Society of Australia (COSA) guidelines for the safe prescribing, dispensing and administration of systemic cancer therapy underpinned the project. The pre-audit (47 forms) provided a benchmark for SACT form improvements: 177 new forms were then developed over 18 months and implemented.

Results Pre-audit: 9/19 criteria were >70% compliant with best practice guidelines. Post-SACT implementation audit: 15/19 criteria were >70% compliant. The recent 2018 audit: improvements shown in 18/19 criteria.

Conclusion This nurse-led multidisciplinary initiative effectively standardised SACT charts with best practice guidelines, potentially reducing serious medication errors and facilitating a high standard of multidisciplinary patient care.

Keywords

anti-cancer therapy, prescription form, audit, pretest-posttest

Comments

Copyright © 2020 CNSA (Cancer Nurses Society of Australia). All rights reserved. For personal use only. No other uses without permission.

This article first published in The Australian Journal of Cancer Nursing. Online: https://journals.cambridgemedia.com.au/ajcn

Sims, F., Ross-Adjie, G., and Monterosso, L. (2020) Standardisation of systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT) prescription forms: A pre-post audit evaluation. Australian Journal of Cancer Nursing, 21(1), https://doi.org/10.33235/ajcn.21.1.4-8

Permission granted by The Australian Journal of Cancer Nursing for use on ResearchOnline@ND.

Link to Publisher Version (URL)

https://doi.org/10.33235/ajcn.21.1.4-8

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