Evaluating Nurses' Knowledge of Chemotherapy

Background: The characteristics of the drugs that are used in chemotherapy have given rise to many issues, one of which is whether nurses are competent when working with chemotherapy. Methods: Nurses' knowledge of chemotherapy was evaluated with a questionnaire that included 20 true-or-false questions. The questionnaire was developed from literature and expert input and validated by subject experts (content validity). A pilot study (contrasted-groups approach) was also conducted. Results: A total of 203 nurses participated in the study and achieved an average overall correct answer rate of 60.9%. Most of the respondents, 63.5% (129 of 203), had a score of less than 70, and 77.3% (157 of 203) hoped to undergo more training on chemotherapy. Their knowledge of chemotherapy came mainly from consultation with colleagues (4.0 +/- 0.8) and in-hospital continuing education (3.9 +/- 0.8). Conclusion: The evidence-based results suggested that nurses have insufficient knowledge about chemotherapy. More fundamentally, however, nurses need more education about chemotherapy in nursing school and through in-hospital continuing education.